ISO 31000:2018 · Risk Management Framework

ISO 31000 Risk Management

Build a structured, board-defensible risk management framework using the internationally recognised ISO 31000 principles and process.

ISO 31000 is a guideline standard that sets out principles, a framework, and a process for managing risk, covering how organisations identify, analyse, evaluate, treat, monitor and communicate about risk of every kind, including safety and financial risk.

Important distinction: unlike ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 22000, 27701, 37301 or 22301, ISO 31000 is guidance rather than a certifiable management-system standard: there is no accredited third-party “ISO 31000 certification” to be audited against. What we deliver is implementation and alignment: a risk management framework and process built to ISO 31000’s internationally recognised principles, which can be independently assessed and referenced, but not “certified” in the same sense as the other standards on this page.

For boards, funders and tender evaluators, an ISO 31000-aligned risk framework demonstrates that risk is managed systematically rather than informally, and it underpins several of our other services (ISO 37301 compliance management and ISO 22301 business continuity both rely on sound risk management practice).

Why it matters

Key benefits

Provides a single, consistent risk language and process across the organisation

Gives the board and executive team a defensible basis for risk-related decisions

Improves risk visibility for funders, investors and insurers

Forms the foundation other management systems (37301, 22301, 45001) build on

Moves risk management from informal/ad hoc to structured and repeatable

Helps prioritise limited resources toward the risks that matter most

How we work

Our implementation process

Context & Risk Criteria

We establish the internal and external context, and agree the criteria for evaluating risk significance.

Risk Identification

We work with your leadership and operational teams to identify risks across strategic, operational, financial and compliance domains.

Risk Analysis & Evaluation

We analyse likelihood and consequence, and prioritise risks against your agreed criteria.

Risk Treatment Planning

We develop treatment plans and ownership for the risks that matter most.

Monitoring & Review Framework

We build the review cadence and reporting structure so the framework stays current, not a one-off exercise.

FAQ

Common questions about ISO 31000 Risk Management

Not in the way you can with ISO 9001 or ISO 45001. ISO 31000 is a guidance standard with no accredited certification scheme. We implement your risk framework to ISO 31000's principles, but be cautious of any provider offering "ISO 31000 certification" as if it were the same as a certifiable management-system standard.

ISO 31000 provides the risk management principles and process that both compliance management (ISO 37301) and business continuity management (ISO 22301) are built on. Implementing ISO 31000 first (or alongside) makes both of those certifiable systems stronger and faster to build.

No. The framework scales. Even a small business benefits from a structured way to identify and prioritise its top risks rather than reacting to problems as they arise.

ISO 31000 has no accredited certification scheme at all (see above), so there is nothing to certify against. Where we implement a certifiable system alongside your risk framework (ISO 37301 or ISO 22301, for example), ABC does not certify it: we implement, and an independent, accredited Certification Body certifies. That separation, required under ISO/IEC 17021-1, protects the integrity of your certificate.

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