ISO 37001
International standard for anti-bribery management systems
GDPR UK
UK regulation for personal data protection and privacy.
Quick Verdict
ISO 37001 offers voluntary certification for anti-bribery management worldwide, mitigating legal risks through due diligence. GDPR UK mandates personal data protection for UK activities, enforcing rights and security with hefty fines. Companies adopt both for compliance, trust, and risk reduction.
ISO 37001
ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management Systems
Key Features
- Risk-based ABMS with PDCA cycle
- Mandatory third-party due diligence controls
- Leadership commitment and anti-bribery policy
- Financial and non-financial bribery controls
- Certifiable via Harmonized Structure integration
GDPR UK
UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
Key Features
- Seven enforceable data processing principles
- Accountability requiring demonstrable compliance
- Data subject rights with one-month response
- 72-hour ICO breach notification obligation
- Risk-based DPIAs for high-risk processing
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 37001 Details
What It Is
ISO 37001: Anti-Bribery Management Systems is an international certifiable standard providing requirements and guidance for establishing, implementing, and improving an ABMS. It follows a risk-based approach using the PDCA cycle and Harmonized Structure (HS), focusing on preventing, detecting, and responding to bribery across public, private, and not-for-profit organizations.
Key Components
- Clauses 4-10 cover context, leadership, planning, support, operations, evaluation, and improvement.
- Core controls: anti-bribery policy, risk assessments, due diligence, financial/non-financial controls, training, reporting.
- Built on proportionality to bribery risks; certifiable by accredited bodies with 3-year cycles and surveillance audits.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mitigates legal risks (e.g., FCPA, UK Bribery Act) via evidentiary due diligence.
- Builds stakeholder trust, reputational assurance, and operational efficiencies (up to 15% compliance cost reduction).
- Enables market access, ESG alignment, and competitive differentiation in high-risk sectors.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, risk assessment, control design, training, audits.
- Scalable for SMEs to multinationals; integrates with ISO 9001/27001.
- Typical 6-12 months to certification; requires ongoing PDCA reviews.
GDPR UK Details
What It Is
UK GDPR (UK General Data Protection Regulation) is the UK's post-Brexit data protection law, adapting EU GDPR via the Data Protection Act 2018. It is a binding regulation enforcing risk-based, accountability-focused governance for personal data processing by controllers and processors.
Key Components
- Seven core principles: lawfulness, purpose limitation, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity/confidentiality, accountability.
- Individual rights: access, rectification, erasure, portability, objection.
- Obligations: records of processing (RoPA), DPIAs, processor contracts, 72-hour breach notifications.
- Enforcement by ICO with fines up to 4% global turnover; no formal certification, but demonstrable compliance required.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mandatory for UK-established entities or those targeting UK individuals; extraterritorial scope.
- Mitigates fines, reputational damage; builds trust, enables data-driven operations.
- Strategic benefits: operational efficiency, vendor resilience, market differentiation.
Implementation Overview
Phased approach: data mapping (RoPA), policies, training, DPIAs, rights handling. Applies to all sizes/industries processing UK personal data; ICO audits enforce via fines/notices. (178 words)
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 37001 | GDPR UK |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Bribery prevention, detection, response via ABMS | Personal data processing, protection, rights |
| Industry | All sectors, global, any organization size | All sectors processing UK personal data, territorial |
| Nature | Voluntary certifiable management standard | Mandatory legal regulation with fines |
| Testing | Third-party certification audits, annual surveillance | Internal audits, ICO investigations, no certification |
| Penalties | Loss of certification, no legal fines | Fines up to £17.5M or 4% global turnover |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 37001 and GDPR UK
ISO 37001 FAQ
GDPR UK FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

NIST CSF 2.0 Deep Dive: Mastering the Updated Framework Core Functions
Unpack NIST CSF 2.0's enhanced Core Functions: Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover. Get SME playbooks, governance shifts & strategies for cyber

Decoding Tomorrow's Regulations: How Advanced Compliance Tools Predict and Prepare for Future Shifts
Advanced compliance tools use AI, analytics & real-time monitoring to predict regulatory shifts, cut non-compliance costs 3x, and ensure audit readiness. Stay p

Using CIS Controls v8.1 as a ‘Compliance On-Ramp’: Map One Security Program to NIST CSF, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and NIS2
Use CIS Controls v8.1 as your compliance on-ramp. Map one security program to NIST CSF, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and NIS2 without duplicating work via practical mapp
Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM
Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform
Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.
Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages
ISO 26000 vs ISO 56002
Unlock ISO 26000 vs ISO 56002: Compare SR guidance (governance, human rights, environment) with innovation systems. Drive sustainability & value sans certification. Explore now!
CMMC vs SOX
Compare CMMC vs SOX: DoD cybersecurity tiers (NIST-based) for contractors vs SOX ICFR audits for public firms. Key diffs, pitfalls & strategies to comply efficiently.
UAE PDPL vs GRI
Discover UAE PDPL vs GRI: Compare data privacy law with sustainability standards. Unlock compliance gaps, strategies & implementation for UAE firms—boost trust now.