ISO 37001
International standard for anti-bribery management systems
ISO 26000
International guidance standard for social responsibility
Quick Verdict
ISO 37001 certifies anti-bribery management systems for legal risk mitigation, while ISO 26000 guides broad social responsibility integration. Companies adopt 37001 for compliance defense and certification; 26000 for holistic ESG strategy and stakeholder trust.
ISO 37001
ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management Systems
Key Features
- Risk-based anti-bribery management system framework
- Third-party due diligence and monitoring requirements
- Leadership accountability and compliance function mandate
- PDCA cycle with Clauses 4-10 structure
- Internationally certifiable with external audits
ISO 26000
ISO 26000:2010 Guidance on social responsibility
Key Features
- Seven principles underpinning socially responsible behavior
- Seven core subjects spanning governance to community development
- Stakeholder engagement for issue prioritization and relevance
- Explicitly non-certifiable guidance avoiding compliance burdens
- Holistic integration into organizational governance and operations
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 an ABMS. Its primary purpose is to help organizations prevent, detect, and respond to bribery risks through a risk-based, proportionate approach using the PDCA cycle across Clauses 4-10.
Key Components
- Core pillars: context/risk assessment (Clause 4), leadership/policy (5), planning (6), support/training (7), operations/due diligence/financial controls (8), performance evaluation/audits (9), improvement (10).
- Built on ISO Harmonized Structure for integration with standards like ISO 9001.
- Certifiable via accredited third-party audits with 3-year cycles and surveillance.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mitigates legal risks (e.g., FCPA, UK Bribery Act) via evidentiary due diligence.
- Drives efficiencies (up to 15% compliance cost reduction), reputational trust, ESG alignment.
- Enables market access, stakeholder confidence in high-risk sectors.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, risk assessment, controls design, training, audits.
- Applicable to all sizes/sectors; scalable for SMEs. Certification optional but recommended.
ISO 26000 Details
What It Is
ISO 26000:2010, officially Guidance on social responsibility, is a voluntary international guidance standard developed by ISO. It provides a holistic framework for organizations to understand and integrate social responsibility (SR) into governance, strategy, and operations. Applicable to all organization types regardless of size or location, it uses a principles-based, stakeholder-engaged approach emphasizing context-specific prioritization over rigid requirements.
Key Components
- **Seven core principlesAccountability, transparency, ethical behavior, respect for stakeholder interests, rule of law, international norms, and human rights.
- **Seven core subjectsOrganizational governance, human rights, labor practices, environment, fair operating practices, consumer issues, community involvement/development.
- Built on multi-stakeholder consensus; non-certifiable—focuses on guidance, not audits.
Why Organizations Use It
Enhances sustainability commitment, manages risks (reputational, operational), aligns with SDGs/OECD/GRI, builds stakeholder trust, and supports ESG reporting. Offers strategic resilience without certification burdens.
Implementation Overview
Phased approach: materiality assessment, stakeholder engagement, policy integration, training, reporting. Integrates with ISO 14001/45001; no certification required, suits all sectors/geographies.
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 37001 | ISO 26000 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Bribery prevention, detection, response via ABMS | Broad social responsibility across 7 core subjects |
| Industry | All sectors, high-risk like extractives prioritized | All organizations, sectors, sizes universally |
| Nature | Certifiable management system standard | Non-certifiable guidance standard |
| Testing | Third-party certification audits, surveillance | Self-assessment, no formal audits required |
| Penalties | Loss of certification, no legal penalties | No penalties, reputational risks only |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 37001 and ISO 26000
ISO 37001 FAQ
ISO 26000 FAQ
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