What is the primary objective of ISO 31000?

ISO 31000 provides internationally recognized guidelines to enable organizations to systematically manage risk and create and protect value. Its core purpose, as defined in ISO 31000:2018, is to define risk as "the effect of uncertainty on objectives" and offer principles (Clause 4), a framework (Clause 5), and process (Clause 6) for embedding risk management into governance, strategy, and operations across any organization size or sector.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with ISO 31000?

No organization is legally required to comply with ISO 31000, as it provides voluntary guidelines rather than mandatory requirements. It applies universally to any type of organization—public, private, large, small, or non-profit—regardless of sector, with professional adoption driven by boards, executives, and risk officers seeking to enhance decision-making, resilience, and value protection through structured risk practices.

Does ISO 31000 require an external audit or third-party certification?

No, ISO 31000 does not require external audit or third-party certification. ISO explicitly states it is "not intended for certification purposes" because it offers guidelines, not auditable requirements; organizations demonstrate alignment via internal governance, records, monitoring, and evidence from the framework and process.

How often should an assessment for ISO 31000 be performed?

ISO 31000 requires continual and iterative risk assessments through ongoing monitoring and review, rather than fixed intervals. The dynamic principle and Clause 6.5 mandate periodic reviews triggered by context changes, new information, incidents, or performance data, integrated into governance rhythms like quarterly reporting or event-driven reassessments for sustained effectiveness.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with ISO 31000?

Non-compliance with ISO 31000 carries no direct legal penalties, as it is a non-certifiable guideline standard. Indirect consequences include heightened operational losses, regulatory scrutiny in aligned regimes, reputational damage, poor decision-making, and missed opportunities, as organizations lack structured risk management to protect value and achieve objectives.

Can ISO 31000 be mapped to other international frameworks?

Yes, ISO 31000 serves as a foundational framework that maps effectively to other international risk management approaches. Its principles, framework, and process provide a common language for alignment with standards like COSO ERM or sector-specific guidelines, enabling integrated risk practices without prescriptive conflicts.

What is the first step to begin implementing ISO 31000?

The first step to implement ISO 31000 is securing leadership commitment and establishing the risk management framework per Clause 5. Top management must demonstrate accountability by issuing a risk policy, defining roles, integrating into governance, and understanding organizational context to ensure buy-in before scaling the process.

What is the primary objective of ISO 19600?

ISO 19600 provides guidelines for establishing, developing, implementing, evaluating, maintaining, and improving an effective compliance management system (CMS). Published in 2014 as a principles-based framework, it applies to all organization types and sizes using a scalable, proportionate approach based on good governance, transparency, and sustainability. The standard follows a Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle across clauses covering context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, and improvement, embedding compliance into culture and processes.

Who is legally or professionally required to comply with ISO 19600?

No organization is legally required to comply with ISO 19600, as it provides non-mandatory guidelines rather than requirements. It targets any public, private, or non-profit entity seeking a structured CMS, scalable to size, structure, nature, and complexity. Professionals such as CCOs, governance officers, and risk managers use it voluntarily for benchmarking, internal audits, and demonstrating good practices to regulators, courts, or stakeholders.

Does ISO 19600 require an external audit or third-party certification?

ISO 19600 does not require external audits or third-party certification, as it is a guidance standard without specified requirements. Organizations may conduct internal audits at planned intervals per Clause 9.2, using ISO 19011 principles for systematic, independent evaluation. Alignment is self-assessed or benchmarked internally, unlike certifiable successors.

How often should an assessment for ISO 19600 be performed?

ISO 19600 recommends ongoing monitoring, measurement, analysis, and evaluation of CMS effectiveness, with audits at planned intervals. Clause 9.1 requires continual monitoring plans considering changes in obligations, risks, and performance; Clause 9.2 specifies audits based on risk; Clause 9.3 mandates periodic management reviews. Reassessments occur upon changes, incidents, or issues per Clauses 4.6 and 10.

What are the consequences of non-compliance with ISO 19600?

There are no direct consequences for non-alignment with ISO 19600, as it imposes no legal requirements or penalties. Withdrawn in 2021, failure to implement its guidelines may expose organizations to broader compliance risks, such as regulatory fines, reputational damage, or operational disruptions from unmet obligations, but courts may reference CMS quality when assessing penalties.

Can ISO 19600 be mapped to other international frameworks?

Yes, ISO 19600 uses the high-level structure (Annex SL) enabling mapping to other ISO management system standards. Its PDCA cycle and clauses (e.g., context, leadership, planning) align with identical architectures, supporting integration without violating independence. Withdrawn status limits new mappings, but core logic transitions to ISO 37301.

What is the first step to begin implementing ISO 19600?

The first step is determining the CMS scope and organizational context per Clause 4. Identify internal/external issues, interested parties' needs, and boundaries as documented information (Clauses 4.1–4.3), ensuring proportionality to size and complexity before proceeding to leadership commitment and obligations identification.

Standards Comparison

ISO 31000 vs ISO 19600

ISO 31000

Voluntary

2018

International guidelines for enterprise-wide risk management

ISO 19600

Voluntary

2014

International guidelines for compliance management systems

Quick Verdict

ISO 31000 provides risk management guidelines for all organizations, while ISO 19600 offers compliance system guidance (now withdrawn). Companies adopt ISO 31000 for broad uncertainty management and ISO 19600 for structured compliance frameworks.

Risk Management

ISO 31000

ISO 31000:2018 Risk management — Guidelines

Cost

€€€

Complexity

Medium

Implementation Time

12-18 months

Key Features

Eight principles for integrated, customized risk management
Framework embedding risk into governance and leadership
Iterative process: identify, analyze, treat, monitor risks
Defines risk as effect of uncertainty on objectives
Non-certifiable guidelines for any organization size

Compliance Management

ISO 19600

ISO 19600:2014 Compliance management systems — Guidelines

Cost

€€€

Complexity

Medium

Implementation Time

6-12 months

Key Features

Principles of good governance for CMS
Risk-based PDCA management system structure
Scalable to all organization sizes
Broad compliance obligations identification
Integration with other ISO management systems

Detailed Analysis

A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

ISO 31000 Details

What It Is

ISO 31000:2018, Risk management — Guidelines is a non-certifiable international standard providing principles, framework, and process for managing uncertainty. Its primary purpose is systematic risk management to create and protect value, applicable to any organization, risk type, or level. It uses a principles-based, iterative approach defining risk as the effect of uncertainty on objectives.

Key Components

Eight principles: integrated, structured, customized, inclusive, dynamic, best information, human factors, continual improvement.
Framework (Clause 5): leadership commitment, integration, design, implementation, evaluation, improvement.
Process (Clause 6): communication, scope/context/criteria, assessment, treatment, monitoring/review, recording/reporting. No fixed controls; flexible, PDCA-aligned model without certification.

Why Organizations Use It

Enhances decision-making, resilience, and value creation. Drives strategic benefits like better resource allocation, opportunity capture, stakeholder trust. Voluntary but aligns with regulations, reduces losses, boosts reputation in sectors like finance, healthcare.

Implementation Overview

Phased approach: leadership alignment, gap analysis, pilot process, integration, monitoring. Tailored for any size/industry; involves policy, training, tools like registers/dashboards. No audits required; internal assurance via reviews.

ISO 19600 Details

What It Is

ISO 19600:2014, Compliance management systems — Guidelines, is an international standard providing non-certifiable guidance for establishing, implementing, evaluating, maintaining, and improving a Compliance Management System (CMS). It uses a risk-based, principles-driven approach applicable to all organization types, emphasizing proportionality to size, structure, and complexity.

Key Components

Follows high-level structure and PDCA cycle with 10 clauses: context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement.
Core principles: good governance, proportionality, transparency, sustainability.
Covers obligations identification, risk assessment, controls, training, monitoring, audits.
No fixed controls; scalable guidance, not certifiable (superseded by ISO 37301).

Why Organizations Use It

Mitigates compliance risks, reduces penalties, enhances governance.
Builds culture of accountability, integrates with other ISO systems.
Demonstrates commitment to regulators, stakeholders; supports judicial penalty mitigation.
Provides strategic benchmarking, efficiency gains.

Implementation Overview

Phased: gap analysis, policy design, controls rollout, monitoring setup.
Scalable for SMEs (6-12 months) to enterprises (12-36 months).
Universal applicability; internal audits, no external certification.

Key Differences

Aspect	ISO 31000	ISO 19600
Scope	Enterprise-wide risk management guidelines	Compliance management systems guidelines
Industry	All industries, any organization size globally	All industries, any organization size globally
Nature	Non-certifiable guidelines, voluntary	Non-certifiable guidelines, voluntary (withdrawn)
Testing	Internal monitoring, reviews, no certification	Internal audits, management reviews, no certification
Penalties	No formal penalties	No formal penalties

Scope

ISO 31000

Enterprise-wide risk management guidelines

ISO 19600

Compliance management systems guidelines

Industry

ISO 31000

All industries, any organization size globally

ISO 19600

All industries, any organization size globally

Nature

ISO 31000

Non-certifiable guidelines, voluntary

ISO 19600

Non-certifiable guidelines, voluntary (withdrawn)

Testing

ISO 31000

Internal monitoring, reviews, no certification

ISO 19600

Internal audits, management reviews, no certification

Penalties

ISO 31000

No formal penalties

ISO 19600

No formal penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about ISO 31000 and ISO 19600

ISO 31000 FAQ

ISO 19600 FAQ

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What It Is

Key Components

Eight principles: integrated, structured, customized, inclusive, dynamic, best information, human factors, continual improvement.

Framework (Clause 5): leadership commitment, integration, design, implementation, evaluation, improvement.

Process (Clause 6): communication, scope/context/criteria, assessment, treatment, monitoring/review, recording/reporting. No fixed controls; flexible, PDCA-aligned model without certification.

What It Is

Key Components

Follows high-level structure and PDCA cycle with 10 clauses: context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement.

Core principles: good governance, proportionality, transparency, sustainability.

Covers obligations identification, risk assessment, controls, training, monitoring, audits.

No fixed controls; scalable guidance, not certifiable (superseded by ISO 37301).

Aspect

ISO 31000

ISO 19600

Scope

Enterprise-wide risk management guidelines

Compliance management systems guidelines

Industry

All industries, any organization size globally

Nature

Non-certifiable guidelines, voluntary

Non-certifiable guidelines, voluntary (withdrawn)

Testing

Internal monitoring, reviews, no certification

Internal audits, management reviews, no certification

Penalties

No formal penalties