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What is BS ISO/IEC 42006 - Requirements for bodies that audit and certify AI management systems about?
To ensure the quality of BS ISO/IEC 42001 AI management systems (AIMS) certifications, BS ISO/IEC 42006 sets out requirements and guidance for AIMS auditors that are in addition to the criteria for management system audit and certification found in BS ISO/IEC 17021-1.
Who is BS ISO/IEC 42006 – Requirements for bodies that audit and certify AI management systems for?
This standard should be used by:
- third-party assessment bodies;
- audit application reviewers;
- auditors;
- audit report reviewers;
- certification decision makers;
- audit appeal decision makers; and
- evaluators of certification personnel.
What does BS ISO/IEC 42006 – Requirements for bodies that audit and certify AI management systems cover?
BS ISO/IEC 42006:2025 gives guidance and specifies additional requirements to ISO/IEC 17021-1 which, when implemented, will support the demonstration of competence, consistency and reliability by bodies performing auditing and certification of an artificial intelligence management system (AIMS) according to BS ISO/IEC 42001 for organizations that provide, develop or use AI systems.
As this is a new certification market, specific competence criteria for personnel of the AIMS certification bodies are provided, including detail on the level of expertise needed for each relevant AIMS role. This is in direct reference to the relevant clauses in BS ISO/IEC 42001 that focus on the aspects they need to cover when undertaking an audit and certification to the AIMS.
Why should you use BS ISO/IEC 42006 – Requirements for bodies that audit and certify AI management systems?
It's now necessary for auditing and certification organizations to comply with BS ISO/IEC 42006 to be able to provide BS ISO/IEC 42001 accreditation. In addition:
- Efficiency – it helps accreditation bodies and peer assessors to assess the competence of conformity assessment bodies in an efficient, effective and synchronized way;
- Performance – it helps ensure that BS ISO/IEC 42001 certifications are awarded competently, consistently and comparably;
- Relevance – it helps ensure that the BS ISO/IEC 42001 auditing ecosystem is seen as credible and effective;
- Competitive advantage – it helps ensure that BS ISO/IEC 42001 certifications become increasingly well-understood and trusted as a mark of quality, instilling confidence in certified businesses and simplifying their route to market; and
- Safety – ultimately, it helps ensure that certified AIMS meet rigorous standards of performance and ethical governance, underpinning the responsible and safe deployment of robust AI applications worldwide.
