ISO42001 Certification | AI Governance | Conosco

Why businesses use Conosco ISO/IEC 42001 Consultancy

Businesses use Conosco because ISO/IEC 42001 is not a documentation exercise. It requires organisations to define how AI is governed in practice, including ownership, risk assessment, impact evaluation and ongoing oversight. Most organisations do not have this structure in place, even if AI is already being used widely.

The challenge is not understanding the standard. It is translating ISO/IEC 42001 requirements into a working AI Management System that produces real evidence, supports decision-making, and stands up to audit scrutiny.

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Start with a real gap analysis

Certification timelines and costs depend entirely on scope. Conosco starts by assessing your current position against ISO/IEC 42001 so decisions are based on evidence, not assumptions.

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Build a working AI Management System

ISO/IEC 42001 requires more than policies. Conosco helps design governance structures, risk methods and operational controls that function day to day.

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Align governance with business reality

AI use varies across teams and functions. Conosco ensures your implementation reflects how AI is actually used, not a theoretical model that fails under pressure.

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Achieve certification with confidence

Certification becomes a by-product of strong governance. Conosco prepares your organisation with the documentation, processes and evidence required for a successful audit.

AI scope definition

We define what AI systems, tools and use cases fall within scope so the implementation reflects real organisational exposure.

ISO 42001 gap analysis

We assess your current governance, controls and documentation against ISO/IEC 42001 requirements and identify clear priorities.

AI Management System design

We design the structure of your AIMS, including governance layers, roles, responsibilities and reporting mechanisms.

Risk methodology

We implement a consistent approach to AI risk assessment aligned to recognised frameworks such as BS 31000.

Impact assessment process

We define how AI use is evaluated where it affects people, decisions or sensitive outcomes.

Policy and controls

We build or refine the policies, procedures and controls required to support ISO/IEC 42001 compliance.

AI inventory development

We establish a structured inventory of AI systems, owners and use cases to support governance and audit evidence.

Implementation support

We support rollout across the organisation, embedding processes, documentation and responsibilities.

Internal audit preparation

We prepare your organisation for audit through internal reviews, evidence checks and readiness assessments.

Discovery

We define scope by identifying AI systems, stakeholders and current governance maturity across the organisation.

Visibility

Clairty

Baseline

Assessment

We conduct a formal ISO/IEC 42001 gap analysis to identify gaps, risks and priorities for implementation.

Insight

Prioritisation

Accuracy

Design

We build your AI Management System, including governance, risk methods, policies and documentation structure.

Structure

Control

Confidence

Implementation

We prepare your organisation for audit, ensuring evidence, controls and documentation meet certification expectations.

Consistency

Progress

Resilience

Features

Conosco

Typical Managed Provider

ISO 42001 gap analysis

✅ Always delivered as the starting point to define scope, cost and timeline

⚠️ Often skipped or treated as a light-touch exercise

Governance-led implementation

✅ Always delivered with governance and risk shaping the AIMS design

⚠️ Many focus on documentation rather than operating models

AI Management System design

✅ Always delivered with clear roles, responsibilities and oversight structures

❌ Not always included beyond templates

Risk assessment methodology

✅ Always delivered with a defined, repeatable approach to assessing AI-related risk

⚠️ Often reduced to generic risk language without an operating method

AI inventory and scope clarity

✅ Always delivered to support governance and audit evidence

⚠️ Frequently incomplete or assumed

Internal audit readiness

✅ Always delivered with a focus on documentation, decisions, ownership records and assurance evidence

⚠️ Sometimes left to the client

Certification preparation

✅ Always delivered with full support through to audit readiness

⚠️ Often limited to advisory only

A healthcare organisation was exploring how to introduce governance around AI use across clinical and operational teams, but lacked clarity on where to start. Conosco demonstrated a strong understanding of how AI tools were already being used in practice, and how governance could be applied without disrupting care delivery. Their approach focused on risk, accountability and real-world application, giving leadership confidence that governance would support both safety and innovation as adoption grows.

Private Healthcare

600 Employees

A media and creative business was looking to scale its use of AI across content, production and commercial functions, but needed structure without slowing momentum. Conosco quickly showed a deeper understanding of how AI fits into creative workflows, positioning governance as a way to enable controlled growth rather than restrict it. Early engagement has already clarified ownership, risk and decision-making, giving the business a clearer path to scaling AI with confidence.

Creative Agency

140 Employees

A Private Equity firm identified increasing AI usage across its portfolio, with limited visibility of tools, risks and shadow IT exposure. Conosco engaged at fund level first, shaping a governance model aligned to investor oversight, before working into individual portfolio companies to apply it in practice. This created a consistent, scalable approach across the group, giving the firm confidence that AI risk could be controlled without limiting value creation.

Private Equity Firm

12 Portfolio Companies

FAQ

ISO/IEC 42001 is an international standard for AI management systems. It provides a framework for governing AI use through defined processes, roles, risk assessment and ongoing oversight.

Certification involves demonstrating that your organisation has implemented an AI Management System that meets ISO/IEC 42001 requirements and can evidence how governance is applied in practice.

Timelines vary depending on organisational size, complexity and number of AI systems. A formal gap analysis is required to define scope and realistic timelines.

Cost depends on scope, current maturity and implementation effort. It cannot be accurately defined without first completing a gap analysis.

Yes. A gap analysis is essential to understand your current position, define scope and prioritise the work required for implementation.

ISO/IEC 42001 is not a legal requirement, but it supports organisations in demonstrating responsible AI governance and can help meet customer, regulatory and assurance expectations.

ISO/IEC 42001 supports governance and risk management, but it does not automatically ensure compliance with the EU AI Act. It should be seen as complementary, not equivalent.

Both are management system standards, but they cover different domains. ISO 27001 focuses on information security, while ISO/IEC 42001 focuses on AI governance and oversight.

An AI Management System is the structure of policies, processes, roles and controls used to govern AI use within an organisation.

Yes. ISO/IEC 42001 can be applied proportionately, with scope and complexity tailored to the size and nature of the organisation.

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