What ISO 18788 covers
ISO 18788 is the international standard for a management system for private security operations. It gives security companies a framework for delivering their services professionally, lawfully and accountably — with particular emphasis on respecting human rights and the rule of law. It exists because security work carries responsibilities and risks that general management standards do not address.
It applies to organisations that provide, or manage, security operations — especially those working in complex or higher-risk environments where clients and authorities want assurance of conduct and accountability.
What certification involves
Certification is a two-stage assessment that examines how security operations are managed, typically including:
- Risk assessment specific to security operations and their context
- Legal and human-rights obligations, and how they are met
- Competence, vetting and training of security personnel
- Operational controls, including the use of force and incident management
- Accountability, reporting and continual improvement
It sits within the ISO Certifications portfolio and complements occupational safety certification such as ISO 45001.
Climate change: since ISO’s February 2024 climate action amendment (ISO 18788:2015/Amd 1:2024), the standard requires you to determine whether climate change is a relevant issue for your organisation, and notes that interested parties can have climate-related requirements. Certification audits include it.
How ABS helps
We prepare you for the certification audit in five steps, tailored to ISO 18788:
- Scope and gap assessment — we agree the scope of your security operations management system and assess what you already have against the standard, so you know exactly what to close.
- Implementation — we help you assess the risks of your security operations, map your legal and human-rights obligations, and put in place vetting, training, use-of-force and incident controls with clear accountability.
- Internal audit and management review — we help you run the internal audit and management review the standard requires, so the system has a record of operating before the audit.
- Readiness check — a pre-assessment, approached the way an auditor would approach it, highlights anything still to close.
- Audit support — we support you through the certification body’s Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits and help you close any findings.
Timeline & process
For most security organisations, ISO 18788 certification takes around 12–16 weeks, depending on the scale and geographic spread of operations. Each engagement begins with a fixed-price scoping call and a proposal within 24 hours.
Common questions
Who needs ISO 18788?
Private security companies and organisations that provide or manage security operations, particularly those working in complex, higher-risk or international environments where clients and authorities expect evidence of professional, accountable and lawful conduct.
What does ISO 18788 emphasise that general standards do not?
Alongside the usual management-system elements, ISO 18788 places strong emphasis on the rule of law, respect for human rights, and accountability in the use of force and authority — the specific risks and responsibilities of security operations.
How long does ISO 18788 certification take?
For most security organisations, ISO 18788 certification takes around 12–16 weeks, depending on the scale and geographic spread of operations.
What does ABS do, and what does the certification body do?
ABS prepares you for certification: we agree the scope of your security operations management system, assess the gaps, help you implement it, support your internal audit and management review, check readiness and support you through the audits. The certification body, an independent, accredited organisation you choose, carries out the Stage 1, Stage 2 and surveillance audits, makes the certification decision and issues the certificate.
How long is an ISO 18788 certificate valid?
Three years. The certification body carries out surveillance audits in the first and second years, and a recertification audit before the three-year cycle ends.
Can ISO 18788 be combined with other standards?
Yes. ISO 18788 shares the harmonised structure of ISO management system standards, so it can run as one integrated management system with, for example, ISO 9001 or ISO 45001, and certification bodies can often audit them together.
Which edition of ISO 18788 is current, and is there a transition?
The current edition is ISO 18788:2015, with the climate change amendment added in 2024. There is no transition under way.
