ISO 27001 in under 12 Months: NBG’s success with DataGuard

How NBG achieved ISO 27001 certification in under one year

Faced with a growing number of security questionnaires and a lack of structured documentation, NBG Holding needed a change. The company set out to achieve ISO 27001 certification—and succeeded in under twelve months. With a clear goal, a committed team, and the right platform, NBG transformed its approach to information security. The result? Less manual effort, greater clarity, and a strong signal of trust for customers and partners. 

Challenge

As a manufacturer of highly specialized fiber solutions, NBG operates in industries where information security is non-negotiable, like energy and subsea infrastructure. As customer expectations grew, so did the pressure. The IT team was frequently asked to complete detailed security questionnaires, which became a major time drain. 

“Every customer asked different questions. It was frustrating because we had most of the security controls in place—we just didn’t have all of them documented yet,” says Bernhard Traschl, IT Systems Administrator at NBG. 

While security processes were already established, they lacked structure, traceability, and central oversight. Risk management and asset documentation lived in fragmented spreadsheets, and the team lacked a central system to align existing documentation with compliance needs. 

Leadership made a clear decision: to build a robust Information Security Management System (ISMS) and pursue ISO 27001 certification to formalize their security efforts and make them visible to the outside world. 

The key challenges: 

• Time-consuming, repetitive customer security questionnaires 

• Security measures in place, but no structured documentation 

• No centralized view of risks, assets, or responsibilities 

• Uncertainty around which documentation was needed 

• A clear goal to take a structured, proactive approach to information security 

“We didn’t want to keep reacting, we wanted to show we take IT and information security seriously, in a way our customers could understand,” says Traschl. 

Solution

NBG needed a solution that would bring structure to its documentation, support the development of an ISMS, and guide the path to certification. After evaluating several providers, they chose DataGuard. 

Why DataGuard?

• All-in-one platform: Everything in one place, from risk management and document templates to employee training. 

• Clarity and guidance: The platform outlines exactly which documents and actions are required. 

• Fair pricing: A strong balance of features, support, and investment. 

• Direct support: Fast, personal help from real experts. 

Features that made the difference

• Academy: NBG effortlessly rolled out company-wide training with up-to-date content, including modules on AI. 

• Risk & asset management: Instead of fragmented spreadsheets, the team now uses guided workflows that link risks to mitigation measures and certification requirements. 

• Document library: Access to vetted templates accelerated the project and made documentation much easier. 

• Expert support: A biweekly check-in with a dedicated advisor helped the team stay on track, efficient, pragmatic, and always focused on solutions. 

Results 

Working with DataGuard has transformed NBG’s information security operations. What used to be manual and fragmented is now centralized, structured, and auditable. The successful ISO 27001 certification was a major milestone—sharpening internal processes, improving risk management, and boosting security awareness across the business. 

Key achievements: 

• ISO 27001 certification achieved 
  NBG earned its certification after just 11 months—a clear signal of trust for partners and customers. 

• Faster responses to security questionnaires 
  Tasks that once took half a day can now be handled quickly with centralized documentation and standardized templates. 

• Centralized risk management 
  All risks, controls, and responsibilities are documented in one place, easily accessible and audit-ready. 

• Easy, effective training 
  The DataGuard Academy allows teams to complete mandatory and relevant training, including on AI, with minimal effort. 

• Close project support 
  Biweekly check-ins with a dedicated security expert provided valuable guidance. 

• Ongoing value 
  Even post-certification, the platform remains part of day-to-day operations, from training to risk assessments to new compliance requirements.