What ISO 37301 covers
ISO 37301:2021 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, evaluating, maintaining and improving an effective compliance management system. It gives an organisation a structured way to identify its compliance obligations, assign clear responsibilities, embed controls and monitoring, and demonstrate a genuine culture of compliance — moving compliance from a reactive, siloed activity to a managed, auditable capability.
Because ISO 37301 sets out requirements rather than guidance, a compliance management system can be independently certified against it — the certificate that customers, regulators and partners recognise. It replaced the withdrawn ISO 19600:2014, which offered only recommendations.
What ABS provides
For compliance management, ABS offers implementation and readiness consulting:
- ISO 37301 implementation — building or strengthening the compliance framework, obligations register, controls and monitoring needed to meet the standard
- Migration from ISO 19600:2014 — mapping an existing ISO 19600-based system to ISO 37301 and closing the gaps to reach certification readiness
This work sits within the governance-focused part of the ISO Certifications portfolio and pairs naturally with ISO 37001 for anti-bribery, which many organisations run alongside a broader compliance system.
Typical timeline
Implementing ISO 37301, or migrating an existing ISO 19600-based system, typically takes around 12–16 weeks depending on maturity and scope. The formal certification audit is conducted independently by an accredited certification body. Each engagement begins with a fixed-price scoping call and a proposal within 24 hours.
Common questions
What is ISO 37301 and how does it relate to ISO 19600?
ISO 37301:2021 is the international standard for a compliance management system. It replaced the withdrawn ISO 19600:2014 — where ISO 19600 offered guidance, ISO 37301 sets out auditable requirements, so a CMS can be independently certified. ABS helps you implement ISO 37301, and migrate an existing ISO 19600-based system where one is already in place.
Does ABS certify our compliance management system?
No. ABS provides implementation and certification-readiness consulting. The certification audit and decision are carried out independently by an accredited certification body; we prepare your organisation and coordinate the engagement.
