Atlassian’s updated Marketplace Partner Program underscores the need for robust security management. With increasing customer expectations around data protection, security, and compliance transparency, Gold and Platinum Marketplace Partners are required to demonstrate adherence to compliance framework like SOC 2 or globally recognised standards such as ISO 27001. This shift is particularly critical for vendors managing sensitive customer data, access permissions, and enterprise integrations.
SOC 2 is mostly recognised in the US, whereas ISO 27001 provides a global recognition for your security compliance, and you can get a certificate to prove it.
Both SOC 2 and ISO 27001 require companies to have a certain set of written procedures and policies in place, and manage their day-to-day security related activities according to these procedures.
Risk Management is central to both SOC 2 and ISO 27001 – ISO 27001 is explicitly structured around a formal risk management process, whereas SOC 2 embeds risk management within its security and privacy controls.
The most important thing to remember is that compliance is not a one-time effort that is completed once certification is acquired. Compliance will have to remain a part of your organisation and will continue to be integral to the way of working.
There are numerous solutions and platforms available that help you complete the first milestone – getting certified. Before choosing one, make sure that it will be the right solution for you also in the long run.
We have spent the last 8 years helping regulated companies to switch from the standalone platforms to Jira and Confluence, where their teams actually work, and we are suggesting you to consider doing the same.
Some of the Pitfalls of External Platforms
Many vendors initially consider standalone compliance management tools like Vanta, OneTrust, or SafeBase due to their dedicated compliance functionalities. However, these platforms come with significant drawbacks when when your entire organisation is working in Jira.
1. Operational Silos and Inefficiencies
Even with a seamless integration between standalone compliance platforms and Jira/Confluence, you will need to consider additional access, user management and user training for these platforms. If your team works in Jira / Confluence, having another tool for compliance will create unnecessary inefficiencies for your team.
2. High Costs for Compliance Management
Standalone Compliance tools can be expensive, particularly for growing vendors. Pricing for Vanta starts at around $10,000 per year, depending on the company’s size and compliance needs. This is a significant investment, especially when considering the additional costs of integrating Jira with an external platform and maintaining data consistency.
Yes, there is a very generous offer for Atlassian-funded Vanta for the first year. But this tool continues to be part of your work for the years to come.
3. Reduced Collaboration and Accountability
Jira is already the central hub for issue tracking, development, and project management for most Atlassian vendors. Keeping risk management outside Jira forces teams to switch contexts between different tools, reducing collaboration and accountability. Risks, and indeed compliance related tasks, are best addressed when they are directly linked to your Jira tickets, enabling real-time tracking and resolution.
Why building your Trust Center in Jira and Confluence is the Best Approach
By managing your procedures directly in Confluence and risk assessment in Jira closely linked to your day-to-day work, Atlassian vendors can avoid these pitfalls while streamlining compliance processes.
This solution ensures:
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Real-time risk tracking: Risks are immediately visible and actionable within Jira.
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Cost savings: No need for expensive standalone compliance tools when Jira can handle risk management effectively.
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Integrated workflows: Compliance management and risk assessment become a natural part of the development cycle rather than an external compliance burden.
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Audit-ready documentation: Compliance in general is simplified when all necessary pieces are in Atlassian stack e.g. risks in Jira, documentation in Confluence etc.
How SoftComply apps Stand Out
SoftComply is a Gold Marketplace vendor with a long history of supporting regulated companies with their document management and risk management needs in Jira and Confluence.
Our portfolio includes the most advanced risk management app, SoftComply Risk Manager Plus, in Jira and a comprehensive SoftComply Document Manager in Confluence.
Unlike external compliance platforms, SoftComply operates natively within Jira & Confluence, the apps are built using Atlassian Forge and are Cloud Fortified.
And you can be assured that we will be “eating our own dog food” while preparing for the ISO27001 ourselves, having the first audit scheduled already.
Want to learn more about how we can help? Schedule a call with us & we’ll tell you all about it!
You can also check out our guide to preparing for ISO 27001 compliance in Jira and why adopt the risk-based approach for it.
