ISO 27001 · Managed compliance
ISO 27001 certification, run end-to-end — without the headcount.
Agency's U.S.-based forward-deployed engineers and proprietary AI build and operate your ISMS, take you through Stage 1 and Stage 2, and keep you certified. We're GRC platform agnostic — deep experts in both Vanta and Drata — and we've run thousands of compliance programs over the last five years.
Vanta and Drata show you the work. Agency does it.Operated by engineers + AI
Assess→Build→Operate→Certify
Trusted by Thousands, Partnered With The Industry's Elite
ISO 27001 doesn't have to consume your team.
ISO 27001 · Managed compliance
/0.1
Most teams treat ISO 27001 as a year-long documentation marathon.
Agency runs it as an operated programThe DIY approachRunning it yourselfEngineers pulled off the roadmap to build an ISMS from scratchA GRC tool that maps Annex A but doesn't implement the controlsRisk assessments and the SoA land on whoever is freeSurveillance audits restart the same scramble every year
With AgencyOperated for youForward-deployed engineers own the ISMS end-to-endAI plus engineers implement Annex A controls and collect evidenceWe operate on top of Vanta, Drata, and your existing stackOne team that extends to SOC 2, HIPAA, CMMC and more
/0.2
Outcomes our clients see
Agency operates your GRC platform so it actually pays off — bringing down the all-in cost of Vanta and Drata while your engineers stay on the roadmap200+Hours saved per year — What the average Agency client reclaims annually by handing ISMS upkeep and evidence collection to our engineers and AI.
$100K+Engineering & compliance time recovered — Typical yearly savings in internal engineering and compliance effort versus building and running an ISMS in-house.
1,500+Compliance programs delivered — Run across Vanta, Drata, and the rest of the stack over the last five years — platform agnostic by design.
/0.3
Everything your ISO 27001 program needs — included
A virtual CISO, compliance manager, and security engineering, all operated for you.01ISMS scoping & risk assessmentWe define the ISMS scope, run a formal risk assessment, and build a prioritized risk treatment plan against your real environment.
02Statement of ApplicabilityWe map all 93 Annex A controls, justify inclusions and exclusions, and produce the SoA auditors use as the backbone of Stage 2.
03Annex A control implementationOrganizational, people, physical, and technological controls implemented across your stack — not just documented.
04Policy & ISMS documentationThe full ISMS document set — security policy, risk methodology, and procedures — written to match how you actually operate.
05Evidence & continuous monitoringEngineer-verified evidence collected continuously with drift alerts, so you stay certification-ready between audits.
06Audit coordinationWe manage certification-body selection, Stage 1 and Stage 2 fieldwork, and ongoing surveillance audits.
/0.4
From zero to certified
A clear path to Stage 2 most companies complete in 3–6 months01
AssessISMS scoping and a formal risk assessment against ISO 27001 and the Annex A control set.02
BuildISMS documentation, the Statement of Applicability, and Annex A controls implemented across your environment.03
OperateEvidence collection and continuous monitoring run by your forward-deployed team.04
CertifyWe coordinate the certification body through Stage 1 and Stage 2 to your ISO 27001 certificate.
/0.5
Frameworks We Operate — end-to-end compliance execution across the frameworks your buyers and regulators demand
/0.6
ISO 27001 questions, answered
Eleven questionsIs ISO 27001 a certification?Yes. Unlike SOC 2, which is an attestation report, ISO/IEC 27001 is a formal certification issued by an accredited certification body. After a successful Stage 1 and Stage 2 audit, you receive a certificate that is valid for three years, subject to annual surveillance audits. The certificate verifies that your Information Security Management System (ISMS) conforms to the ISO 27001 standard.
What is an ISMS?An Information Security Management System (ISMS) is the documented set of policies, processes, roles, and controls you use to manage information security risk. ISO 27001 is built around the ISMS: you define scope, assess risk, select controls, and continually improve them through a Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. Agency builds and operates your ISMS end-to-end rather than handing you templates to maintain yourself.
What is the difference between a Stage 1 and Stage 2 audit?ISO 27001 certification happens in two stages. The Stage 1 audit is a documentation and readiness review — the auditor checks that your ISMS, risk assessment, Statement of Applicability, and core policies exist and are sound. The Stage 2 audit is the main certification audit, where the auditor tests that your controls are actually implemented and operating effectively. Agency prepares you for both and coordinates the certification body through fieldwork.
What are Annex A controls?Annex A of ISO 27001:2022 is a catalog of 93 security controls grouped into four themes: organizational, people, physical, and technological. You assess which controls apply to your risks and document your decisions in a Statement of Applicability (SoA). You do not have to implement every control — you justify inclusions and exclusions based on your risk assessment. Agency maps Annex A to your environment and implements the applicable controls across your stack.
What is the Statement of Applicability (SoA)?The Statement of Applicability is the central ISO 27001 document that lists every Annex A control, states whether it applies to your organization, and explains the justification and implementation status. Auditors use the SoA as the backbone of the Stage 2 audit. Agency produces and maintains your SoA so it always reflects how your controls actually operate.
How long does ISO 27001 certification take?Most companies reach Stage 2 readiness in roughly 3 to 6 months depending on their starting security posture and the scope of the ISMS, followed by the certification audit itself. Agency's forward-deployed engineers compress that timeline by building the ISMS, running the risk assessment, implementing Annex A controls, and collecting evidence directly instead of handing you a checklist.
How much does ISO 27001 cost?The all-in cost of ISO 27001 is more than the certification-body fee. It includes the GRC platform (Vanta, Drata, or similar), the accredited certification body, penetration testing, and — usually the largest line item — the internal engineering and compliance time spent building the ISMS, implementing controls, and running surveillance. Agency lowers that total cost of ownership: we operate your GRC platform for you, and our clients save an average of 200+ hours and well over $100K in engineering and compliance time each year. For a published number: the ISO 27001 package without a GRC platform starts at $12,500 including the certification audit.
Do we have to replace Vanta or Drata to work with Agency?No. Agency is GRC platform agnostic and operates on top of Vanta, Drata, and the rest of your existing stack — there is no rip-and-replace and no migration. Both platforms support ISO 27001 control mapping and Annex A evidence; we run whichever one you own, or help you choose and stand one up.
How is ISO 27001 different from SOC 2?SOC 2 is a US-centric attestation report against the AICPA's Trust Services Criteria, while ISO 27001 is an internationally recognized certification of a formal ISMS. SOC 2 is often preferred by US buyers; ISO 27001 is frequently required for European and global enterprise deals. The control sets overlap heavily, so once Agency has built one program, adding the other reuses much of the same evidence and effort.
What are surveillance audits?An ISO 27001 certificate is valid for three years, but the certification body conducts surveillance audits in years one and two to confirm your ISMS is still operating effectively, followed by a full recertification audit in year three. This makes ISO 27001 an ongoing program, not a one-time project — which is why Agency runs continuous monitoring and evidence collection year-round rather than only at audit time.
Can an early-stage startup get ISO 27001 certified?Yes. Startups regularly pursue ISO 27001 to unlock European and global enterprise deals. The key is scoping the ISMS to what you actually do and implementing right-sized controls rather than enterprise overhead. Agency runs ISO 27001 for companies from seed stage through scale and operates the ISMS so a small team can stay certified without hiring a dedicated security function.
Industry Leading Security & Compliance
We strive to meet the highest standards of security and privacy.
Our mature compliance posture has met the highest levels of scrutiny from independent third party auditors.
Get certified Automation ends where judgment begins.
What the operated model delivers
Your GRC platform, operatedBringing down the all-in cost of Vanta and Drata while your engineers stay on the roadmap.
One team, every frameworkThe same forward-deployed team extends to SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, CMMC, GDPR, and more.
Audit-ready year-roundContinuous monitoring and evidence collection, not an annual scramble.
Platform Products
Agency AIEnd-to-end cybersecurity and compliance, across the stack you already use.GRC IntegrationsEngineer-operated GRC platform integrationCustodyIDIdentity verification for trust and complianceFind your auditor
Auditnex makes buying audits simpler and more transparent.
Agency implements the controls, collects the evidence, and manages your auditor relationship on top of the GRC tools you already use.
Explore AuditnexCommon GRC Questions
GRC Platform & Virtual CISO FAQ
Answers to common managed-compliance questions — what Agency operates, how it fits with Vanta or Drata, and what a virtual CISO actually does for your program.
Read the FAQMore from Agency
See it on the home pagePricingExpress Comply PricingManaged Comply PricingSOC 2 without a platformAgency for StartupsCyber & Tech E&O Insurance
CompareAgency vs GRC softwareAgency vs VantaCompare GRC platformsVanta vs DrataBest Vanta alternativesVanta through Agency
AI-Powered
Build a Security & Compliance Team Led by Your Own Virtual CISO
Forward-Deployed Engineers + AI that lower costs, increase velocity, and raise the bar — from policy to audit to remediation. U.S.-based forward-deployed engineers, supercharged by proprietary AI, operate your program end-to-end — on top of the tools you already trust.
Start Your Audit Automation ends where judgment begins.