ISO 55001
International standard for asset management systems
ISO 19600
International guidelines for compliance management systems
Quick Verdict
ISO 55001 provides certifiable asset management system requirements for infrastructure-heavy organizations, while ISO 19600 offered non-certifiable compliance guidelines for all sectors. Companies adopt ISO 55001 for operational efficiency and certification; ISO 19600 built foundational CMS before its ISO 37301 successor.
ISO 55001
ISO 55001:2024 Asset management — Management systems requirements
Key Features
- Requires Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP) linking strategy to operations
- Follows Annex SL structure for integration with other ISO management systems
- Mandates formal asset decision-making framework with explicit criteria
- Applies PDCA cycle across Clauses 4-10 for continual improvement
- Separates risks and opportunities in planning with climate considerations
ISO 19600
ISO 19600:2014 — Compliance management systems — Guidelines
Key Features
- Risk-based compliance obligations identification and assessment
- Principles of good governance for compliance function
- PDCA cycle for continual improvement
- Proportionality and scalability for all organizations
- Integration with existing management systems
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
ISO 55001 Details
What It Is
ISO 55001:2024 is the international certification standard specifying requirements for an Asset Management System (AMS). It enables organizations to establish, implement, maintain, and improve processes that realize value from assets across lifecycles. Applicable to asset-intensive sectors, it uses a risk-based, PDCA-aligned approach via Annex SL structure.
Key Components
- Clauses 4-10: Context, Leadership, Planning, Support, Operation, Performance Evaluation, Improvement.
- 72 'shall' requirements focused on SAMP, decision framework, risks/opportunities.
- Built on ISO 55000 terminology; supports certification via audits.
Why Organizations Use It
- Optimizes costs, risks, performance; meets regulatory/stakeholder demands.
- Enhances resilience, breaks silos; voluntary but contractually driven.
- Builds trust via certification; integrates with ISO 9001/14001.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: gap analysis, SAMP development, competence building, audits.
- Suits mid-to-large firms in utilities, infrastructure; 12-24 months typical.
- Involves leadership commitment, data governance, outsourcing controls.
ISO 19600 Details
What It Is
ISO 19600:2014 — Compliance management systems — Guidelines is an international standard providing non-certifiable guidance for establishing, implementing, and improving a Compliance Management System (CMS). Its primary purpose is to help organizations of all sizes systematically manage compliance obligations (legal, regulatory, contractual, ethical) using a risk-based, PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach aligned with ISO 31000.
Key Components
- Core clauses: context, leadership, planning, support, operation, performance evaluation, improvement.
- **Principlesgood governance, proportionality, transparency, sustainability.
- Emphasizes leadership commitment, risk assessment, controls, training, monitoring; no fixed number of controls.
- Built on high-level structure for integration; transitioned to certifiable ISO 37301.
Why Organizations Use It
- Mitigates fines, disruptions, reputational damage (non-compliance costs 2.7x higher).
- Enhances efficiency, stakeholder trust, market access.
- Supports voluntary best practices, regulatory defense, cultural embedding.
Implementation Overview
- Phased: governance setup, risk inventory, controls/training, monitoring.
- Scalable for SMEs to MNCs, all industries/geographies.
- No mandatory certification; internal audits, management reviews suffice. (178 words)
Key Differences
| Aspect | ISO 55001 | ISO 19600 |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Asset lifecycle management systems | Compliance obligations and risk management |
| Industry | Asset-intensive sectors (utilities, infrastructure) | All organizations, any sector worldwide |
| Nature | Certifiable requirements standard | Non-certifiable guidance (withdrawn 2021) |
| Testing | Internal/external audits, management reviews | Planned audits, performance monitoring |
| Penalties | Loss of certification, no legal penalties | No penalties (guidance only) |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 55001 and ISO 19600
ISO 55001 FAQ
ISO 19600 FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...

CIS Controls v8.1, Operationalized: Top 10 Reasons Compliance Monitoring Software Accelerates Real-World Implementation
Operationalize CIS Controls v8.1 with compliance monitoring software. Turn checklists into dashboards, tickets, and audit-proof workflows. Top 10 reasons it acc

The Reasons Why NIS2 is Fundamental for Cyber Resilience in Europe
Uncover why NIS2 transcends compliance burdens, delivering real cyber resilience value through enforced measurements and activities. Explore insights via our pa

NIST CSF 2.0 Implementation Tiers Roadmap: Step-by-Step Guide from Partial to Adaptive Cybersecurity Maturity
Master NIST CSF 2.0 Implementation Tiers with a step-by-step roadmap. Assess your tier, build gap analyses, and advance from Partial (Tier 1) to Adaptive (Tier
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 50001 vs ISO 30301
ISO 50001 vs ISO 30301: Energy systems for efficiency gains vs records management for compliance. Uncover differences, HLS integration, PDCA benefits & strategies to optimize operations now.
LGPD vs ISO 41001
Explore LGPD vs ISO 41001: Brazil's data privacy powerhouse meets global facility mgmt standards. Unlock compliance strategies, risks & synergies for resilient ops. Dive in now!
ITIL vs SOX
ITIL vs SOX: ITSM powerhouse meets financial compliance giant. Compare frameworks, synergies in ITGCs & value chains for governance mastery. Unlock insights now!