About Us Solutions How We Work Contact Blog
Book a Demo
Home Frameworks ISO 42001
ISO/IEC 42001:2023 — AI Management System

ISO 42001 Compliance for AI Startups — Done For You.

Prove your AI is governed responsibly. Folksoft stands up your AI Management System, runs the AI risk and impact assessments, and gets you audit-ready for ISO 42001 — so you can sell AI to the enterprise.

Audit-ready AIMS in weeks — no governance team needed.
Audit-ready in weeks AI risk assessments AIMS built for you Accredited audit
2023
The first AI management system standard
AIMS
Stood up, end to end
Certifiable
Accredited third-party audit
30-day
Money-back guarantee
The platform

What Folksoft does for your ISO 42001

From the first look at how you build AI to the day your certification body arrives, Folksoft runs the management system for you.

Autonomous gap assessment

Agents assess your AI development and operations against ISO 42001 clauses and Annex A controls, surfacing gaps before your audit.

AIMS, stood up for you

We build the AI Management System: scope, AI policy, roles, and objectives — aligned to how you actually build and ship AI.

Scope AI policy Roles Objectives

AI risk & impact assessments

We run the AI risk assessment and AI system impact assessments the standard requires, and keep them current.

AI risk System impact

Policies & evidence, written for you

Documentation drafted and maintained automatically; evidence collected continuously — no blank templates, no screenshots.

Collected automatically
No blank templatesNo screenshots

Certification body introduction & guidance

We connect you with an accredited certification body and guide you through Stage 1 and Stage 2 audits.

Stage 1 Stage 2 Certificate
Stage 1 vs Stage 2

How the certification audit actually works

ISO 42001 is certified in two stages by an accredited certification body. Folksoft prepares you for both.

Stage 1

Readiness & documentation review

The auditor reviews your AIMS documentation and confirms you're ready for the full audit. It's the fastest checkpoint that your management system is designed correctly.

Audit timelineOne review
A documentation checkpoint — your AIMS design, verified
Confirms your AI Management System is designed right
Stage 2

The certification audit

The auditor tests that your AIMS is implemented and operating effectively. Passing Stage 2 earns your ISO 42001 certificate, maintained via annual surveillance audits over a 3-year cycle.

CertificateYear 1Year 2
Certificate issued, then surveillance over a 3-year cycle
Proves your AIMS operates — and earns the certificate

In short: Stage 1 confirms your AI Management System is designed right; Stage 2 proves it operates — and earns the certificate. Folksoft prepares you for both and supports you through surveillance.

See how ISO 42001 pairs with ISO 27001
Who needs it

Who needs ISO 42001?

If any of these sound like you, ISO 42001 is likely on your critical path.

AI-native startups

Startups building or deploying machine learning / generative AI in their product.

Facing AI questions in procurement

Companies whose enterprise buyers or procurement are starting to ask how AI is governed.

Proving responsible-AI governance

Teams that need to show responsible-AI governance to investors, partners, or regulators — for example, alignment with emerging AI regulation.

Vendors embedding third-party AI

Vendors embedding third-party AI or LLMs who must demonstrate oversight of those systems.

FAQ

ISO 42001 questions, answered

Everything founders ask us before starting their ISO 42001 journey.

Still have questions?

01 What is ISO 42001?

It's the first international standard for an AI Management System (AIMS), published in 2023. It certifies that you govern the development and use of AI responsibly — the AI counterpart to ISO 27001 for information security.

02 How is ISO 42001 different from ISO 27001?

Same management-system structure, different focus: ISO 27001 governs information security; ISO 42001 governs responsible AI — AI risk, impact assessments, transparency, and oversight. Many companies pursue both, and Folksoft can run them together.

03 How long does ISO 42001 take with Folksoft?

Most startups reach audit-ready in weeks; certification timing then depends on your chosen certification body's audit schedule.

04 Can I get ISO 42001 without a governance team?

Yes. Folksoft runs the AIMS for you and pairs you with a real GRC analyst from gap assessment through certification.

Get started

Get ISO 42001 ready in weeks.

Book a demo and we'll scope your AI Management System and map your fastest path to an ISO 42001 certificate.

30-day money-back guarantee. No governance hires needed.