On March 12, 2025, Insight Assurance hosted a webinar exploring how organizations can approach compliance more efficiently by aligning compliance efforts across both SOC 2 and ISO 27001 frameworks. While each framework offers distinct benefits, they also share key domains — opening the door for streamlined readiness, shared evidence, and smarter audit management.

 

Rochelle Sikhovski moderated the session, joined by a panel of experts:

 

  • Gerardo Valderrama, ISO 27001 Lead Auditor, Insight Assurance.
  • Sunshine Arcilla, GRC Lead (North America), Cognisys.
  • Faisal Khan, GRC Solutions Specialist, Vanta.

 

In this recap, we’ll walk through the key points from the discussion, including how the frameworks compare, where they overlap, and how organizations can manage both more efficiently.

 

Understanding the Frameworks

Sunshine Arcilla opened with a breakdown of SOC 2, a U.S.-centric framework built around the Trust Services Criteria: Security (required), and optionally Availability, Confidentiality, Processing Integrity, and Privacy; the others depend on industry, service model, and customer expectations. 

 

Arcilla also explained the difference between Type I and Type II reports, emphasizing that SOC 2 requires an attestation from a licensed certified public accounting (CPA) firm, rather than being self-attested or certified.

 

Gerardo Valderrama followed with an overview of ISO 27001, an international standard for building an information security management system (ISMS). The standard emphasizes a risk-based, customizable approach. 

 

“Rather than prescribing exactly what controls you need, it guides you to identify and address risks specific to your organization,” Valderrama noted. “That means the security measures are tailored to the actual threats, not just checking boxes.” 

 

It’s particularly valuable for companies expanding globally, where ISO certification often unlocks new markets and streamlines vendor assessments. 

 

Shared Goals and Overlapping Controls

Despite their differences, both frameworks promote many of the same objectives: secure systems, defined governance, continuous monitoring, and risk management. The panel highlighted significant overlap in domains like:

 

  • Access control and authentication.
  • Risk assessments and treatment.
  • Vendor management.
  • Change management and incident management.
  • Policy development and documentation.

 

While ISO 27001 tends to be more prescriptive in terms of governance — with required internal audits and structured management review meetings — SOC 2 offers scoping flexibility, particularly for startups or U.S.-based SaaS providers, allowing them to focus audits on in-scope systems and services. However, Faisal Khan noted that many foundational controls map cleanly across both, enabling organizations to work toward the frameworks in parallel.

 

“Both SOC 2 and ISO 27001 have several overlapping domains, so if you pursue one framework, you’ll have a strong foundation to pursue the other — or even achieve both at the same time,” he said.

 

Managing Both Frameworks Efficiently

The panel shared examples of companies managing both frameworks simultaneously — some completing SOC 2 and ISO 27001 readiness within two months. Arcilla emphasized the value of this approach: 

 

“Essentially, while you’re working on one, you’re already working on the other,” she said. “You may as well keep the ball rolling while everyone’s still focused, and you have buy-in within your organization … Striking while the iron is hot, and while people are still invested in compliance, is really important.” 

 

Platforms like Vanta support dual-framework implementation by centralizing documentation, automating evidence collection, and mapping controls across both SOC 2 and ISO 27001. As Valderrama noted, aligning audits can reduce annual prep time by up to 40%.

 

Key Takeaways

Here’s what to remember from the discussion, whether you’re managing one framework or preparing to tackle both:

 

  • SOC 2 and ISO 27001 share core security objectives and can be pursued together.
  • Many controls and policies overlap, creating opportunities for efficiency.
  • Tools like Vanta streamline evidence collection and automate key compliance tasks.
  • Start with clear scoping and business goals to prioritize which framework (or both) makes sense.
  • With the right partners, even small teams can tackle both successfully.

Want to learn more? Watch the full webinar to discover how SOC 2 and ISO 27001 can work together to strengthen your security and simplify your audits.