ISO 22361:2022 for DPOs
What does ISO 22361:2022 require of a DPO?
ISO 22361:2022 is the ISO guidance on crisis management: the nature, characteristics and origins of crises; the seven principles of governance, strategy, risk management, decision-making, communication, ethics and learning; a capability built on a framework of leadership, structure, culture and competence and a process of anticipation, assessment, prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and continual improvement; crisis leadership and the crisis leader's responsibilities; strategic decision-making under uncertainty; crisis communication from the pre-crisis plan to social media; and training, exercising, validation and learning. Under ISO 22361:2022, which defines 49 controls, a DPO's work is deciding which controls you own outright, which you share and which belong to another team, then holding the evidence for the first group.
Which ISO 22361:2022 controls land on the DPO
Data Protection Officers oversee privacy compliance, manage data subject rights requests, conduct privacy impact assessments, and serve as the point of contact with data protection authorities. The role is mandatory under GDPR for many organisations.
ISO 22361:2022 defines 49 controls across 6 domains that directly affect the DPO role. Understanding which controls fall within your ownership, which are shared, and which are owned by other teams is the foundation of effective compliance management.
What a DPO is accountable for under ISO 22361:2022
Advising the organisation on data protection obligations and best practices
Managing data subject access requests (DSARs) and privacy complaints
Conducting data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) for new processing activities
Maintaining records of processing activities and data flow maps
Serving as the liaison with data protection supervisory authorities
Where DPOs lose time on ISO 22361:2022
These are the most common obstacles DPOs face when managing ISO 22361:2022 compliance, and how to address them:
Challenge 1
Maintaining visibility over all personal data processing across the organisation
Challenge 2
Managing cross-border data transfer compliance (SCCs, adequacy decisions)
Challenge 3
Keeping privacy notices and consent mechanisms current across all channels
Challenge 4
Responding to DSARs within regulatory timeframes at scale
Challenge 5
Assessing privacy implications of AI and automated decision-making systems
A working order for a DPO starting on ISO 22361:2022
1. Readiness Assessment
Take a 5-minute readiness assessment to identify your organisation's current gap profile against ISO 22361:2022. Get a prioritised action plan tailored to your specific situation.
2. Cross-Framework Mapping
Use our platform to map ISO 22361:2022 controls against other frameworks you already comply with. Identify overlapping controls to reduce duplicate effort.
3. Build Your Toolkit
Equip yourself with ISO 22361:2022 toolkits, self-assessments, and implementation guides from our store. Resources designed specifically for DPOs managing compliance programmes.
4. Continuous Monitoring
Establish ongoing compliance monitoring using our platform's gap analysis tools. Track your maturity over time and demonstrate progress to stakeholders.
ISO 22361:2022 in your sector
Who else owns part of ISO 22361:2022
Questions DPOs ask about ISO 22361:2022
What does a DPO need to know about ISO 22361:2022?
How does ISO 22361:2022 affect the DPO role?
What are the biggest ISO 22361:2022 challenges for DPOs?
How should a DPO prepare for a ISO 22361:2022 audit?
What tools help DPOs manage ISO 22361:2022 compliance?
DPO: How ready is your organisation for ISO 22361:2022?
Answer 25 questions and get a professional readiness report with gap analysis, maturity scores, and prioritised action items. Results in 5 minutes.