ISO 20000
International standard for service management systems
ISO 31000
International standard for risk management guidelines
Quick Verdict
ISO 20000 certifies service management systems for reliable IT delivery, while ISO 31000 provides risk management guidelines for any organization. Companies adopt 20000 for market trust and compliance; 31000 embeds risk thinking into strategy and operations.
ISO 20000
ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 Service management requirements
Key Features
- Annex SL structure enables integration with ISO standards
- End-to-end service lifecycle management processes
- Certifiable service management system benchmark
- Flexible what-not-how implementation approach
- Risk-based planning and PDCA improvement cycle
ISO 31000
ISO 31000:2018 Risk management — Guidelines
Key Features
- Eight core principles for effective risk management
- Framework integrating risk into governance and strategy
- Iterative process for risk identification and treatment
- Customizable to organization size and context
- Emphasis on leadership commitment and culture
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 20000 Details
What It Is
ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 is the certifiable international standard specifying requirements for a service management system (SMS). It provides auditable benchmarks for planning, designing, transitioning, delivering, and improving services across their lifecycle. The standard uses a risk-based, PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach aligned with Annex SL high-level structure.
Key Components
- Clauses 4-10 cover context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, and improvement.
- Clause 8 details operational domains: service portfolio, relationships, supply/demand, design/transition, resolution/fulfilment, assurance.
- Core processes include incident/problem management, change/release, configuration/asset, availability/continuity, security.
- Built on flexible principles enabling ITIL, DevOps integration; supports third-party certification.
Why Organizations Use It
- Drives service reliability, customer trust, risk reduction (e.g., 50% certificate growth per ISO survey).
- Enables market differentiation, procurement advantages, integrated management with ISO 9001/27001.
- Provides governance for multi-supplier ecosystems, measurable KPIs for executive oversight.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, design, deployment, audit (Stage 1/2), surveillance.
- Applies to all sizes/industries delivering IT/business services; 12-18 months typical for mid-sized firms.
- Requires leadership commitment, evidence-based processes, continual improvement.
ISO 31000 Details
What It Is
ISO 31000:2018, Risk management — Guidelines is an international, principles-based framework providing guidance on managing risk systematically. Its primary purpose is to help organizations identify, analyze, evaluate, treat, monitor, and review risks to create and protect value. The approach is flexible, iterative, and sector-agnostic, emphasizing integration into governance and operations.
Key Components
- Three pillars: principles (8 core principles like integrated, customized, continual improvement), framework (leadership, integration, design, implementation, evaluation, improvement), and process (communication, scope/context/criteria, assessment, treatment, monitoring/review, recording/reporting).
- No fixed controls; focuses on repeatable processes.
- Non-certifiable; voluntary guidelines.
Why Organizations Use It
- Drives strategic decisions, resilience, and value creation.
- Meets regulatory expectations indirectly (e.g., Basel III references).
- Reduces losses, enhances efficiency, builds stakeholder trust.
- Provides competitive edge via risk-informed innovation.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: diagnose/design, build/deploy, operate/optimize, institutionalize.
- Involves policy, training, tools, integration; suitable for all sizes/industries.
- No certification; internal audits and reviews ensure alignment. (178 words)
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 20000 | ISO 31000 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Service management systems (SMS) lifecycle | Enterprise risk management principles/process |
| Industry | Service providers, IT, all sizes globally | All organizations, sectors, sizes worldwide |
| Nature | Certifiable management system standard | Non-certifiable guidelines/framework |
| Testing | Stage 1/2 audits, surveillance, recertification | Internal audits, management reviews, monitoring |
| Penalties | Loss of certification, market disadvantage | No formal penalties, internal governance risks |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 20000 and ISO 31000
ISO 20000 FAQ
ISO 31000 FAQ
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