BIZOPS- 45 – Interested Parties

What is this control about?

‘Interested Parties’ control focuses on identifying and managing the needs and expectations of individuals or groups that have a vested interest in the organization’s activities, products, or services. These interested parties can include customers, employees, suppliers, regulatory bodies, shareholders, and the broader community

Available tools in the marketplace

Tools:

TrustArc

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:

• Leverage this template edit this for Privacy  Information Security Management System (ISMS) Policy Template

Control implementation

Here are some guidelines to implement an effective records of Interested Parties – Privacy program:

• Identify Stakeholders:Conduct a stakeholder analysis to identify all relevant stakeholders who have an interest in the organization’s activities, products, or services. Categorize and prioritize stakeholders based on their level of influence, importance, and impact on the organization. Consider stakeholders such as customers, employees, suppliers, regulatory bodies, shareholders, and community groups.
• Define Stakeholder Needs and Expectations: Conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups to gather feedback from stakeholders about their needs, expectations, and concerns. Document and analyze the collected information to identify common themes, prioritize key requirements, and gain insights into stakeholder perspectives. Create a comprehensive list of stakeholder needs and expectations that will serve as a basis for future planning and decision-making
• Develop Stakeholder Engagement Strategies: Develop strategies and action plans to address stakeholder needs and expectations. Assign responsibilities to individuals or teams for managing specific stakeholder relationships. Identify initiatives, programs, or projects that align with stakeholder requirements and demonstrate the organization’s commitment to meeting their needs.

What evidence do auditors look for?

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

• Stakeholder Analysis Report: Documentation of the stakeholder analysis process, including the methodology used, criteria for stakeholder categorization, and the resulting stakeholder list. Records of stakeholder identification, such as stakeholder registers, stakeholder matrices, or stakeholder mapping diagrams. Documentation of any surveys, interviews, or focus group discussions conducted to gather stakeholder feedback, needs, and expectations.

Evidence example

For the suggested action, an example is provided below:

• Stakeholder Analysis Report:

The Interested Parties can be documented within the ISMS  document. Leverage this template edit this for Privacy  Information Security Management System (ISMS) Policy Template