ISO 56001 is the international standard that specifies the requirements for an innovation management system (IMS), and the first in the ISO 5600x family that an organisation can be certified against. Our advisory service helps South African organisations close the gap between how they innovate today and what the standard requires — without drowning the business in bureaucracy.
What ISO 56001 requires
ISO 56001 follows the same high-level structure as other ISO management-system standards, applied to innovation. In practice it asks an organisation to demonstrate:
- Leadership commitment and a clear innovation intent and policy
- Understanding of context, opportunities and risks
- Planning, support and resources for innovation
- An operating process that moves ideas from insight to realised value
- Performance evaluation, and continual improvement of the system
The standard is deliberately non-prescriptive about how you innovate — it cares that the system is managed, evidenced and improving.
Our ISO 56001 readiness approach
- Capability baseline. We run the InnoPulse assessment and map your current state against the standard's clauses.
- Gap assessment. We produce a clause-by-clause gap report with prioritised, practical actions.
- System design. We design or refine your innovation management system — policy, process, roles, documentation and metrics — sized to your organisation.
- Embed & evidence. We help you run the system so it generates the records and results an auditor expects.
- Certification readiness. We prepare you for a third-party certification audit and support you through it.
ISO 56001 vs ISO 56002
It is worth being clear on the difference. ISO 56002 is a guidance standard — helpful advice on building an innovation management system, but not certifiable. ISO 56001 is the requirements standard, published in 2024, that an organisation can be independently certified against. If your goal is formal recognition or a procurement requirement, ISO 56001 is the one that matters.
Why pursue ISO 56001?
Credibility
Independent proof that your innovation is managed, not accidental — valuable in tenders and partnerships.
Discipline
A common language and cadence that keeps innovation funded, governed and improving.
Resilience
A system that outlives any single champion and survives leadership change.
Better returns
Clearer prioritisation and measurement that direct scarce resources to the ideas that create value.
Start with an honest baseline. Our InnoPulse assessment shows how close you already are to the capability ISO 56001 expects.
Check your readinessPursuing ISO 56001 certification?
Discuss your certification goals and get a clear view of the gap and the path.
Book an ISO 56001 readiness callFrequently asked questions
Is ISO 56001 certifiable?
Yes. Published in 2024, ISO 56001 is the first innovation management standard an organisation can be independently certified against, unlike the guidance-only ISO 56002.
How long does ISO 56001 readiness take?
It depends on your starting maturity. Organisations with an existing, working innovation process can often be audit-ready in a few months; those starting from scratch should plan for a longer build. A baseline assessment is the fastest way to scope it.
Do we have to change how we innovate?
Not fundamentally. ISO 56001 does not dictate a particular method; it asks that your innovation system be intentional, supported, measured and improving. We design around how your organisation actually works.
What is the difference between ISO 56001 and ISO 56002?
ISO 56002 is guidance and cannot be certified; ISO 56001 sets the requirements and can be certified. We advise on both and prepare you for ISO 56001 certification.
Last updated: 23 June 2026