Technical comparison between ISO 22301 (BCMS) and ISO 27031 (ICT readiness for business continuity). Scope, BIA, technology recovery plans, and joint implementation strategy.
ISO 22301 and ISO 27031 address business continuity from complementary perspectives. ISO 22301:2019 is the certifiable standard establishing a comprehensive business continuity management system (BCMS) covering people, processes, facilities, and technology. ISO 27031:2011 focuses exclusively on information and communication technology (ICT) readiness to support business continuity. Understanding the relationship between both is key for organizations where technological infrastructure is critical.
ISO 22301 and ISO 27031 do not compete: ISO 27031 is the technological component of the broader continuity plan defined by ISO 22301. For technology-dependent organizations (fintech, e-commerce, SaaS), ISO 27031 provides the technical depth ISO 22301 needs on the ICT plane. The recommendation is to implement ISO 22301 as a governance framework and use ISO 27031 as technical guidance for technology infrastructure recovery plans.
ISO 22301 requires continuity plans that include ICT resources, but does not prescribe how to structure technology recovery. If your operation critically depends on technology, ISO 27031 provides detailed guidance for designing robust ICT recovery plans with clear RTO and RPO metrics per service.
The BCP (Business Continuity Plan) is the comprehensive plan covering the entire organization: people, processes, facilities, and technology. The DRP (Disaster Recovery Plan) is a BCP subcomponent focused exclusively on ICT infrastructure recovery. ISO 22301 governs the BCP; ISO 27031 guides the DRP.
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