ISO/IEC 20000-1 Certification: IT Service Management

Improve the way your organisation designs, delivers, supports and manages IT services to better meet customer expectations and business objectives.

ISO/IEC 20000-1 Certification: IT Service Management

Certification to ISO/IEC 20000-1 demonstrates your commitment to delivering reliable, well-controlled and customer-focused IT services. It shows that your organisation manages service performance through a structured approach, with effective processes in place to resolve incidents, control changes and maintain service quality throughout the service lifecycle. Certification can strengthen stakeholder confidence, enhance competitiveness in both domestic and international markets, and support continual improvement while helping to manage risks effectively.

ISO/IEC 20000-1 sets out the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving a Service Management System (SMS). A compliant SMS helps organisations consistently deliver services that meet customer, regulatory and contractual requirements, while driving service quality and operational efficiency.

What is the ISO/IEC 20000-1 standard?

ISO/IEC 20000-1 is the international standard for IT service management systems. It is applicable to any organisation that provides IT services, whether internally or externally. The scope can be limited to specific parts of an organisation or extended across all service management activities and customer-facing services.

As part of the ISO/IEC 20000 family of IT service management standards, ISO/IEC 20000-1 is the only standard against which organisations can be certified. It specifies requirements for planning, designing, transitioning, delivering and continually improving IT services.

At its core, ISO/IEC 20000-1 helps organisations manage service performance in a consistent and structured way. It supports the alignment of service delivery with customer and business needs while ensuring reliable and predictable service outcomes. The standard also encourages organisations to identify, assess and address risks and opportunities that could affect service performance, customer satisfaction or the achievement of service objectives.

ISO/IEC 200001 can help your organisation achieve:

  • Consistent and reliable delivery of IT services
  • Increased customer confidence in service quality and performance
  • Greater control over service design, transition and delivery
  • Effective management of incidents, problems and changes
  • Improved compliance with legal, regulatory and contractual requirements
  • Objective measurement and monitoring of service performance
  • Enhanced credibility and competitiveness in the marketplace
  • A culture of continual improvement across service management activities

ISO/IEC 20000-1 promotes risk-based thinking throughout the entire service lifecycle, from strategic planning through to day-to-day operations. The standard follows ISO's Harmonised Structure (HS), making it easier to integrate with other management system standards, including ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO/IEC 27701. This integrated approach can improve efficiency, reduce duplication and support broader organisational objectives.

Value of ISO/IEC 20000-1 Certification

Certification to ISO/IEC 20000-1 by an independent third party demonstrates that your IT service management system meets the requirements of the standard. It shows your organisation can manage service performance in a structured and controlled way, deliver reliable IT services, maintain control across the service lifecycle, and support compliance with relevant requirements.

As a result, you achieve:

  • Increased customer trust through a structured approach to reliable and predictable service performance
  • Competitive edge in national and international markets where recognised certification supports credibility
  • Ability to compete when certification is required in contracts or procurement processes
  • Objective insights from independent auditors to identify gaps and improvement opportunities

Why partner with DNV?

DNV is one of the world’s leading certification bodies. Through management system certification, supply chain assurance and training services, we help companies manage risks, assure compliance and build competence in organisations, supply chains and people.

Trusted

A global partner locally before, during and after the audit

Knowledge

Solid auditor competence and industry experience

Innovation

Value adding services, solutions and digital tools

Experience

Commitment to a superior customer experience

80000

Customers

90000

Certificates

20000

People trained annually

180 +

Countries

How to get ISO/IEC 20000-1 certified

To become certified, your organisation must implement an IT Service Management System (SMS) that complies with the requirements of ISO/IEC 20000-1. DNV can support you throughout the process with training, gap analysis and accredited third-party certification services.

As a DNV customer, you also get access to a suite of digital tools that can help you ensure compliance, continually improve and manage your entire certification journey with us.

Learn how to get started and be certified

    • Obtain the standard:

    Get a licensed copy of the relevant standard and familiarise yourself with the requirements to decide whether certification or registration to this standard is appropriate for your organisation.

    • Review available literature and apply digital tools

    Explore available literature, guidance from the standard owners (e.g. ISO/TS 9002 for ISO 9001, ISO 14004 for ISO 14001) and digital sources and tools that can support implementation. As a DNV customer, you also get access to tailored tools that can help you.

    • Assemble a team and define strategy:

    Implementing a management system should be a strategic decision for the entire organisation. Senior management must be engaged in the decision, committed to it, and involved in shaping the system. They decide the business strategy the management system should support. In addition, you need a dedicated team to develop and implement your management system.

    • Determine competence needs:

    First, your team responsible for implementing and maintaining the management system needs a thorough understanding of the chosen standards. Later, the wider organisation needs awareness training. DNV offers a variety of public and in-house courses worldwide that meet competence development needs at all levels of your organisation.

    • Review consultant options:

    Independent consultants can advise on a workable, realistic and cost-effective implementation strategy if you do not already have this competence or capacity in-house.

    • Develop management system documentation: 

    Decide on an appropriate platform for your documented information (e.g. software, process map- or SharePoint-based). The right platform is important to ensure effective management, communication and implementation.

    • Determine, manage and document processes:

    First, identify key processes – what they are, how they work and how they interact. Each process should have a clear purpose, defined responsibilities and expected outputs. The level of documented information needed depends on the organisation’s size, complexity and the importance of each process, but it must include the relevant processes and other documented information needed to deliver intended outcomes and comply with the chosen standard’s requirements.

    • Implement management system:

    Clear communication and appropriate competence training are essential. During the implementation phase, you will work to ensure that your organisation operates in line with defined and documented processes. Once this is achieved, you can demonstrate the system’s compliance and effectiveness.

    • Select a certification body/registrar:

    Selecting the right certification body or registrar can make a difference throughout your certification journey. DNV offers a trusted partnership approach, a risk-based approach and a range of free digital tools to help you manage your certification journey before, during and after the audit.

    • Consider a pre-audit gap analysis:

    Consider a preliminary evaluation by your certification body or registrar to identify and correct non-conformities before starting the official certification process. The purpose is to identify areas of non-conformance or weakness, allowing you to address them before the official certification process begins.

FAQ

  • ISO 20000, formally known as ISO/IEC 20000, is the international family of standards for IT service management. It provides organisations with guidance and best practices for designing, delivering and continually improving IT services. ISO/IEC 20000-1 is the core standard within the family and the only one against which organisations can be certified.

  • ISO/IEC 20000-1 is the international standard that specifies the requirements for an IT Service Management System (SMS). It applies to organisations of all sizes and sectors that provide IT services, either internally or externally. The standard helps ensure services are planned, delivered and improved in a consistent and controlled way to meet customer, regulatory and contractual requirements.

  • To achieve ISO/IEC 20000-1 certification, your organisation must implement an IT Service Management System that complies with the standard's requirements. Certification is then carried out by an independent third-party certification body, such as DNV, through an audit process that assesses conformity with the standard. Once compliance has been demonstrated, certification can be awarded.

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