ISO 45001
International standard for occupational health and safety management
ISO 27018
Code of practice for PII protection in public clouds.
Quick Verdict
ISO 45001 provides occupational health & safety management for all organizations, while ISO 27018 offers cloud-specific PII protection for service providers. Companies adopt 45001 to prevent workplace injuries and 27018 to assure privacy compliance in cloud processing.
ISO 45001
ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
Key Features
- Mandates leadership accountability and worker participation
- Aligns with Annex SL for IMS integration
- Enforces hierarchy of controls prioritizing elimination
- Requires proactive risks and opportunities planning
- Drives PDCA continual improvement with audits
ISO 27018
ISO/IEC 27018:2025 PII Protection in Public Clouds
Key Features
- PII protection controls for public cloud processors
- Subprocessor transparency and disclosure requirements
- Breach notification obligations to customers
- Data minimization and retention limitations
- Support for data subject rights fulfillment
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 45001 Details
What It Is
ISO 45001:2018 is the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). It provides a framework to prevent work-related injuries and ill health, improve OH&S performance, using a risk-based approach aligned with Annex SL for integration with other ISO standards like ISO 9001 and 14001.
Key Components
- Clauses 4-10 cover context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, improvement.
- Emphasizes hierarchy of controls, worker participation, leadership accountability.
- Built on PDCA cycle; certification via accredited bodies with audits.
Why Organizations Use It
- Reduces incidents, legal risks, insurance costs.
- Enhances resilience, reputation, talent retention.
- Meets stakeholder, supply-chain demands; voluntary but strategic for high-risk sectors.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, policy/objectives, controls, audits (6-12 months typical).
- Scalable for all sizes/industries; requires training, documented info, continual improvement.
ISO 27018 Details
What It Is
ISO/IEC 27018 is a code of practice extending ISO 27001 and ISO 27002 for protecting personally identifiable information (PII) in public clouds where providers act as PII processors. Its primary scope targets cloud-specific privacy risks like multi-tenancy and cross-border flows. It uses a risk-based, control-oriented approach with ~25-30 additional privacy controls.
Key Components
- Core domains: transparency, consent, data minimization, breach notification, subprocessor management.
- Built on privacy principles (consent, purpose limitation, accountability).
- Integrated into ISO 27001 ISMS; no standalone certification—assessed during 27001 audits.
Why Organizations Use It
- Builds customer trust and accelerates procurement.
- Aligns with GDPR, HIPAA for processor obligations.
- Reduces risk via structured PII safeguards; aids cyber insurance.
- Differentiates CSPs in competitive markets.
Implementation Overview
- Layer controls into existing ISMS via gap analysis and Statement of Applicability.
- Key activities: policy updates, subprocessor disclosures, training, audits.
- Applies to CSPs of all sizes; global focus.
- Requires third-party audits within ISO 27001 cycle.
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 45001 | ISO 27018 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Occupational health & safety management systems | PII protection in public cloud services |
| Industry | All sectors worldwide, scalable to size | Cloud service providers globally |
| Nature | Voluntary certifiable management system standard | Code of practice extending ISO 27001 |
| Testing | Internal audits, management reviews, certification | ISO 27001 audits with privacy control assessment |
| Penalties | Loss of certification, no legal penalties | Loss of certification, no direct penalties |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 45001 and ISO 27018
ISO 45001 FAQ
ISO 27018 FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...
CIS Controls v8.1, Operationalized: Top 10 Reasons Compliance Monitoring Software Accelerates Real-World Implementation
Operationalize CIS Controls v8.1 with compliance monitoring software. Turn checklists into dashboards, tickets, and audit-proof workflows. Top 10 reasons it acc
The Panoramic View: How Integrated Compliance Monitoring Creates Unprecedented Organizational Visibility and Adaptability
Gain unprecedented organizational visibility with integrated compliance monitoring. Automate real-time alerts, ensure GDPR & SOC 2 adherence, reduce risks, and
CMMC Cost Calculator: Realistic Budgets for Levels 1-3, C3PAO Fees, and ROI for Small DIB Suppliers
Calculate realistic CMMC costs for Levels 1-3: self-assessments, C3PAO fees, tooling, remediation & ROI. Interactive tool for small DIB suppliers. Get benchmark
Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM
Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform
Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.
Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages
NIST 800-171 vs EU AI Act
Compare NIST 800-171 vs EU AI Act: Decode US CUI safeguards & EU high-risk AI rules. Gain insights on controls, compliance gaps & strategies to thrive globally. Read now!
WCAG vs FedRAMP
WCAG vs FedRAMP: Compare accessibility (POUR, AA levels) & cloud security (NIST baselines, Moderate impact). Key diffs, compliance paths & strategies. Achieve dual mastery now!
ENERGY STAR vs J-SOX
Compare ENERGY STAR vs J-SOX: US voluntary energy efficiency label (75+ score, 35% savings) vs Japan's SOX-like ICFR rules for listed firms. Boost compliance now!