Exploring Standards with Assent

• What ISO 22000 is and why it matters in today's global food supply chain
• How climate change and globalisation are creating new food safety challenges
• The difference between ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRC, and SALSA standards
• How small...

Welcome to Exploring Standards! In this episode, host Jess sits down with Dan Sampson, a GRC consultant and certified lead auditor specialising in ISO 27001 and ISO 42001, to explore the intersection of information security and AI governance.

What You'll Learn:

• The key differences between ISO 27001 (information security) and ISO 42001 (AI governance)
• How these two standards complement each other and where they overlap
• Critic...

In the final episode of Season 3 of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by two special guests: Kirsty Wakefield, Information Security Sector Manager at ISOQAR, and Rob Clements, CEO & Director of Assent. Together, they explore one of the most talked-about topics in today’s business world, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the emerging international standard ISO 42001.

Kirsty Wakefield is the Information Security Manager at...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by Jay Riddler, Co-Founder and Director of Dynamic Consultancy Solutions, to dive into ISO 39001, Road Traffic Safety Management and its impact on the haulage and logistics industry. With over 20 years of frontline and management experience in transport, Jay brings a wealth of knowledge on compliance, accreditations, and safety standards.

Jay provides a clear overview of I...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by Ben Moulds, Risk, Assurance & Compliance Manager at Whistl, one of the UK’s leading logistics companies. Whistl recently completed its first year of outsourced internal audits across five ISO standards, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, ISO 45001, and ISO 50001, all certified with UKAS-accredited certification body LRQA.

Ben shares Whistl’s ISO journey, starting with ...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by Robert Low, founder and lead developer of ApexGlobal Quality, to explore ISO 22716, the international standard for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in the cosmetics industry. With 16 years of experience in personal care and household sectors and credentials as a lead auditor in ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22716, and BRCGS CP, Rob brings deep industry insight and practica...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by Michael Venner, CEO of Auva Certification, to discuss what organisations really need to know when preparing for a certification audit. With years of experience overseeing audits across various industries, Michael offers a clear and practical look at what auditors are truly looking for and how to avoid the most common pitfalls.

Michael explains the difference between sim...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined once again by Rob Hall, Founder of Tempo Audits, following his earlier appearance this season discussing remote auditing in ISO 27001. This time, Rob returns to share his journey to achieving UKAS accreditation, a significant milestone for any certification body.

Rob walks us through why UKAS accreditation matters, not just for credibility, but for building trust in the au...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by Danny Lee, an experienced quality professional with a strong background in aviation and aerospace. Together, they dive into the world of AS9100, the internationally recognised quality management system standard specifically designed for the aerospace, aviation, and defence industries.

Danny begins by explaining the purpose and scope of AS9100, who it’s intended for, and...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess welcomes back Juliana Wood, Managing Director of Certifications at CIRQ. Following her popular appearance on the podcast where she introduced ISO 20252, Juliana returns to dive deeper into the standard, this time focusing on the top non-conformances seen during certification audits.

ISO 20252 is the international standard for market, opinion, and social research, and maintaining com...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by Kathy Clements, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 Consultant and Head of Business Development & Partnerships at Assent Risk Management. Together, they take a deep dive into Assent’s anonymised Non-Conformance Log, revealing the Top 5 ISO 14001 non-conformances identified between April 2020 and April 2025.

Drawing on findings from both internal audits and certification body ass...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by James Williams, Operations Director at 3Core2, who brings over 18 years of experience in the certification industry. Together, they dive into the BAFE SP101 Scheme – a key competency standard for organisations and technicians working with portable fire extinguishers.

James explains what BAFE SP101 stands for and provides a clear overview of the scheme, including what a ...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by Will McKinney from Interface NRM to explore ISO 14064-1, the international standard for quantifying and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As sustainability continues to climb the business agenda, this episode offers a clear and practical look at how ISO 14064-1 can support organisations on their path to carbon accountability.

Will breaks down the key principles ...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by Sarah Smith, a highly experienced consultant specialising in ISO 13485 Medical Devices and ISO 9001 Quality Management. With over ten years of experience in the medical device industry and expertise as a certified data protection officer, Sarah provides invaluable insights into the world of ISO 13485 and its importance for medical device manufacturers.

In this episode S...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by Robert Clements, Founder and CEO of Assent Risk Management, to discuss the Top 5 Non-Conformances often encountered during ISO 27001 audits. As one of the most critical standards for information security management, ISO 27001 helps businesses ensure their data is protected, but non-conformances can lead to delays in certification or compliance issues.

Robert takes us th...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, we dive into ISO 20252, the international standard for market, opinion, and social research, with Juliana Wood, Managing Director and Director of Certifications at CIRQ. With the market research industry evolving rapidly, ISO 20252 is gaining more attention than ever—so what does it mean for businesses, and why is it becoming so popular?

Juliana shares insights into her role at CIRQ, the orga...

In Part 2 of our live Grow with ISO series, we delve into ISO 42001, the newly introduced international standard for artificial intelligence (AI), and explore how it is shaping the future of AI development and governance.

Building on the insights from Part 1, this episode focuses on the strategic importance of ISO 42001 in ensuring AI systems are designed, implemented, and managed responsibly. Learn how this groundbreaking standard...

In this special episode of Exploring Standards, we bring you highlights from the live event, Grow with ISO, held at the stunning Spitalfields Conservatory in London in November 2024. Hosted by Robert Clements from Assent Risk Management, Paul Stevens from AvISO, and Kevin Shinners from A-LIGN, this event brought together industry leaders to explore the transformative power of ISO frameworks.

Part 1 of this live series focuses on NI...

In this episode of Exploring Standards, host Jess is joined by Adam Hollick, an ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Lead Auditor with 12 years of experience in the Royal Air Force (RAF). Together, they dive into the essentials of ISO 27001, the globally recognised standard for information security management.

Adam provides a clear overview of ISO 27001, explaining the purpose of an Information Security Management System (ISMS), how long it typi...