ISO 37301: Compliance Management System
ISO 37301: Compliance Management System for Ethical and Responsible Organizations
ISO 37301 establishes requirements and provides guidelines for implementing, developing, maintaining and improving a Compliance Management System (CMS). This standard is applicable to any type of organization, regardless of size, sector or location. It replaces and extends the former ISO 19600, offering certifiable requirements.
The main objective is to help organizations comply with all legal, regulatory and voluntary obligations, strengthening the culture of compliance and corporate integrity.
Main requirements of the ISO 37301 standard
- Organizational context: Identification of relevant compliance obligations and stakeholders.
- Leadership and Commitment: Senior management drive, assignment of responsibilities and establishment of compliance policies.
- Planning: Non-compliance risk assessment and compliance target setting.
- Support: Resources, competence, awareness, communication and control of documented information.
- Operation: Processes and controls to ensure compliance.
- Performance evaluation: Monitoring, internal audit, management review.
- Improvement: Management of non-conformities and corrective actions.
Practical measures to comply with ISO 37301
- Mapping of relevant legal and contractual obligations.
- Create or update the compliance policy.
- Establish channels for reporting and managing ethical alerts.
- Designate a compliance officer or compliance committee.
- Implement procedures for the evaluation and mitigation of non-compliance risks.
- Develop compliance training and awareness programs.
- Periodically audit the effectiveness of the system.
Advantages of ISO 37301 certification
For the organization:
- Reduced risk of sanctions, fines and reputational damage.
- Improved ethical and responsible decision making.
- Organizational culture based on integrity.
For customers:
- Increased confidence in processes and products
- Transparency and accountability in operations.
For the market:
- Improved competitiveness and reputation.
- Compliance with international standards that facilitate global expansion.
ISO 37301: Application by sector and industry
Regulated companies
Public agencies and administrations
Multinationals
Companies certified to other ISO standards
Compliance is not a burden, it is an opportunity to lead with integrity.
Measuring your current situation is the basis for building a future free of legal risks.
BLOG: practical articles for responsible leaders
Legal Compliance in Angola: From Paperwork to Auditable Evidence
Many companies are familiar with the law, but fail to demonstrate that they are actually complying with it.
The challenge lies in translating legal requirements into operational controls and auditable evidence.
How can you tell if a law applies to your business in Angola? 5 quick questions to find out
Many companies are familiar with the law, but they don’t know how to determine whether it applies to them or what evidence proves it.
This guide offers five quick questions to turn legal applicability into auditable operational controls.
Hidden Non-Compliance in Environmental Management and Occupational Safety and Health: How to Identify It in Angola
Many companies fail not because they ignore the law, but because they fail to translate it into operational controls. This article explains where hidden gaps in environmental management and occupational safety and health arise and how to detect them before they disrupt operations.
Compliance: “Beyond the Rules”: How to Turn Integrity into an Asset
Strategic compliance is no longer limited to simply adhering to regulations. In Angola, it has become a driver of governance, ethical culture, and organizational sustainability.
The book *Beyond the Rules* shows how to integrate risk, leadership, and integrity to strengthen decision-making and create long-term value.
