ISO 37301 is a management system standard that specifies requirements and provides guidance for the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of a Compliance Management System (CMS). A CMS provides a structured approach to help organisations ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and internal obligations.
These requirements include mandatory rules such as legal regulations, court decisions, permits, and licenses, as well as voluntary internal policies, procedures, codes of conduct, and agreements with community or civil society organisations. ISO 37301 is applicable to organisations of any size, structure, or level of operational complexity.
The UMS is based on fundamental principles such as integrity, good governance, proportionality, transparency, accountability and sustainability. ISO 37301 follows the high-level structure developed by ISO, which provides a common framework for other management system standards.
It provides a structure where the requirements of the UYS are organised into clauses 4 to 10, enabling organisations to integrate different management systems. Organisations can adopt the UYS as an independent management system or integrate it with existing management systems.
How does ISO 37301 relate to other standards?
ISO 19600, ‘Guidelines for organisational support for the implementation of sustainability management systems,’ was published in 2014. The main difference between these two standards is that organisations can obtain certification according to ISO 37301 by undergoing a conformity assessment by an independent third party. However, ISO 37301 is based on and expands upon ISO 19600, and organisations that have established a compliance management system based on ISO 19600 guidelines already have an advantage in meeting the requirements of ISO 37301. ISO 37301 and ISO 37001 are standards based on the common ISO principles for management systems.
Both standards incorporate a risk-based approach and the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) process cycle. While ISO 37301 provides a general overview of compliance management, ISO 37001 focuses on anti-bribery management. Since they share the same principles, these two standards can be easily combined and integrated.
For organisations seeking growth and long-term success, consistently adhering to compliance obligations is not an option but a necessity. A compliance management system (CMS) based on the requirements and guidance of ISO 37301 equips organisations with a set of tools (policies, processes, and controls) to establish and maintain a compliance culture.
ISO 37301 certification provides important recognition that an organisation’s compliance management system practices are verified against international standards. This certification helps organisations develop a culture of compliance, manage non-compliance risks and prevent unethical behaviour.
The benefits of applying for ISO 37301 certification include:
- Official third-party verification: Verifies that your UMS complies with international standards.
- Positive compliance culture: Creates a strong compliance culture within and outside the organisation.
- Fast and effective compliance: Enables you to resolve compliance issues quickly.
- Reliability and integrity: Protects your reputation and builds trust by preventing unethical behaviour.
- Sustainable success: Increases business opportunities and sustainability.
- Compliance with stakeholder requirements: Meets the expectations of internal and external stakeholders.
- Regulatory relations: Develops strong and valuable relationships.
Third-party trust: Increases confidence in your organisation’s ability to succeed.
Customer trust and loyalty: Strengthens customer trust and loyalty.
Managers, consultants and compliance officers who want to learn about the requirements of ISO 37301 can take advantage of the opportunity to support ethical behaviour and maintain corporate integrity.
Managers and members of governance, risk management, and compliance teams, as well as those aiming to become compliance officers or compliance management consultants, can contact us at info@cfecert.co.uk for more information about certification and training.
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