What is the primary objective of **PIPL**?

**PIPL's primary objective is to protect natural persons' personal information rights and interests while regulating and promoting the reasonable use of personal information.** Enacted on August 20, 2021, and effective November 1, 2021, the law's 74 articles establish principles of lawfulness, necessity, minimization, transparency, accuracy, integrity, confidentiality, and accountability for all processing activities.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **PIPL**?

**PIPL requires compliance from all personal information handlers—organizations or individuals—processing personal information of natural persons within China, with extraterritorial reach to foreign entities providing products/services to or analyzing behaviors of individuals in China.** This includes multinationals without a physical presence; such handlers must appoint a China-based representative (Article 53). Handlers processing PI of over 1 million individuals must designate a Personal Information Protection Officer (PIPO).

Does **PIPL** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**PIPL does not universally mandate external audits or third-party certification but requires them in specific cases.** Handlers processing PI of over 10 million individuals must conduct compliance audits at least every two years (2025 Measures). Cross-border transfers exceeding 1 million individuals' PI or 10,000 sensitive PI require CAC security assessments; alternatives include certification or standard contractual clauses (SCCs). Internal audits and Personal Information Protection Impact Assessments (PIPIAs) are mandatory for high-risk processing (Article 55).

How often should an assessment for **PIPL** be performed?

**PIPL requires regular internal compliance audits and PIPIAs for high-risk activities, with specific frequencies for large-scale handlers.** Audits must occur at least every two years for those processing PI of over 10 million individuals (2025 Audit Measures). PIPIAs are conducted before high-risk processing like sensitive personal information (SPI) handling, automated decision-making, or cross-border transfers, with records retained for at least three years (GB/T 39335-2020). Ongoing monitoring is embedded in governance (Article 51).

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **PIPL**?

**Non-compliance with PIPL can result in administrative fines up to RMB 50 million (~US$7.8 million) or 5% of prior-year global annual revenue for grave violations, plus personal fines up to RMB 1 million for responsible executives.** Penalties include business suspension, license revocation, corrective orders, and public shaming. Civil liability shifts the burden of proof to handlers; criminal penalties apply for severe cases like large-scale SPI trafficking.

An **PIPL** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, PIPL can be mapped to other international frameworks due to shared principles like data minimization, transparency, accountability, and individual rights.** However, differences include no broad legitimate interests basis, stricter consent for SPI (biometrics, health, minors under 14), and national security-linked cross-border controls absent in many regimes. Mappings highlight alignments in impact assessments and governance but require gap analysis for consent granularity and localization.

What is the first step to begin implementing **PIPL**?

**The first step for PIPL implementation is conducting a comprehensive gap analysis and data mapping to inventory all personal information flows, systems, and third-party processors.** This identifies PI categories (including SPI), processing purposes, legal bases, volumes, and cross-border transfers, producing a risk heatmap and prioritized remediation plan (Phase 1 framework). Secure executive sponsorship beforehand to ensure cross-functional commitment.

What is the primary objective of **ISO 22301**?

**ISO 22301 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving a Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) to protect against, reduce the likelihood of, and recover from disruptive incidents.** Its PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) structure across 10 clauses enables organizations to ensure continuity of critical products and services amid threats like cyberattacks, pandemics, and natural disasters.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with **ISO 22301**?

**ISO 22301 applies to organizations of all sizes and sectors seeking resilience, with heightened professional relevance in critical sectors like utilities, transport, health, finance, and IT services.** While voluntary, it supports regulatory compliance such as EU NIS Directive mandates for essential services, where 1 in 5 organizations face annual disruptions.

Does **ISO 22301** require an external audit or third-party certification?

**ISO 22301 certification involves a mandatory two-stage external audit by accredited bodies: Stage 1 (readiness review) and Stage 2 (effectiveness audit), typically taking 6-8 weeks.** Certification is valid for 3 years, requiring annual surveillance audits and internal audits to verify BCMS performance.

How often should an assessment for **ISO 22301** be performed?

**ISO 22301 requires internal audits and management reviews at planned intervals, typically annually, with continual monitoring via Clause 9 performance evaluation.** The standard undergoes a 5-year review cycle, with certifications recertified every 3 years alongside surveillance.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with **ISO 22301**?

**Non-compliance with ISO 22301 exposes organizations to unmitigated disruptions, financial losses from downtime, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties under frameworks like NIS Directive.** Certified organizations avoid these by reducing recovery times, but untested BCMS risks failure in crises, as seen in 20% annual disruption rates.

Can **ISO 22301** be mapped to other international frameworks?

**Yes, ISO 22301 seamlessly maps to other frameworks via its Annex SL high-level structure, notably aligning with ISO 27001 for integrated management systems.** Clause overlaps in audits, reviews, and risk processes enable synergies, with shared procedures cutting duplication for holistic resilience.

What is the first step to begin implementing **ISO 22301**?

**The first step in implementing ISO 22301 is conducting a gap analysis against Clauses 4-10, followed by defining organizational context, scope, and leadership commitment per Clause 4 and 5.** Secure top management buy-in via kickoff meetings to establish BCMS policy and appoint roles.

PIPL vs ISO 22301

Standards Comparison

PIPL

Mandatory

2021

China's comprehensive law for personal information protection

ISO 22301

Voluntary

2019

International standard for business continuity management systems.

Quick Verdict

PIPL mandates privacy protection for Chinese data with extraterritorial reach and hefty fines, while ISO 22301 is a voluntary resilience standard for disruptions. Companies adopt PIPL for China compliance, ISO 22301 for continuity certification and trust.

Data Privacy

PIPL

Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL)

Cost

€€€€

Complexity

Medium

Implementation Time

6-12 months

Key Features

Extraterritorial reach to foreign processors targeting China
Separate explicit consent for sensitive personal information
Cross-border transfers requiring security assessments or SCCs
Fines up to 5% annual revenue or RMB 50 million
Minors under 14 data automatically deemed sensitive

Business Continuity

ISO 22301

ISO 22301:2019 Business continuity management systems

Cost

€€€

Complexity

Medium

Implementation Time

0-6 months

Key Features

PDCA cycle for continual BCMS improvement
Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and risk assessment
Leadership commitment and BCMS policy requirements
Operational testing and recovery strategies
Annex SL alignment for ISO 27001 integration

Detailed Analysis

A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

PIPL Details

What It Is

PIPL (Personal Information Protection Law) is China's comprehensive national regulation enacted in 2021, effective November 1. It governs collection, processing, storage, transfer, and deletion of personal information with extraterritorial scope for organizations targeting China. Adopting a risk-based approach, it emphasizes consent, minimization, and security alongside Cybersecurity Law and Data Security Law.

Key Components

Eight chapters, 74 articles covering processing rules, cross-border transfers, individual rights, handler obligations.
Core principles: lawfulness, necessity, minimization, transparency, accountability.
Sensitive personal information (SPI) like biometrics, health data requires explicit consent.
No certification but compliance via audits, PIPIAs; enforcement by CAC.

Why Organizations Use It

Mandatory for entities handling Chinese data; avoids fines up to 5% revenue. Enhances market access, customer trust, operational resilience. Mitigates breach risks, enables compliant cross-border business in China's digital economy.

Implementation Overview

Phased: gap analysis, data mapping, policies, controls, ongoing governance. Applies to multinationals, domestic firms; high complexity for cross-border. No formal certification but requires DPOs, representatives, regular audits. (178 words)

ISO 22301 Details

What It Is

ISO 22301:2019 is the international certification standard for Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS). It specifies requirements to protect against, reduce likelihood of, respond to, and recover from disruptions, using a risk-based PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle for resilience.

Key Components

10 clauses per Annex SL high-level structure (HLS)
Core areas: Context (Clause 4), Leadership (5), Planning/BIA/RA (6), Support (7), Operation/testing (8), Evaluation (9), Improvement (10)
Emphasizes Business Impact Analysis (BIA), risk assessment, recovery strategies
3-year certification with annual surveillance audits

Why Organizations Use It

Builds resilience, minimizes financial losses/downtime
Meets regulatory needs (e.g., NIS Directive, NIST)
Enhances risk management, stakeholder trust, reputation
Provides competitive advantages, lower insurance premiums

Implementation Overview

Step-by-step: gap analysis, BIA, training, testing, audits
Applicable to all sizes/sectors globally
Two-stage certification (6-8 weeks post-readiness) (178 words)

Key Differences

Aspect	PIPL	ISO 22301
Scope	Personal information processing, privacy rights, cross-border transfers	Business continuity management, disruption recovery, resilience
Industry	All handling Chinese personal data, global extraterritorial reach	All sectors worldwide, all organization sizes
Nature	Mandatory Chinese law, CAC enforcement	Voluntary certification standard, third-party audits
Testing	DPIAs for high-risk, compliance audits	BIA, exercises, internal/external audits, 3-year certification
Penalties	Fines up to 5% revenue or RMB 50M	Loss of certification, no legal fines

Scope

PIPL

Personal information processing, privacy rights, cross-border transfers

ISO 22301

Business continuity management, disruption recovery, resilience

Industry

PIPL

All handling Chinese personal data, global extraterritorial reach

ISO 22301

All sectors worldwide, all organization sizes

Nature

PIPL

Mandatory Chinese law, CAC enforcement

ISO 22301

Voluntary certification standard, third-party audits

Testing

PIPL

DPIAs for high-risk, compliance audits

ISO 22301

BIA, exercises, internal/external audits, 3-year certification

Penalties

PIPL

Fines up to 5% revenue or RMB 50M

ISO 22301

Loss of certification, no legal fines

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about PIPL and ISO 22301

PIPL FAQ

ISO 22301 FAQ

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PIPL

ISO 22301

Quick Verdict

PIPL

Key Features

ISO 22301

Key Features

Detailed Analysis

PIPL Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

ISO 22301 Details

What It Is

Key Components

Why Organizations Use It

Implementation Overview

Key Differences

Scope

Industry

Nature

Testing

Penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

PIPL FAQ

What is the primary objective of PIPL?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with PIPL?

Does PIPL require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for PIPL be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with PIPL?

An PIPL be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing PIPL?

ISO 22301 FAQ

What is the primary objective of ISO 22301?

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with ISO 22301?

Does ISO 22301 require an external audit or third-party certification?

How often should an assessment for ISO 22301 be performed?

What are the consequences of non-compliance with ISO 22301?

Can ISO 22301 be mapped to other international frameworks?

What is the first step to begin implementing ISO 22301?

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The Human-AI Synergy: How Modern Compliance Tools Amplify Your Team's Strategic Impact

CIS Controls v8.1 for Cloud & Kubernetes: A Practical Implementation Playbook (AWS/Azure/GCP + IaC)

PDPA Cross-Border Transfer Rules Decoded: Singapore, Thailand, and Taiwan Mechanisms Compared with Practical Implementation Templates

Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM

Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages

APPI vs LGPD

CSL (Cyber Security Law of China) vs PIPL

Six Sigma vs IEC 62443