ISO 42001

Compliance for AI-Powered Organizations

Streamline Your Path to ISO 42001 Certification

ISO/IEC 42001:2023—also known as ISO 42001—is a cybersecurity compliance standard designed to assess the security, safety, privacy, fairness, transparency, and data quality of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Published in late 2023, the framework mandates numerous controls for the establishment, operation, monitoring, maintenance, and continuous improvement of an organization’s AI management system (AIMS).

Whether you’re looking for an external auditor, internal auditor, or an expert consultant to guide you through the ISO 42001 certification process, BARR experts will be there to simplify every step of the way.

How BARR Simplifies the ISO 42001 Gap Assessment Process

BARR’s cybersecurity consulting team takes a simple, streamlined approach to ISO 42001 gap assessments:

During your initial kickoff meeting, your engagement team will work with you to determine exactly what the assessment will cover, including what processes and systems are in scope and which stakeholders from your organization will communicate with BARR throughout the engagement. You’ll walk away with a clear plan of action that will serve as your roadmap throughout the assessment process.

Your engagement team will look closely at your cybersecurity posture and any security processes, procedures, or controls you’ve already established to determine if they align with the requirements outlined by the ISO 42001 standard. This step involves evidence requests, document reviews, and interviews with key stakeholders.

At the conclusion of the assessment, your engagement team will deliver a report on their findings, including outlining existing gaps and opportunities for improvement. For each gap we identify, we will include a recommendation for remediation. We can also help you prioritize these potential nonconformities to ensure you’re on the right path to achieving your security and compliance goals.

ISO 42001 Certification Process

Following a formal internal audit, organizations pursuing ISO 42001 certification are ready to begin the two-stage “certification audit” with BARR’s attest services team. Here’s how it works:

Stage 1

During this stage, BARR Advisory tests the design of your organization’s artificial intelligence management system (AIMS). This includes a series of walkthroughs where our team will review and confirm documentation requirements, identify any potential areas of concern, and evaluate your plan to remediate any existing issues.

Stage 2

After successfully completing Stage 1, your organization will move to Stage 2—the “meat” of the audit. During this stage, BARR tests the effectiveness of your AIMS, including ensuring areas of concern have been remediated. We’ll review Clauses 4–10 of ISO 42001, which cover requirements in areas such as the secure development and deployment of AI, risk identification and mitigation, and incident response protocols.

During Stage 2, BARR will also assess whether your organization has appropriately selected and implemented Annex A controls that align with your AI risk treatment strategy. This includes verifying that necessary controls have been adopted, that omitted controls are justifiably excluded, and that any additional controls have been documented to address organization-specific risks.

At the conclusion of both stages, our team will review the results of both stages, make a final decision on ISO 42001 certification, and issue a report on our findings.

ISO 42001 Frequently Asked Questions

Who should pursue ISO 42001 certification?

ISO 42001 was designed to serve organizations of all sizes and across all industries that participate in the use or development of AI-powered products and services. Additionally, organizations should consider ISO 42001 certification if they wish to demonstrate to internal and external stakeholders their ability to manage AI for decision-making, data analysis, or continuous learning.

What are the benefits of ISO 42001 compliance?

Achieving compliance with ISO 42001 not only offers a competitive advantage to AI-powered businesses, but also positions your organization as one that prioritizes the ethical and responsible use of AI. Designed to integrate with standards such as ISO 27001 and ISO 27701, the framework serves as a seamless and smart addition to a modern, comprehensive compliance program.

How long is an ISO 42001 certification valid?

Like other ISO/IEC cybersecurity frameworks, ISO 42001 certification remains valid for three years after the initial issuance date. In the interim, your organization will work with your chosen certification body to complete regular surveillance audits to maintain your certification.

How does ISO 42001 align with ISO 27001?

While the two frameworks differ widely in scope, there are some areas of overlap. The ISO 42001 framework pertains solely to AI management systems (AIMS). By contrast, ISO 27001 standards cover an organization’s information security management system (ISMS). Both, however, are designed to help organizations mitigate risks and promote security, privacy, and transparency with customers and stakeholders.

Is a gap assessment required to achieve certification?

While completing a gap assessment is not required to achieve ISO 42001 certification, it can reveal deficiencies in your AIMS ahead of time and make for a smoother, more predictable certification process. BARR has ISO 42001 accreditation on its roadmap for the coming months. This means now is a great time to begin the gap assessment process so you’re ready for certification when we achieve accreditation.

Why BARR for ISO 42001?

Our assessment kickoff meeting helps prepare your organization well before the start of your engagement—giving you the knowledge and confidence you need to achieve compliance.

BARR serves as a trusted advisor to some of the fastest-growing cloud service providers (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS) in the country.

BARR experts have extensive experience working on ISO engagements with organizations in highly regulated industries like technology, financial services, and healthcare.

40% of BARR reports are delivered early.

Competitive, fixed rates to accommodate growing enterprises.

We put you and your business first, providing unparalleled communication and accessibility at all times.

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