In 2025, an important change occurred in ISO/IEC 27701, making the standard no longer an extension standard. This corresponds to a very relevant change, both conceptually and practically. Thus, from now on, we can say that the standard becomes an autonomous privacy management standard.
We know this change can be a bit confusing, which is why we decided to write this content to explain what it all means. We will talk about what changes, how this can be relevant in your work, and what impacts this alteration brings.
So, if you work with information security management systems, this text will be very useful for you. To correctly understand the change, let’s first see the difference between a management system standard and an extension standard:
- management system standard: a standard designed to help companies establish, implement, maintain, and improve a management system, making it certifiable;
- extension standard: a document that provides guidelines, requirements, or support information to apply or complement an existing management system standard. It is only certifiable if the standard to which it is linked is also implemented.
By understanding this difference, it becomes relatively easier to understand what changed. Let’s see what changes in practice and what impacts the new ISO/IEC 27701 may create. Let’s move to the first point:
Change in ISO/IEC 27701 – what happens when the standard stops being an extension standard
Before, the standard functioned only as support to an already existing and implemented management system. Here, the system in question is the ISMS (information security management system), which uses ISO 27001 as its reference and requirements. Thus, ISO/IEC 27701 aimed to expand the ISMS, complement it, and specifically address privacy — in the form of PII, Personally Identifiable Information.
Therefore, in certification terms, ISO/IEC 27701 was seen only as an extension of ISO/IEC 27001 — that is, the focus was “information security + privacy” together, and not privacy alone. In practice, this meant that to be certified in accordance with ISO/IEC 27701, companies were required to already have ISO 27001 certification. Something that, perhaps, could overshadow the importance of 27701.
However, not all contexts require such integration, which could cause rigidity and even more difficulties for organizations. Thus, with the recent publication of the new version of ISO/IEC 27701, the standard ceases to be an extension document and can be implemented and certified independently. This brings more freedom and focus to companies that choose to adopt it.
Real impacts of the change in ISO/IEC 27701
Overall, this change brings significant impacts to the market, companies, and professionals. Let’s look at some of them:
- More autonomy: now the standard can be applied as an independent privacy management system. You no longer need to have an ISMS (conforming to ISO 27001) implemented or certified to apply ISO/IEC 27701. This opens big opportunities for many companies;
- Greater flexibility: ISO/IEC 27701 remains compatible and integrable with ISO/IEC 27001 and gains even more integration with other management system standards. However, it no longer depends on any standard as an obligatory condition;
- Specific focus on privacy: the change reinforces that privacy (management of personal data, PII) is treated as a relevant topic in itself and not merely an “extension” of information security. This means clearer privacy requirements, controller and processor roles, privacy risks, etc. This is a significant advancement for the whole field and more security for everyone;
- Greater breadth and applicability: the revised standard also brings structures aligned with updates to ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and ISO/IEC 27002:2022. Likewise, it addresses emerging topics such as A.I. and digital ecosystems — all, of course, within the privacy context;
- Simplified certification and scope: by no longer depending formally on ISO 27001, organizations that want to focus only on privacy can adopt ISO/IEC 27701 (without necessarily undergoing ISO 27001). This greatly expands adoption and certification possibilities;
- New work fronts: consultants, managers, professionals in the field, and even certification bodies now have more possibilities for implementation, facilitating access to privacy and increasing job opportunities in the market;
- New requirements, new competencies: it is also worth noting that ISO/IEC 27701 now becomes a complete management system standard. Therefore, professionals who previously took courses in this standard will also need new training to acquire new competencies and demonstrate technical capability in data privacy.
ISO/IEC 27701: moving ahead in privacy protection
With its new version, ISO/IEC 27701 ceases to be an extension and becomes the protagonist — a standard that stands on its own, ready to face the challenges of modern privacy. This important change symbolizes the maturity of the topic worldwide, clearly signaling that privacy is no longer just a “division” of information security. Now it occupies center stage in corporate governance!
Thus, we can say that the revision of ISO/IEC 27701 represents a significant advancement in how organizations can structure their privacy management systems. The standard gains autonomy, updates itself in accordance with the new versions of the 27000 family, and expands its applicability in different contexts — which is excellent in every sense!
This transformation of ISO/IEC 27701 opens a new path for companies, consultants, and professionals who wish to stand out in the field of privacy and compliance. Therefore, adopting the new version is a way to strengthen personal data governance and, at the same time, prepare for a scenario in which trust and transparency have become more than obligations — they have become competitive differentiators. Therefore, dear readers, in other words, those who understand this change before others will be ahead!
