The Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE), has published the UNE-ISO 37301 Compliance management systems. Requirements and guidelines for use. ISO 37301, which was recently published, is the world's first certifiable and comprehensive compliance standard, and its official Spanish-language version has now been incorporated into the national catalogue of standards as UNE-ISO 37301.
UNE-ISO 37301 establishes requirements and provides guidance for the implementation of a comprehensive compliance management system in organisations of all sectors and sizes, enabling their effectiveness to be demonstrated through measurable requirements.
The first international standard on compliance, ISO 19600 Compliance management systems. Guidelines published in 2014 and adopted into the Spanish catalogue as UNE-ISO 19600 provided recommendations. Several years after its publication, and responding to the needs of the market, it has been replaced by ISO 37301, which goes a step further by establishing requirements.
Among the new features, the UNE-ISO 37301 Standard offers an updated and more mature vision of compliance, defining responsibilities more clearly. It promotes whistleblowing channels as a fundamental tool for oversight and the creation of a compliance culture, and includes the conduct of individuals as an element in the analysis of compliance risks.
The ISO 37301 standard, developed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), has been approved by nearly 60 member countries of the international committee ISO/TC 309 Governance of organisations, including Spain. Our country participates actively through the technical standardisation bodies CTN/165 SC 1 Governance and Whistleblowing Channels, and CTN/165 SC 3 Compliance Management Systems and Anti-Corruption Management Systems, of which UNE is currently the secretary.
Due to its great impact on the market, the ISO 37301 standard has an official ISO version in Spanish, which 12 Spanish-speaking countries have helped develop through a working group chaired by Spain. The ISO/TC 309 STTF Spanish Translation Task Force. The official Spanish version of the standard has been adopted as UNE-ISO 37301.
UNE-ISO 37301 complements other standards that address specific areas of compliance, such as the UNE-ISO 37001 Standard for the prevention of bribery, UNE 19601 for criminal compliance and UNE 19602 for tax compliance.
The UNE-ISO 37301 standard helps organisations establish a strong culture of integrity and compliance, contributing to their success and sustainability. In addition, the standard facilitates the achievement of the United Nations 2030 Agenda through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
