ISMS.online CEO discusses growth, innovation, and compliance

ISMS.online is a global compliance platform dedicated to helping businesses achieve various ISO and international certifications efficiently and cost-effectively.

With a mission that originated in enabling secure information sharing for police forces, the company has grown to become a leading player in the security compliance sector, boasting over 25,000 users globally.

Global Reach and Rapid Expansion

CEO, Luke Dash, spoke with TechDay and highlighted the company's impressive growth trajectory.

"We operate globally. We have offices in the UK and Australia; currently, 50% of our business comes from outside the UK. We're about to open an office in the US, where we've been working with many customers seeking an international approach to managing compliance requirements," Dash explained.

ISMS.online has experienced a remarkable 500% growth over the past three years. Dash attributes this success to the dedicated team behind the company.

"Over the last few years, we've hired some fantastic people within the business who have enabled us to get our message out to those businesses looking for support with their compliance goals," he said.

Product Innovations and Enhancements

This year has seen several exciting developments for the company. The platform now includes comprehensive content for four new standards: ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 42001, and ISO 90001.

These additions encompass various HeadStart content, virtual coach guidance, risk banks, and other resources designed to help organisations achieve compliance in a structured manner.

"Our ongoing SOC 2 and EASA work further demonstrates our commitment to versatility and adaptability," Dash noted.

"With over 100 standards already supported, we're excited to expand this capability, reducing workload and simplifying the compliance process for our customers."

The company has also focused on enhancing its integrations and API offerings, allowing customers to integrate their systems with ISMS.online in multiple ways. This move is part of a broader strategy to evolve towards a GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) platform approach.

Market Leadership and Customer Demand

ISMS.online's flagship product is its ISO 27001 information security management system, widely recognised as the market leader. "Thousands of customers have been certified using our platform. We're also recommended by some of the largest auditors in the world, who value our product and view it as essential for businesses on their ISO 27001 journey," Dash stated.

The growing importance of information security is driving customer adoption.

"If you look at the number of certificates issued annually, specifically starting with ISO 27001, it is growing by more than 40% a year," Dash said. This surge reflects a broader trend of businesses taking information security more seriously.

The demand for compliance is also driven by supply chain requirements. Dash highlighted, "Our State of Information Security Report shows that 79% of businesses stated they had experienced a cyber incident due to their supply chain in the last 12 months alone. Your business is only as strong as your weakest link."

Impact of COVID-19 and Hybrid Work

The COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to hybrid work have further accelerated ISMS.online's growth. "We went through our fastest growth during COVID," Dash remarked. "Businesses suddenly had to manage many more devices outside their core business networks. This meant they needed to take their information security even more seriously."

ISMS.online's platform excels in helping organisations ensure compliance in a scalable way, regardless of staff location. "We can tailor our solutions to individual teams, regions, and role types," Dash explained.

Sector Expertise and Customer Challenges

ISMS.online has a strong presence in public services, including the NHS, police forces, and councils.

The company also serves the legal sector, with many enterprise law firms relying on its platform. Additionally, the automotive and manufacturing sectors are experiencing rapid growth, driven by increasing regulatory requirements.

The primary challenge faced by customers is achieving confidence, capability, capacity, and discipline (CCCD). Dash elaborated, "Our product enables people to remove that risk from their business and adopt some of the capabilities incorporated into the guidance we provide on the platform."

Heritage and Positive Momentum

ISMS.online's long-standing experience sets it apart from competitors. "Our business has been around for much longer than any competition. We've also been certified in the standards we sell for over a decade," Dash said. This heritage provides invaluable insights and expertise that newer companies cannot replicate.

Looking ahead, Dash is optimistic about the company's future.

"As a business, we're growing from strength to strength. We've grown by over 500% over the past three years. We're also investing heavily in our people and the platform to make it even more valuable to our customers moving forward."

ISMS.online is well-positioned to continue its upward trajectory in an industry that is expected to see increasing regulatory demands.

"There will only be more regulations and worldwide compliance matrices within which businesses must work. I can only see the sector growing exponentially over the next three years," Dash concluded.