The ISO 27001 Stage 1 Audit is the first step in the certification process for an organization’s Information Security Management System (ISMS). It’s a preliminary review conducted by an external auditor to assess whether your organization is ready for the more in-depth Stage 2 Audit.
Key goals of the Stage 1 Audit:
- Confirm that your ISMS documentation (like policies, procedures, and risk assessments) aligns with ISO 27001:2022 requirements
- Evaluate your organization’s preparedness and understanding of the standard
- Identify any major gaps or nonconformities that need to be addressed before Stage 2
- Review your scope, objectives, and internal audit results
This audit doesn’t result in certification—it’s more like a readiness check to ensure you’re on the right track. Once any issues are resolved, you can proceed to the Stage 2 Audit, which assesses how well your ISMS is actually implemented and functioning.
