12 ISO 42001 Consultants in the UK: A Directory
Author
Rob Hall
CEO, Tempo Audits
Key Takeaways
- The consultants in this directory are listed in no particular order. Choose one based on your AI activities, the support you need and the firm’s relevant experience.
- ISO 42001 consultants help organisations build an AI management system and prepare for certification; an independent certification body audits the system and makes the certification decision.
- Consultants help you prepare your AI management system; Tempo Audits independently audits it and makes the certification decision. We cannot provide implementation consultancy, and a consultant cannot issue your certificate or guarantee you’ll pass.
Not a Ranked/Endorsed List
This is an informational list of ISO 42001 consultants, not a ranking. The firms appear in no particular order, and inclusion is not an endorsement. You can choose any consultant, another provider or prepare your AI management system without one; your choice does not change how Tempo Audits applies our audit criteria or makes our certification decision.
ISO 42001 Consultants and Certification Bodies Have Different Roles
ISO/IEC 42001:2023 sets requirements for an AI management system (AIMS). It gives organisations a structured way to manage the risks and opportunities linked to developing, providing or using AI. The standard calls for more than a policy: it requires an organisation to establish, operate, review and improve its AIMS.
A consultant can help you understand what those requirements mean for your organisation. That may include reviewing existing processes, identifying gaps, developing policies and supporting implementation. You don’t have to hire a consultant, and their help cannot guarantee certification.
Tempo Audits is the certification body. We independently audit your AIMS against the standard and make the certification decision. We don’t provide consultancy or implement management systems. That separation lets us assess the system on the evidence gathered during the audit.
AI assurance is also becoming a significant part of the UK economy. The DSIT roadmap estimates that the wider market contributed £1.01 billion in gross value added in 2024, with 524 companies operating in the sector. This covers more than ISO 42001 consultancy, but it shows why businesses need to explain how they manage AI and earn customers’ trust.
What to Look for in an ISO 42001 Consultant
Choose a consultant who can apply ISO/IEC 42001 to the AI systems, decisions and risks in your organisation.
12 ISO 42001 Consultants in the UK: A Directory
ISO Serious
ISO Serious works with startups and scaleups, particularly high-growth, tech-enabled businesses. Co-founder and CEO Tom Gell has experience in public-sector security and data protection and in scaling a startup. The firm says it tailors its work to each business and keeps compliance language clear.
ISO 42001 services: AI assessment, custom implementation, certification preparation and ongoing AIMS maintenance, including regulatory updates.
Ideal client: A startup or scaleup developing, deploying or providing AI that wants its governance to fit its product and working practices.
Assent
Assent Risk Management is a UK consultancy that supports organisations with ISO standards and AI governance. Its ISO 42001 work includes helping Darktrace integrate the standard with its existing management system.
ISO 42001 services: Gap analysis, AI impact assessments, implementation, internal audits and certification preparation.
Ideal client: An organisation developing or using AI that wants to build an AI management system, particularly one looking to integrate it with existing ISO arrangements.
AvISO
AvISO Consultancy provides ISO and compliance support to organisations across the UK, from SMEs to large, multi-site businesses. The firm has implemented ISO/IEC 42001 within its own management system and offers standalone AIMS implementation or integration with standards such as ISO 27001 and ISO 9001.
ISO 42001 services: Gap analysis, AI risk and impact assessments, management system design, policy and control development, internal audits, training and certification preparation.
Ideal client: An organisation developing or using AI that needs a tailored management system, either as a standalone framework or integrated with existing ISO standards.
Evalian
Evalian is a UK data protection and cyber security consultancy serving organisations from start-ups to multinational businesses. Its AI governance team supports ISO/IEC 42001 implementation, alongside practical work such as mapping AI use and assessing related risks.
ISO 42001 services: AI governance gap analysis, AIMS implementation, policies and procedures, AI use mapping, risk assessments, employee awareness training and certification preparation.
Ideal client: An organisation using or developing AI that needs help establishing clear governance, particularly a start-up or business without dedicated in-house AI compliance expertise.
twoSB
twoSB is an ISO consultancy based in London and Kent, working with start-ups, SMEs and established organisations. Its ISO 42001 support is aimed at businesses developing AI, adding it to their workflows or starting to use generative AI, with an emphasis on practical governance that fits the business.
ISO 42001 services: Tailored AI management system design and implementation, translating the standard’s requirements into practical processes for the organisation.
Ideal client: A business at any stage of AI adoption that wants a fit-for-scale governance system, particularly one that can work alongside its existing ISO arrangements.
Cognisys
Cognisys is a cybersecurity and compliance consultancy that supports SaaS and technology companies with frameworks including ISO 42001. Its AI standard support includes readiness assessments and help implementing an AI management system, making it a potential fit for businesses preparing for certification.
ISO 42001 services: Readiness assessments and implementation support for an AI management system.
Ideal client: SaaS and technology companies seeking support to prepare for ISO 42001 certification.
Consultants Like Us
Consultants Like Us is a Leeds-based ISO consultancy that supports SMEs in the UK and internationally. It helps businesses build and implement audit-ready ISO 42001 frameworks, with an emphasis on making the process manageable for smaller organisations.
ISO 42001 services: Building and implementing an AI management system.
Ideal client: SMEs that develop or use AI and want practical support to put a structured management system in place.
High Table
High Table focuses on ISO 27001 resources, toolkits and compliance software. Its GRC platform is designed to help organisations build on their existing ISO 27001 work when adding frameworks such as ISO 42001, with compliance expertise available alongside the software.
ISO 42001 services: The platform supports mapping shared controls, policies and evidence across ISO 27001 and ISO 42001.
Ideal client: Organisations with an existing ISO 27001 system that want to manage ISO 42001 alongside it.
URM
URM Consulting Services (URM) helps organisations develop and implement an AI management system tailored to how they use or provide AI. Its ISO 42001 support includes gap analysis, implementation and remediation, internal audits, and training.
ISO 42001 services: Gap analysis of existing management systems; AIMS development, implementation and remediation; internal audits; and training.
Ideal client: Organisations that develop or use AI, particularly those looking to integrate ISO 42001 with an existing management system.
Blackmores
Blackmores is an ISO consultancy that works with organisations across industries, from SMEs to multinational businesses. For ISO 42001, its consultants use the seven-step isology® methodology to help build an AI management system and integrate it with existing systems.
ISO 42001 services: Tailored AIMS implementation through the isology® roadmap, integration with existing systems, and a workshop on assessing the risks and benefits of AI.
Ideal client: An organisation that develops, deploys or uses AI and wants a management system shaped around its existing processes and business needs.
Security Consultants
Security Consultants is a cybersecurity and compliance consultancy that works with B2B SaaS and consulting firms. Its ISO 42001 work is built around extending an existing ISO 27001 system, with tailored AI governance and support through certification audits.
ISO 42001 services: AIMS implementation, AI system inventories, AI risk and impact assessments, Annex A control implementation, internal audits, certification audit support and ongoing governance through its vCISO service.
Ideal client: B2B SaaS and consulting firms that develop or use AI, particularly those looking to add ISO 42001 to an existing or developing ISO 27001 system.
The Cyber Assurance
The Cyber Assurance is a London-based cyber security consultancy that helps organisations build and prepare an AI management system for ISO/IEC 42001. Its work covers the full AI lifecycle, and the firm says the standard can be integrated with an existing ISO 27001 system.
ISO 42001 services: Gap analysis; AI risk and impact assessments; AIMS policies, controls and oversight roles; internal audit and management review; and support preparing for certification with an accredited certification body.
Ideal client: Organisations that build, deploy or sell AI, or use AI in their products or operations. The service may suit technology and SaaS companies facing AI governance questions from customers, investors or regulators.
ISO 42001 consulting - FAQs
Is ISO 42001 certification required under the EU AI Act?
No. The EU AI Act does not require every organisation using or developing AI to hold an ISO 42001 certificate. Its obligations depend on the organisation’s role and the AI system’s risk category. The European Commission says harmonised standards are voluntary, though following them can provide a presumption of conformity for relevant high-risk requirements. ISO 42001 can support AI governance, but certification alone does not prove compliance with the Act.
Do I need an ISO 42001 consultant before my certification audit?
No. You can build and maintain your AI management system in-house if you have the right knowledge and resources. A consultant can help assess gaps, develop the system and prepare evidence, but they cannot issue your certificate or guarantee a successful audit. Your certification body must assess the system independently.
Who audits ISO 42001 controls?
A certification body audits the organisation’s AI management system and decides whether it meets ISO 42001. Its auditors assess the system’s processes and controls within the agreed scope. ISO/IEC 42006 sets additional requirements for bodies that audit and certify AI management systems.
Which organisations can get ISO 42001 certified?
Organisations of any size or sector can seek certification if they develop, provide or use AI-based products or services. The standard covers responsible AI management across an organisation; it is not limited to companies that build AI models.
What does an ISO 42001 consultant do?
An ISO 42001 consultant can assess your current practices, help define the system’s scope, identify AI-related risks and impacts, and support the development of policies, processes and records. They may also help you prepare for an internal audit and certification assessment. The exact work varies, so agree on deliverables before appointing a consultant.
How long does ISO 42001 certification take?
There is no fixed timeline. It depends on the number and complexity of AI systems in scope, your existing governance and how much work is needed to build the management system. An organisation with established processes may be ready sooner than one starting from scratch. Ask consultants to explain the assumptions behind their proposed timeline.
How much does ISO 42001 consultancy cost in the UK?
Consultancy fees vary with the scope of work, the number of AI systems and the support you need, from a gap assessment to full implementation. The certification body’s audit fee is usually a separate cost. Ask for an itemised proposal that distinguishes consultancy, training and certification fees, and explains what happens if the scope changes.
Can ISO 42001 be integrated with ISO 27001?
Yes. The two standards use a compatible management system structure, so organisations can combine shared processes such as leadership reviews, internal audits and continual improvement. ISO 27001 can provide a useful foundation, but ISO 42001 still requires AI-specific governance, risk and impact assessments, and controls.
Rob Hall
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