ISO 22301 Certification
Build resilience and keep critical operations running through disruption.
Service overview
ISO 22301 sets out the requirements for a business continuity management system, helping organisations prepare for, respond to and recover from disruptive incidents.
AXIOS verifies your business-impact analysis, continuity strategies and exercise programme to confirm your organisation can maintain essential functions.
Who needs this service
- Organisations delivering critical or time-sensitive services
- Businesses with regulatory continuity obligations
- Suppliers required to demonstrate resilience
Benefits
- Assured ability to continue critical operations
- Reduced downtime and recovery cost
- Greater confidence from customers and regulators
- A tested, repeatable response to disruption
What is ISO 22301?
ISO 22301 specifies the requirements for a business continuity management system — helping organisations prepare for, respond to and recover from disruptive incidents.
It centres on business impact analysis and risk assessment, continuity strategies, and tested response and recovery plans, all within the Annex SL structure.
Official standard: iso.org →
The structure of ISO 22301
Clause 1–3
Scope, references & terms
Introductory clauses defining the scope of the standard, normative references and key definitions.
Clause 4
Context of the organisation
Understand internal and external issues, the needs and expectations of interested parties, and the scope of the management system.
Clause 5
Leadership
Top-management commitment, an appropriate policy, and clearly assigned roles, responsibilities and authorities.
Clause 6
Planning
Address risks and opportunities, set measurable objectives and plan the actions and changes to achieve them.
Clause 7
Support
Provide the resources, competence, awareness, communication and documented information the system needs.
Clause 8
Operation
Plan and control business continuity, including business impact analysis and risk assessment, continuity strategies and solutions, and documented, exercised response and recovery plans.
Clause 9
Performance evaluation
Monitor, measure, analyse and evaluate; conduct internal audits and management reviews.
Clause 10
Improvement
Manage nonconformities and corrective action and continually improve the management system.
Benefits of certification
- ✓Faster, more reliable recovery from disruption
- ✓Protected revenue, reputation and stakeholder confidence
- ✓Clear roles and tested plans before incidents occur
- ✓Evidence of resilience for customers and regulators
- ✓Integration with information security and quality systems
Steps to certification
- 1
Application & proposal
You complete a quote request so AXIOS can understand your organisation and define the scope of assessment, then receive a tailored certification proposal.
- 2
Two-stage initial audit
A Stage 1 readiness review is followed by a Stage 2 assessment of your management system in operation. Your system should have run for at least three months with a management review and a full internal-audit cycle.
- 3
Decision & certification
After a successful Stage 2 and an independent certification decision, AXIOS issues your certificate — valid for three years and maintained through annual surveillance audits and a recertification audit in year three.
Frequently asked questions
What is a business impact analysis?
A structured assessment of how disruptions affect activities over time, used to set recovery priorities and objectives.
Who needs ISO 22301?
Organisations whose operations are critical to customers or society, or that must demonstrate resilience to win contracts.
Must plans be tested?
Yes — exercising and testing continuity arrangements is a requirement of the standard.
How long is it valid?
Three years, with annual surveillance and a year-three recertification audit.
Official reference
Read the full ISO 22301 article and buy the standard on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) website.
View ISO 22301 on iso.org →Talk to AXIOS about ISO 22301 Certification
Our specialists will help you choose the right scope and plan a clear path to certification or assessment.