Standards Comparison

    PRINCE2

    Voluntary
    2023

    Project management methodology for governance and control

    VS

    ISO 37001

    Voluntary
    2025

    International standard for anti-bribery management systems.

    Quick Verdict

    PRINCE2 provides structured project governance for controlled delivery across industries, while ISO 37001 establishes anti-bribery systems to prevent corruption risks. Organizations adopt PRINCE2 for repeatable success and ISO 37001 for compliance assurance and risk mitigation.

    Project Management

    PRINCE2

    PRINCE2 7th Edition (Projects IN Controlled Environments)

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Exception-based management using tolerances for efficiency
    • Staged lifecycle with board decision gates
    • Continued business justification throughout project
    • Tailoring to suit project scale and context
    • Defined roles via project board governance
    Anti-Bribery/Compliance

    ISO 37001

    ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management Systems

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    High
    Implementation Time
    6-12 months

    Key Features

    • Risk-based bribery risk assessment
    • Third-party due diligence requirements
    • Leadership commitment and compliance function
    • Financial and non-financial controls
    • PDCA continual improvement cycle

    Detailed Analysis

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

    PRINCE2 Details

    What It Is

    PRINCE2 7th Edition (Projects IN Controlled Environments) is a structured project management framework. It provides governance, control, and delivery mechanisms for projects of any scale. The methodology emphasizes principle-based, process-driven approach with continuous practices.

    Key Components

    • **Three pillars7 Principles (guiding obligations), 7 Practices (business case, organization, plans, quality, risk, issues, progress), 7 Processes (starting up to closing).
    • Built on tolerances, stages, and exception management.
    • Compliance via certification (Foundation, Practitioner); no mandatory audits.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Ensures continued business justification and risk control.
    • Reduces executive overhead via manage-by-exception.
    • Boosts auditability, repeatability, and success rates.
    • Builds stakeholder trust in regulated sectors.
    • Enables hybrid agile integration for competitiveness.

    Implementation Overview

    • Phased: gap analysis, tailoring blueprint, training, pilots, institutionalization.
    • Tailor to size/complexity; certification pathways.
    • Suits all industries/geographies; scalable for SMEs to enterprises. (178 words)

    ISO 37001 Details

    What It Is

    ISO 37001 is the international standard for Anti-Bribery Management Systems (ABMS), a certifiable framework published in 2016 and revised in 2025. It specifies requirements to prevent, detect, and respond to bribery risks across organizations. The risk-based approach follows the ISO Harmonized Structure (clauses 4-10) aligned with PDCA cycle.

    Key Components

    • Core pillars: context/risk assessment, leadership/policy, planning, support/training, operational controls (due diligence, financial/non-financial), performance evaluation (audits/monitoring), improvement.
    • Built on proportionality to bribery risks; includes 8 control categories like third-party due diligence.
    • Optional third-party certification with 3-year cycles and surveillance audits.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Mitigates legal risks (FCPA, UK Bribery Act) via evidentiary 'reasonable steps'.
    • 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, control design, training, audits.
    • Scalable for all sizes/sectors; 6-12 months typical; certification optional but recommended.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    PRINCE2
    Project management governance and delivery
    ISO 37001
    Anti-bribery prevention and management

    Industry

    PRINCE2
    All sectors worldwide, any size
    ISO 37001
    All sectors worldwide, any size

    Nature

    PRINCE2
    Voluntary project methodology
    ISO 37001
    Voluntary certifiable management standard

    Testing

    PRINCE2
    Internal tailoring and audits
    ISO 37001
    Certification audits and surveillance

    Penalties

    PRINCE2
    No legal penalties
    ISO 37001
    No legal penalties

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about PRINCE2 and ISO 37001

    PRINCE2 FAQ

    ISO 37001 FAQ

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