The Co-operative Bank of Kenya has raised the bar in cyber security following a migration to the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 standard, the new world standard for information security management systems.
The certification was officially awarded by the British Standards Institution (BSI) at Co-op Bank House on Friday, 5 September 2025, following an external audit.
The audit looked at everything, ranging from physical security controls to network access controls, risk management practices, change management, business continuity planning, and security best practices in software development.
Charles Washika, ICT Director and Innovations Manager, bank, stated that the certification is proof of Co-op Bank’s decades-long dedication towards protecting customers’ data.
“Achieving this certification is proof of our commitment to safeguarding the most secure levels of customer information. It has solidified our risk management, centralized our security policies across the bank, and improved our incident response. Most importantly, it gives confidence to our customers, partners, and regulators,” Washika added.
BSI IMETA Commercial and Sales Director Ilias Karampoikis also greeted the achievement as a sign of the shift in banking operation in a more digital world.
“Most organizations have moved away from legacy on-premise systems to cloud-based systems today, so digital trust is more important than ever. For a bank like Co-op to be ISO/IEC 27001-certified is a guarantee that it has put in place the security controls needed against cyber threats and adhered to best practice on the global arena,” he explained.
This is not Co-op Bank’s first mile in this field. In 2014, it was the first East African bank to achieve ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification
The latest version 2022 has even more robust ways of managing modern cyber threats, vulnerabilities, and risks, while maintaining customers’ information confidential, accurate, and readily available.
Washika described that the bank has continuously invested in new technologies and capabilities to combat new cyber threats.
“Since our first certification, we’ve expanded our security infrastructure, onboarded skilled cybersecurity professionals, and implemented all 93 control requirements under the latest ISO standards. This long-term commitment ensures customers continue to enjoy secure and reliable digital banking,” he added.
The certification places Co-op Bank at the leading edge of its peers in East Africa, reaffirming its position as a sector-wide leader in advocating improved standards of information security.
It further fortifies the competitiveness of the bank in foreign markets while aligning with Central Bank of Kenya’s initiatives towards safer online financial services.
Read Also: Co-operative Bank Half-Year Profit Climbs to KSh 14.1 Billion
[…] Read Also: Co-op Bank Sets New World Cyber Security Standard […]