ISO 31000:2018 Risk management

What is ISO 31000?

ISO 31000 is an international standard that provides principles and guidelines for risk management. It outlines a comprehensive approach to identifying, analyzing, evaluating, treating, monitoring and communicating risks across an organization.

Why is ISO 31000 important?

In today’s fast-paced and unpredictable world, every organization, regardless of its size or sector, encounters risks that can either pose threats or offer opportunities. ISO 31000 serves as a beacon:

  • Comprehensive Understanding: It fosters a shared understanding of risks, their nature, and ways to manage them across an organization.
  • Strategic Decision-Making: The guidelines help embed risk management into an organization’s governance, strategy, planning, reporting processes, policies, values, and culture.
  • Operational Excellence: Implementing ISO 31000 can lead to efficiency gains, as it helps organizations recognize potential threats and opportunities in time, allocate resources wisely, and enhance stakeholder confidence.
  • Proactive Approach: Rather than being purely reactive, ISO 31000 equips organizations to anticipate and address risks head-on, turning potential challenges into strategic advantages.
  • Stakeholder Confidence: A structured approach to risk management signals to stakeholders – from investors to customers – that the organization is robustly prepared to navigate uncertainties, reinforcing trust and credibility.

Benefits

  •  Standard risk management principles, framework and process
  •  Guidance for implementing risk management practices
  •  Tools for contextualizing risk management to any organization
  •  Criteria for monitoring, reviewing and continually improving risk management
  •  Foundation for integrating risk management throughout an organization

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ISO 31000 – Frequently Asked Questions

Official answers from ISO – updated December 2025

Who needs ISO 31000? +
ISO 31000 is intended for use by anyone who manages risks or is responsible for risk management in any organization, regardless of size, sector, or industry. It is particularly useful for:

• Senior management and board members
• Risk managers and risk management teams
• Organizations implementing other ISO management system standards (e.g., ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 27001)
• Public sector entities, NGOs, and non-profits
• Any entity aiming to integrate risk management into governance, strategy, and operations
Does ISO 31000 lead to risk management certification? +
No — ISO 31000 is a **guidance standard**, not a requirements standard. It provides principles, framework, and process for effective risk management, but it does not contain auditable requirements. Therefore, there is **no ISO 31000 certification** for organizations or individuals.

Organizations can use ISO 31000 to improve their risk management practices and integrate it into other management systems, but certification is not possible or applicable.
What are the benefits for risk managers? +
ISO 31000 provides risk managers with:

• A clear, internationally recognized framework for managing risk in a structured and consistent way
• Principles and guidelines that support better decision-making and strategic planning
• Tools to integrate risk management into all organizational activities
• Enhanced ability to identify, assess, treat, and monitor risks effectively
• Improved stakeholder confidence and organizational resilience
How can I use ISO 31000, and can I become certified? +
You can use ISO 31000 as a practical guide to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve your organization's risk management framework. It can be applied to any type of risk (strategic, operational, financial, compliance, etc.) and integrated into existing management systems.

**Certification is not possible** — ISO 31000 is a guidance document only. There are no requirements to audit against, and no third-party certification exists for ISO 31000. Organizations and individuals use it for internal improvement, training, and alignment with best practices.

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