What is ISO 31000 certification and how do you get certified?

ISO 31000 is a guidelines standard — it cannot be used to certify an
organisation. What gets certified is the individual professional. When
people search for "ISO 31000 certification," they are asking how to earn
a personal credential that proves competence in risk management based on
the ISO 31000 framework.

The credential offered through PECB — the certification body Abilene
Academy is partnered with as a Titanium-level partner — is the PECB
Certified ISO 31000 Lead Risk Manager. This is a globally recognised
professional certification that validates your ability to plan, implement,
and lead a risk management process aligned with ISO 31000:2018.

How the certification works:

To earn the PECB ISO 31000 Lead Risk Manager certification, you complete
a 4-day training course covering the full ISO 31000 framework — from
establishing scope, context, and criteria, through risk identification,
analysis, evaluation, and treatment, to monitoring, recording, and
reporting. On the final day, or separately, you sit the PECB proctored
exam online.

The exam tests your understanding of ISO 31000 principles, the risk
management framework, the risk management process, and your ability to
apply them in realistic organisational scenarios. It is a 3-hour online
exam. Candidates who pass receive the PECB Certified ISO 31000 Lead Risk
Manager credential.

At Abilene Academy, our exam pass rate is 99%. We also offer a free exam
retake if you do not pass on the first attempt.

Who should get certified:

This certification is relevant for risk managers, compliance officers,
internal auditors, project managers, and any professional responsible for
embedding risk management into governance or operations. It is also
increasingly required by organisations subject to regulatory frameworks
that reference ISO 31000, including NIS2, DORA, and sector-specific
financial regulators.

What you receive:

Upon passing the exam and meeting PECB's experience requirements, you
receive the PECB Certified ISO 31000 Lead Risk Manager certificate.
Depending on your level of documented experience, you may qualify for
Provisional Risk Manager, Risk Manager, or Lead Risk Manager designation.

Abilene Academy delivers this certification training in English, French,
and Spanish — the only trilingual provider in Europe — across locations
including Lausanne, Zürich, Paris, and online.