What type of assessment report should Lauren request to determine the enforcement of policies over time for a 3rd party service organization?

For assessing the enforcement of policies over time in a third-party service organization, a SOC 1 Type II report is particularly suited. This type of report evaluates the design and operating effectiveness of controls over a period of time, usually covering a minimum of six months. This is crucial for Lauren as it provides evidence of how effectively the organization has implemented its controls and adhered to its policies over that timeframe, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of compliance and risk.

The report will detail how well the service organization’s controls operate in practice, including operational effectiveness and compliance with the stated policies. This deeper analysis offers insights into the reliability of the controls and whether they can sustain performance over time, which is essential for understanding long-term compliance and risk management.

In contrast, a Type I report assesses the design of controls at a specific point in time and does not address operational effectiveness, making it less suitable for Lauren’s needs. While ISO 27001 compliance indicates adherence to a framework for information security management, it does not provide the specific operational insight that a SOC 1 Type II report offers regarding internal control effectiveness over a period.