Learn all about ISO 37001, its scope, which organizations need it, the benefits of getting certified, the challenges in implementing it, and a new way to implement it in your organization.
ISO 37001 is an international standard that creates a framework that allows organizations to catch, detect, address, and prevent bribery through a comprehensive anti-bribery policy. The standard also includes anti-bribery training, appointing an official to oversee anti-bribery compliance, conducting risk assessments, and practicing due diligence with business associates and on projects.
Bribery is a crime that turns over billions of dollars every year. This is a destructive criminal activity and has been very challenging to tackle head-on. The standard provides a way for organizations worldwide to address and prevent bribery in their organization and commit themselves to eliminating corruption.
ISO 37001 is a flexible and adaptable standard fit for any organization and industry. You don’t have to be part of a certain sector or meet business size requirements to apply for certification. In most cases, ISO 37001 can be scaled up or down according to an organization’s needs.
While the certification isn’t required, there are many reasons for an organization to want to obtain ISO 37001 certification. Primarily, obtaining this certification formalizes your commitment to stamping out corruption and conducting clean business practices.
There are many benefits to ISO 37001 certification, which is why it’s used in many organizations and industries. Some of the key benefits that come with ISO 37001 certification include:
One of the biggest benefits of obtaining ISO 37001 certification for an organization is that it promotes trust and confidence among employees, stakeholders, clients, and anyone involved in the business. ISO 37001 allows organizations to build a proper framework for combatting bribery, including a comprehensive anti-bribery system. This ensures individuals involved with the business that they can trust that there is no bribery taking place.
Bribery cases and scandals can be a huge crutch to an organization’s reputation. Bribery is one of the biggest problems that the world faces right now and is present wherever you go. Having anti-bribery measures and systems in place ensures that an organization won’t have to deal with bribery scandals that may damage its image and have negative repercussions.
Preventing bribery through a comprehensive anti-bribery system is a great way to avoid unnecessary costs. Bribery scandals can have a huge cost to a business, whether in legal fees or unforeseen expenses as a result of bribery. With a system in place to detect and assess an organization’s risk of bribery, there is a lesser risk of it taking a toll on the business.
Corruption has grave consequences for a business. These consequences can greatly affect an organization’s chance at success and even survival in the industry. This is why even if it isn’t required, obtaining ISO 37001 certification is very beneficial.
The biggest benefit of ISO 37001 certification is also its main purpose: creating an anti-bribery system. Remember, corruption has no place in the modern world. That said, one of the ways organizations can prevent bribery is by determining the amount of risk there is for it within an organization and taking proper steps to implement controls that prevent this from happening.
How to Obtain ISO 37001 Certification
There are many steps to obtaining this certification. To start, organizations must schedule an audit with a certification body that can check on the business to ensure that they comply with the standards. From there, the steps to obtaining certification are as follows:
To start the process, an organization must develop an auditing plan that outlines everything that will happen during the certification process. From there, it must be confirmed by the certification body at least three months before the first audit.
Auditing is a major step in obtaining this certification. Multiple audits will take place during this process, starting with a pre-audit or internal audit. This is done within the organization to detect potential gaps and ensure preparedness for the major stages 1 and 2 audits.
To simplify this process, in-house auditors can utilize digital checklists so that they can:
Note their general observations
Catch major and minor nonconformities
Address lapses in the implementation of the ISO standard
Discover areas for improvement
From there, the team moves on to the two stages of external audits. This is generally done by third-party certifying bodies across the globe.
The first stage of external audit involves general observations and nonconformities (major and minor). When the organization addresses and corrects the gaps caught in the stage 1 audit, it can proceed to stage 2.
During the second stage, the third-party certifier will note all observations, areas of improvement, and non-conformities. This audit should also include a recommendation for certification that indicates whether or not the organization has passed and qualifies for certification.
If there were major nonconformities noted during stage 2, the auditing team will revisit the site within 30 days to ensure that corrections have been made before recommending the organization for certification. Once the organization passes the audit, it will be awarded certification.
To ensure that the standard is implemented properly, organizations must look to continuously improve their practices and ensure that there are no lapses in their anti-bribery system.
This certification lasts 3 years. So, after that time, organizations must apply for recertification for their ISO 37001 certification to remain valid and recognized worldwide.
What Are the Challenges in Implementing ISO 37001?
One of the major challenges in implementing this standard and obtaining certification is the auditing process. Non-conformities detected during the audit can get in the way of your certification, which is why conducting in-house pre-audits is very important. That way, any potential lapses may be caught right away, and controls can be put in place to address them.
When implementing the standard, organizations face the challenge of ensuring that the entire team is on-board and committed to stamping out corruption. This is why training is very important for the anti-bribery team and the workforce to ensure everyone understands the company’s stance and policies on bribery.
Maintaining transparency and effectively combatting bribery within an organization can be very hard. But tools such as Mitti (by SafetyCulture) are a great way to make it easier to implement the ISO 37001 standard.
With Mitti (by SafetyCulture), you can conduct comprehensive internal audits and f raud risk assessments through the use of pre-made checklists. They also have the option to build their own template from scratch or convert their existing forms into digital ones. This is great for organizations obtaining certification as it allows them to close any gaps that can prevent them from getting certified.
Teams may also use Mitti (by SafetyCulture) to:
Document different processes with photos and videos on the software
Communicate anti-bribery policies and protocols seamlessly so that everyone understands their role in preventing workplace corruption
Create internal audit reports as proof of compliance with the ISO standards
Gather data and analytics to improve existing processes and fill in gaps in operations
Report and proactively resolve any issues they find during operations
Not only can it greatly help with productivity, but it also helps teams stay compliant with ISO 37001 and ensure there is no corruption within the organization.
