Overview
This policy establishes a formal governance model by defining the organizational roles, responsibilities, and clear lines of accountability required to operate an effective Information Security Management System (ISMS) in line with ISO 27001:2022.
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Satisfy ISO 27001:2022 Clause 5.3: Formally define, document, and assign all information security roles and responsibilities to meet core compliance requirements.
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Eliminate Confusion & Conflicts: Establish clear lines of accountability, decision-making authority, and escalation paths to prevent security gaps.
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Strengthen Accountability: Ensure authority is distributed in alignment with business impact and that all role assignments are formally acknowledged and reviewed.
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Integrate Security into Business: Embed security governance into all levels of the organization, from executive management to project teams and vendors.
Read Full Overview
The Governance Roles and Responsibilities Policy is designed to establish a strong governance model essential for an effective Information Security Management System (ISMS). It meticulously defines the roles and responsibilities necessary for safeguarding organizational information assets and ensuring compliance with international standards like ISO/IEC 27001:2022. By clearly delineating lines of accountability and decision-making authority, it integrates information security into the core business objectives, addressing both internal and external governance needs.
What’s Inside
Purpose and Scope
Detailed Roles and Responsibilities
Governance Requirements (Register, Escalation)
Policy Implementation Requirements
Risk Treatment and Exceptions
Enforcement and Compliance
Review and Update Requirements
Built for Leaders, By Leaders
This policy was authored by a security leader with 25+ years of experience deploying and auditing ISMS frameworks for global enterprises. It's designed not just to be a document, but a defensible framework that stands up to auditor scrutiny.
Authored by an expert holding:
Framework Compliance
🛡️ Supported Standards & Frameworks
This product is aligned with the following compliance frameworks, with detailed clause and control mappings.
| Framework | Covered Clauses / Controls |
|---|---|
| ISO/IEC 27001:2022 | Clause 5.3; Annex A Control 5.2 |
| ISO/IEC 27002:2022 | Control 5.2 |
| NIST SP 800-53 Rev.5 | PL-1 through PL-4, PM-1 through PM-13 |
| EU GDPR | Articles 5(1)(f), 24, 37 |
| EU NIS2 | Article 21(2)(a) |
| EU DORA | Article 5 |
| COBIT 2019 | EDM01, EDM02, AP001, APO12, MEA01 |
Part of a Complete ISMS Toolkit
This policy is one of 37 documents in our complete toolkit. When implemented as a set, our framework helps you achieve comprehensive compliance across major standards.
100%
ISO 27001:2022
95%
NIST
88%
NIS2
75%
DORA
70%
GDPR
Related Policies
This policy should be interpreted in conjunction with the following policies to ensure a unified and enforceable ISMS governance framework.
Information Security Policy (P1)
Establishes the overall security program and outlines leadership responsibilities.
Change Management Policy (P5)
Ensures changes to governance structures are subject to risk review.
Risk Management Policy (P6)
Identifies and treats governance risks arising from role conflicts or unassigned duties.
Onboarding & Termination Policy (P7)
Enforces control assignment and revocation during personnel lifecycle changes.
Audit and Compliance Monitoring Policy (P33)
Supports independent review of governance effectiveness.
Mini Bundle: ISMS Startup Pack - ENT
Designed to build the essential governance foundation for your ISMS.
About This Policy
The Clarysec Governance Roles and Responsibilities Policy is a critical document for any organization implementing a formal Information Security Management System (ISMS). It directly addresses the requirements of ISO 27001:2022 Clause 5.3 by ensuring all security-related roles—from the CISO and control owners to the Information Security Steering Committee (ISSC)—are clearly defined, documented, and communicated.
By establishing unambiguous lines of accountability and authority, this policy mitigates governance risks such as conflicts of interest and unassigned duties. It creates a robust, auditable structure that strengthens your security posture, satisfies regulatory requirements, and provides definitive proof of diligent security governance to auditors, executives, and stakeholders.
