ISO 18788

Description / Abstract: This International Standard provides a framework for establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, maintaining and improving the management of security operations.

It provides the principles and requirements for a security operations management system (SOMS). This International Standard provides a business and risk management framework for organizations conducting or contracting security operations and related activities and functions while demonstrating:

a) conduct of professional security operations to meet the requirements of clients and other stakeholders;

b) accountability to law and respect for human rights;

c) consistency with voluntary commitments to which it subscribes.

This International Standard also provides a means for organizations and those who utilize security services to demonstrate commitment to the relevant legal obligations, as well as to the good practices provided in the Montreux Document on Pertinent International Legal Obligations and Good Practices for States related to Operations of Private Military and Security Companies during Armed Conflict, and conformance with the principles and commitments outlined in the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (ICoC). This International Standard is specifically aimed at any organization operating in circumstances where governance may be weak and the rule of law undermined due to human or naturally caused events.

NOTE 1 This International Standard is not intended to place additional burdens on general guarding services outside these specific circumstances.

Applicable laws can include all kinds of laws including, but not limited to, national, regional, international or customary laws. It is the sole responsibility of the user of this International Standard to determine the applicable laws and to abide by them. This International Standard does not provide any advice or guidance concerning applicable laws, the conflict between laws, or the interpretation of the laws, codes, treaties or documents mentioned within it.

This International Standard is applicable to any organization that needs to:

a) establish, implement, maintain and improve an SOMS;

b) assess its conformity with its stated security operations management policy;

c) demonstrate its ability to consistently provide services that meet client needs and are in conformance with applicable international, national and local laws and human rights requirements.

The generic principles and requirements of this International Standard are intended to be incorporated into any organization's integrated management system based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model; it is not intended to promote a uniform approach to all organizations in all sectors. The design and implementation of security operations plans, procedures and practices are expected to take intoaccount the particular requirements of each organization: its objectives, context, culture, structure, resources, operations, processes, products and services.

NOTE 2 Consistent with the goal of public and private organizations to comply with all applicable laws and respect human rights, it is intended that clients refer to this International Standard when retaining private security services. It is intended that organizations use this International Standard's management system principles and requirements to conduct their own due diligence and management of services and to construct their contracting and contract administration process to support conformance with this International Standard.