Insight

Responsible AI, independently recommended for ISO/IEC 42001

Following a successful Stage 2 audit, Onefile has been recommended for ISO/IEC 42001 certification, with final certification expected in the coming weeks.

This is an important milestone for Onefile and reinforces our commitment to developing and using AI responsibly. It provides independent assurance that we have the right processes, policies and governance in place to manage AI safely, transparently and responsibly across our organisation.

For more than 20 years, we’ve been finding new ways to make apprenticeship and vocational training simpler and better. From creating the first Eportfolio to launching the first offline app, innovation has always been part of who we are.

As AI continues to change the way training is delivered, we believe innovation needs to go hand in hand with responsibility and trust.

Our recommendation for ISO/IEC 42001 certification gives our customers independent reassurance that responsible AI isn’t just something we talk about. It’s built into how Onefile works.

What is ISO/IEC 42001?

ISO/IEC 42001 is the world’s first certifiable management system standard specifically for AI.

In a similar way to ISO 9001 for quality and ISO/IEC 27001 for information security, ISO/IEC 42001 looks at the processes and controls an organisation has in place. Onefile has held ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 27001 certifications since 2016.

Importantly, ISO/IEC 42001 applies to an organisation as a whole, rather than to an individual product or AI feature. To achieve recommendation, we demonstrated to an independent auditor that we have clear processes in place for:

Assessing the risks and potential impact of the AI systems we develop
Protecting the data AI relies on, including learner data
Being transparent about where and how AI is used
Keeping people at the heart of AI-supported decisions
Continually monitoring, reviewing and improving the way we use AI

What does ISO/IEC 42001 mean for Onefile?

ISO/IEC 42001 goes beyond the AI features within the Onefile platform.

It demonstrates that responsible AI is embedded across Onefile, supported by clear policies, defined responsibilities and strong governance.

This includes:

A formal AI Policy that colleagues are required to read and acknowledge
Organisation-wide awareness of responsible AI
Clear governance and accountability for how AI is developed, introduced and managed
Ongoing processes for identifying and managing AI-related risks
Responsible AI principles that extend across the whole organisation, not just our Product and Technology teams

Why does it matter for skills and vocational education?

AI has huge potential to improve the way training is delivered.

It can help providers identify learners who may need additional support, help tutors and assessors work more efficiently, and reduce time spent on administration.

But in our sector, trust matters.

AI can be used alongside important decisions around learner progress, funding and compliance, while using highly personal learner data. Providers and employers therefore need confidence that the technology they choose is being developed and managed responsibly.

Questions like “How is AI governed?”, “Who is accountable?” and “How is learner data protected?” are becoming increasingly important.

Following our successful ISO/IEC 42001 audit, we can support those conversations with an independently audited international standard, giving customers greater confidence in how Onefile approaches AI.

What does this mean for you?

For training providers

Greater reassurance that AI within your learner management platform is being developed and managed by an organisation that has been independently audited and recommended for certification against an international standard.
It also provides additional evidence to support conversations around governance, data protection and responsible technology use with stakeholders such as Ofsted, awarding organisations and funders.

For employers

Confidence that we have structured processes in place to manage AI responsibly, protect data and maintain human oversight of AI-supported insights.

For learners

Technology designed to support learning, not replace it.
Our approach to AI is about helping learners develop and improve their own work. For example, providing prompts and guidance rather than simply providing the answers, helping make sure the learning and achievement remain theirs.

Powering Onefile Assistant and what comes next

ISO/IEC 42001 doesn’t certify individual Onefile products or features. Instead, it provides the organisation-wide framework that helps shape how our AI capabilities are developed and managed.

That includes the AI already supporting our products, such as Onefile Assistant and Onefile Engage, as well as the AI developments on our roadmap.

New AI capabilities go through defined processes to assess risk, accuracy and responsible use before they reach customers, with ongoing monitoring once they are live.

That means we can continue to innovate and explore what AI can do for the skills sector, while making sure responsibility and governance are built in from the start.