BIZOPS-31 Statement of Applicability (SOA)

What is BIZOPS-31 Statement of Applicability (SOA) Control?

BIZOPS-31 Statement of Applicability (SOA) control is a key requirement for any ISO program. The SOA identifies the controls that the organization has selected and implemented to manage its specific (ISMS, PIMS, QMS, etc.) risks. The SOA provides an overview of the organization’s approach to managing ISMS, PIMS, QMS, etc., risks and demonstrates how the organization meets the requirements of the specific ISO standard. Previously, this document used to be manually created, but with Trust Cloud, this can be automated.

Available tools in the marketplace

SOA Tools

No tool recommendation is made for this section

Available templates

TrustCloud has a curated list of templates, internally or externally sourced, to help you get started. Click on the link for a downloadable version:

• Statement of Applicability (SOA) Template

Control implementation

To implement this control,

Every organization pursuing an ISO audit should document how they are addressing each ISO requirement by documenting the controls used. The SOA should be developed during the implementation phase of the ISO program. The provided template covers all the required topics, but as a minimum, the following should be addressed:

1. A list of the controls that have been selected to manage the ISMS, PIMS, QMS, etc. risks based on the results of the risk assessment.
2. A brief description of each control and its purpose
3. The status of each control, including whether it has been implemented, partially implemented, or not yet implemented,
4. The justification for not implementing certain controls, if applicable
5. Any additional controls that have been implemented beyond those required by the standard

The SOA should be updated regularly to reflect changes in the organization’s risk profile or requirements. It is an important document that provides a snapshot of the organization’s information security controls and helps to ensure that the organization is effectively managing its information security risks in accordance with the ISO standard.

What evidence do auditors look for?

Most auditors, at a minimum, are looking for the below-suggested action:

1. The most recently updated SOA

Evidence example

For the suggested action, an example is provided below:

1. The most recently updated SOA

Refer to the Statement of Applicability (SOA) Template available in the Helpful Resources section, and the completed version of the template will suffice as evidence.