ISO 22301 vs AS9120B
ISO 22301
International standard for business continuity management systems
AS9120B
Aerospace QMS standard for parts distributors.
Quick Verdict
ISO 22301 builds business continuity resilience across all industries via BCMS and PDCA cycles, while AS9120B ensures aerospace distributors maintain traceability, prevent counterfeits, and meet QMS rigor. Organizations adopt them for disruption protection and supply chain qualification.
ISO 22301
ISO 22301:2019 Business continuity management systems — Requirements
Key Features
- Adopts Annex SL HLS for ISO standards integration
- Requires Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and Risk Assessment
- Mandates leadership commitment and BCMS policy
- Drives operational testing and exercise requirements
- Enables PDCA continual improvement cycle
AS9120B
AS9120B Quality Management Systems Requirements
Key Features
- Prevents counterfeit and suspected unapproved parts
- Ensures traceability for split lots and chain-of-custody
- Mandates risk-based external provider controls
- Requires configuration management in distribution
- Emphasizes product safety and ethical awareness
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 22301 Details
What It Is
ISO 22301:2019 Security and resilience — Business continuity management systems — Requirements is an international certification standard for establishing, implementing, and improving a Business Continuity Management System (BCMS). Its primary purpose is to help organizations protect against, respond to, and recover from disruptions, ensuring continuity of critical products and services. It 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 (including BIA/RA), support, operations, performance evaluation, and improvement.
- Flexible requirements without fixed controls, tailored to organizational context.
- Built on PDCA cycle for continual enhancement.
- Certification valid for 3 years with annual surveillance audits.
Why Organizations Use It
- Reduces downtime, financial losses, and recovery times; lowers insurance premiums.
- Ensures regulatory compliance (e.g., NIS Directive) and builds stakeholder trust.
- Provides competitive advantages like tender wins and reputation protection.
- Synergizes with ISO 27001 for integrated management systems (IMS).
Implementation Overview
- Starts with gap analysis, BIA/RA, policy development, training, and testing.
- Applicable to all sizes/sectors; accelerated by digital platforms (e.g., 6 months certification).
- Two-stage external audit process.
AS9120B Details
What It Is
AS9120B is the IAQG quality management system standard for aerospace distributors, built on ISO 9001:2015's high-level structure. It establishes requirements for organizations procuring, storing, splitting, and reselling parts without altering characteristics. Its risk-based approach addresses distribution risks like traceability loss and counterfeit infiltration.
Key Components
- Over 100 aerospace-specific requirements beyond ISO 9001.
- Core areas: context analysis, leadership, planning, support, operations (traceability, counterfeit prevention, supplier controls), performance evaluation, improvement.
- Built on PDCA cycle; certification via accredited bodies with OASIS listing.
Why Organizations Use It
- Enables market access to OEMs/Tier 1 suppliers.
- Mitigates supply chain risks, ensures chain-of-custody.
- Builds customer trust, reduces nonconformities.
- Provides competitive edge via IAQG visibility.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, process design, training, audits (6-12 months typical).
- Applies to aviation/space/defense distributors globally.
- Requires internal audits, management reviews, third-party certification.
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 22301 | AS9120B |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Business continuity management system (BCMS) | Aerospace distribution quality management system (QMS) |
| Industry | All sectors worldwide, all sizes | Aerospace distribution, aviation/space/defense |
| Nature | Voluntary international certification standard | Voluntary aerospace-specific certification standard |
| Testing | Exercises, tabletop simulations, internal audits | Internal audits, process verification, management reviews |
| Penalties | Loss of certification, no legal penalties | Loss of certification, market exclusion |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 22301 and AS9120B
ISO 22301 FAQ
AS9120B FAQ
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