ISO 45001
International standard for occupational health and safety management systems
ISO 37301
International standard for compliance management systems.
Quick Verdict
ISO 45001 provides OH&S management systems for workplace safety across industries, while ISO 37301 establishes compliance management systems for all legal/regulatory obligations. Companies adopt both for certification, risk reduction, and integrated governance under HLS.
ISO 45001
ISO 45001:2018 Occupational health and safety management systems
ISO 37301
ISO 37301:2021 Compliance management systems – Requirements
Key Features
- Certifiable requirements for compliance management systems
- High-Level Structure for easy integration with other ISO standards
- Risk-based planning and compliance obligation identification
- Strong emphasis on leadership commitment and culture
- Mandatory whistleblowing channels with anti-retaliation protections
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 45001 Details
What It Is
ISO 45001:2018 is the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS). It provides a framework to prevent work-related injuries and ill health, improve OH&S performance, using a risk-based approach aligned with Annex SL high-level structure.
Key Components
- Clauses 4-10 covering context, leadership, planning, support, operation, evaluation, improvement.
- Emphasizes hierarchy of controls, worker participation, change management.
- Built on PDCA cycle; no fixed controls but process-oriented requirements.
- Optional third-party certification via audits.
Why Organizations Use It
- Reduces incidents, legal risks, costs; enhances resilience, reputation.
- Meets stakeholder expectations, supply-chain demands.
- Drives culture shift, integrates with ISO 9001/14001 for efficiency.
- Improves insurance, talent retention, market competitiveness.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, policy/objectives, controls, audits (6-12 months typical).
- Scalable for all sizes/sectors; focuses leadership, training, monitoring.
- Involves worker consultation, KPIs, continual improvement.
ISO 37301 Details
What It Is
ISO 37301:2021, officially titled Compliance management systems – Requirements with guidance for use, is a certifiable international standard for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and improving effective Compliance Management Systems (CMS). It provides auditable requirements using a risk-based approach and Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, applicable to all organization sizes and sectors, replacing guidance-only ISO 19600.
Key Components
- Core pillars: context analysis, leadership commitment, risk planning, support/resources, operations, performance evaluation, improvement.
- Built on ISO High-Level Structure (HLS) for integration with ISO 9001, 14001, 27001.
- Emphasizes whistleblowing, competence (ISO 37303), effectiveness measurement (ISO 37302).
- Certification via accredited bodies like ANAB, with 3-year audit cycles.
Why Organizations Use It
- Demonstrates compliance to regulators, investors, partners; reduces risks/fines.
- Builds ethical culture, enhances reputation, supports ESG/SDGs.
- Provides competitive edge through third-party validation.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, policy design, training, audits, certification.
- Scalable for SMEs to enterprises; global applicability.
- Involves compliance registers, KPIs, continual improvement (176 words).
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 45001 | ISO 37301 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Occupational health & safety management | All compliance obligations & risks |
| Industry | All sectors, high-risk industries emphasized | All sectors, regulated industries emphasized |
| Nature | Voluntary certifiable management standard | Voluntary certifiable management standard |
| Testing | Internal audits, management reviews, certification | Internal audits, management reviews, certification |
| Penalties | Loss of certification, no legal penalties | Loss of certification, no legal penalties |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 45001 and ISO 37301
ISO 45001 FAQ
ISO 37301 FAQ
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