ISO 45003 - Psychological Health and Safety
Protect Mental Health, Build Psychological Safety
Important Note: ISO 45003:2021 is a guidance standard and is not a certifiable standard. It provides guidance for managing psychosocial risks within an Occupational Health and Safety Management System. At Glocert International, we provide ISO 45003 compliance assessments (not full certification audits) that evaluate your organization's implementation of the ISO 45003 guidance. These assessments verify that your psychological safety management aligns with ISO 45003 recommendations, helping you protect employee wellbeing, create psychologically safe workplaces, and build a culture of mental health support. Mental health at work is no longer optional—it's a business imperative. Work-related stress, burnout, harassment, and psychosocial hazards cost organizations billions in lost productivity, absenteeism, and turnover.
What is ISO 45003?
ISO 45003:2021 is an international guidance standard (not a certifiable standard) for managing psychological health and safety at work. Published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO 45003 provides guidelines for managing psychosocial risks within an Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) based on ISO 45001. As a guidance standard, ISO 45003 cannot be certified against, but organizations can undergo compliance assessments to verify their implementation aligns with the guidance. The standard helps organizations identify, assess, and control psychosocial hazards and risks to prevent work-related psychological injury and ill health, and promote wellbeing at work.
ISO 45003 addresses a comprehensive range of psychosocial hazards including work-related stress, burnout, harassment, bullying, violence, work-life balance, excessive workload, lack of control, poor social support, and organizational change. The standard is applicable to all organizations regardless of size, type, or industry, and is designed to be implemented as part of ISO 45001 or as standalone guidance.
Key Components of ISO 45003
- Psychosocial Hazard Identification: Systematic identification of factors that may cause psychological harm
- Risk Assessment: Evaluating psychosocial risks to workers' psychological health
- Control Measures: Implementing controls to eliminate or reduce psychosocial risks
- Worker Participation: Involving workers in identifying and managing psychosocial hazards
- Management Commitment: Leadership commitment to psychological health and safety
- Organizational Culture: Creating culture that supports mental health and wellbeing
- Training and Awareness: Building capability to recognize and manage psychosocial hazards
- Monitoring and Review: Ongoing monitoring of psychological health outcomes
Why is ISO 45003 Important?
ISO 45003 is essential for organizations seeking to protect employee mental health and create psychologically safe workplaces. Here's why this standard is crucial:
1. Mental Health Crisis
The workplace mental health crisis demands systematic action:
- 1 in 4 workers experience mental health issues annually
- Work-related stress costs global economy $1 trillion in lost productivity
- Mental health is now leading cause of long-term workplace absence
- COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased workplace mental health concerns
- Younger workers particularly affected by workplace mental health issues
2. Legal and Regulatory Pressure
Implementing ISO 45003 helps organizations:
- Meet duty of care obligations for psychological safety
- Comply with occupational health and safety regulations covering psychosocial hazards
- Respond to increasing legislation on workplace mental health
- Avoid legal claims related to work-related stress and harassment
- Demonstrate due diligence in protecting worker mental health
3. Business Impact
Poor psychological health costs organizations through:
- Increased absenteeism (mental health accounts for 40-60% of sick leave)
- Presenteeism (working while unwell reduces productivity by 35%)
- High turnover and difficulty attracting talent
- Reduced engagement, creativity, and innovation
- Damaged reputation and employer brand
- Workers' compensation and legal costs
4. Strategic Advantage
Organizations with strong psychological safety gain competitive advantages through improved employee engagement, attraction and retention of top talent, enhanced innovation and creativity, stronger organizational culture, and better overall performance.
ISO 45003 Psychological Safety Framework
ISO 45003 provides comprehensive guidance on managing psychosocial risks within the ISO 45001 framework:
Core Framework Elements
Context & Planning
Understanding psychosocial context and planning
Leadership & Culture
Management commitment and psychological safety culture
Worker Participation
Involving workers in psychological safety
Hazard Identification
Identifying psychosocial hazards and risks
Risk Control
Eliminating and reducing psychosocial risks
Support Systems
Employee assistance and support programs
Monitoring & Evaluation
Tracking psychological health outcomes
Continuous Improvement
Ongoing enhancement of psychological safety
Psychosocial Hazard Categories
- Work Environment: Physical environment, equipment, workspace design
- Work Organization: Workload, work pace, work schedule, shift patterns
- Work Content: Job demands, complexity, monotony, role clarity
- Social Factors: Social support, relationships, teamwork, leadership
- Career Development: Job security, career prospects, recognition
- Role in Organization: Role clarity, role conflict, responsibility
- Work-Life Balance: Conflicting demands, flexibility, remote work
- Control and Autonomy: Decision latitude, participation, skill utilization
- Organizational Culture: Values, communication, change management
- Interpersonal Issues: Harassment, bullying, violence, discrimination
Benefits of ISO 45003 Compliance Assessment
Undergoing an ISO 45003 compliance assessment provides organizations with numerous strategic, operational, and cultural benefits. Note that ISO 45003 is a guidance standard and cannot be certified against—instead, compliance assessments verify your implementation aligns with the guidance:
Protected Employee Wellbeing
Systematically prevent work-related psychological harm and promote mental health.
Reduced Absenteeism
Lower mental health-related sick leave and absence costs.
Improved Productivity
Reduce presenteeism and enhance employee performance.
Enhanced Engagement
Create psychologically safe environment that fosters engagement.
Talent Attraction & Retention
Attract and retain top talent seeking supportive workplaces.
Legal Compliance
Meet duty of care and occupational health and safety obligations.
Positive Culture
Build culture that values mental health and psychological safety.
Global Recognition
Demonstrate commitment with internationally recognized standard.
Our ISO 45003 Compliance Assessment Process
Important: ISO 45003 is a guidance standard and is not certifiable. At Glocert International, we provide ISO 45003 compliance assessments (not full certification audits) that evaluate your organization's implementation of the ISO 45003 guidance. Our assessment process is designed to be transparent, sensitive, and supportive, verifying that your psychological safety management aligns with ISO 45003 recommendations:
Application Process
Submit your application with required documentation. We review your organization's scope and readiness for certification.
Documentation Review
Review of your psychological safety documentation and policies to assess alignment with ISO 45003 guidance.
On-Site Assessment
Confidential on-site assessment to verify implementation. Our assessors evaluate psychosocial risk management and controls against ISO 45003 guidance.
Assessment Report
Comprehensive assessment report detailing findings, strengths, and areas for improvement in your ISO 45003 implementation.
Compliance Statement
Upon successful assessment, you receive a compliance statement confirming your implementation aligns with ISO 45003 guidance.
Follow-Up Assessments
Periodic follow-up assessments (as needed) to verify continued compliance and improvement in psychological safety management.
Note: ISO 45003 is a guidance standard and cannot be certified against. We provide compliance assessments (not full certification audits) that evaluate your implementation against the ISO 45003 guidance. No ISO 45003 certificate is issued, but you receive a compliance statement confirming alignment with the guidance.
Steps in Implementing ISO 45003 and Obtaining Compliance Assessment
Important: ISO 45003 is a guidance standard and cannot be certified against. Organizations can implement the guidance and undergo compliance assessments to verify their implementation. While implementing ISO 45003 may seem daunting, following a structured approach makes the process manageable. Here's the path your organization should take:
- Gap Analysis and Readiness Assessment: Assess your current psychological safety practices against ISO 45003 requirements. (Note: This should be conducted by an independent consultant, as certification bodies cannot provide consultation services.)
- Top Management Commitment: Secure leadership commitment to psychological health and safety.
- Define Context and Scope: Understand organizational context for psychological safety management.
- Integrate with ISO 45001: Ensure psychological safety is integrated into your OHSMS (if you have ISO 45001).
- Worker Participation Mechanisms: Establish processes for workers to participate confidentially in psychological safety.
- Psychosocial Hazard Identification: Systematically identify psychosocial hazards in your workplace.
- Psychosocial Risk Assessment: Assess risks to workers' psychological health from identified hazards.
- Identify Control Measures: Determine controls to eliminate or reduce psychosocial risks (hierarchy of controls).
- Develop Policies and Procedures: Create psychological safety policy, anti-harassment procedures, and support systems.
- Implement Organizational Controls: Address work design, workload, work schedules, and organizational factors.
- Implement Interpersonal Controls: Address leadership, social support, and interpersonal relationships.
- Establish Support Systems: Implement Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and mental health support.
- Training and Awareness: Train managers and workers on recognizing and managing psychosocial hazards.
- Communication Processes: Establish confidential reporting and communication channels.
- Incident Response: Develop procedures for responding to psychological safety incidents.
- Monitoring and Measurement: Establish processes for monitoring psychological health outcomes.
- Internal Audit and Management Review: Conduct internal audits and management reviews of psychological safety.
- Pre-assessment Audit (Optional): Consider a pre-assessment audit to identify any remaining issues.
- Compliance Assessment: Undergo a compliance assessment conducted by Glocert International to verify your implementation aligns with ISO 45003 guidance. Note: ISO 45003 is not certifiable, so this is an assessment (not a certification audit).
- Follow-Up Assessments: Conduct periodic follow-up assessments (as needed) to verify continued compliance and improvement in psychological safety management.
Typical Timeline: The implementation and compliance assessment process typically takes 6-9 months from application to assessment completion, depending on your organization's size, complexity, and current psychological safety maturity level.
ISO 45003 Compliance Assessment Pricing
Important: ISO 45003 is a guidance standard and cannot be certified against. We provide compliance assessments (not certification audits). Our ISO 45003 compliance assessment pricing is transparent and based on your organization's size, complexity, and scope. We offer competitive rates with no hidden fees. Contact us for a customized quote tailored to your specific needs.
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Get a personalized estimate based on your organization's size, complexity, and psychological safety management requirements.
Contact Us for PricingWhat's Included in ISO 45003 Compliance Assessment Pricing:
- Documentation review and psychological safety assessment
- On-site assessment days (based on organization size and complexity)
- Confidential worker consultations during assessment
- Comprehensive assessment report with findings and recommendations
- Compliance statement confirming alignment with ISO 45003 guidance
- Follow-up assessment (optional, as needed)
- Ongoing assessment services and support
Note: ISO 45003 is a guidance standard and cannot be certified against. We provide compliance assessments (not certification audits). No ISO 45003 certificate is issued. Assessment pricing may vary based on organizational complexity, number of sites, and additional services. Small organizations typically start from $3,500, medium organizations from $6,500. Contact us for a detailed, no-obligation quote.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Find answers to common questions about ISO 45003 certification:
ISO 45003 is the international standard for managing psychological health and safety at work. You need it to systematically identify and manage psychosocial hazards, prevent work-related stress and mental health issues, comply with duty of care obligations, reduce absenteeism and presenteeism, improve employee engagement and wellbeing, and demonstrate commitment to mental health.
ISO 45003 provides specific guidance on managing psychosocial risks within ISO 45001 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System). While ISO 45001 addresses overall OH&S including psychosocial hazards, ISO 45003 provides detailed, comprehensive guidance specifically for psychological health and safety. ISO 45003 can be implemented as part of ISO 45001 or as standalone guidance. Organizations with ISO 45001 can add ISO 45003 to strengthen their approach to psychosocial risks.
The timeline varies based on your organization's size, current psychological safety practices, and complexity. Typically, the ISO 45003 compliance assessment process takes 6-9 months from application to assessment completion. This includes gap analysis, psychosocial hazard identification, risk assessment, control implementation, cultural change initiatives, internal audits, and the formal compliance assessment. Note: ISO 45003 is a guidance standard and cannot be certified against, so this is an assessment (not a certification audit) and no certificate is issued.
Psychosocial hazards are aspects of work design, organization, and management, and their social and environmental contexts, that have the potential to cause psychological or physical harm. Examples include: excessive workload, work-related violence and harassment, lack of role clarity, poor social support, inadequate reward and recognition, job insecurity, lack of control over work, work-life imbalance, poor organizational communication, inadequate management of change, and bullying and harassment. ISO 45003 provides comprehensive guidance on identifying and managing these hazards.
No, ISO 45003 is not a certifiable standard. ISO 45003:2021 is published as a guidance standard to support implementation of ISO 45001. As a guidance standard, ISO 45003 cannot be certified against. However, organizations can undergo compliance assessments (not full certification audits) to verify their implementation aligns with the ISO 45003 guidance. Glocert International provides compliance assessments that evaluate your psychological safety management against ISO 45003 recommendations and issue a compliance statement confirming alignment with the guidance. This provides third-party verification of your commitment to psychological safety, even though no formal certification certificate is issued.
ISO 45003 compliance assessment costs vary based on organization size, complexity, and number of sites. Small organizations typically start from $3,500, medium organizations from $6,500, and large organizations require custom pricing. Costs include assessment days, confidential worker consultations, assessment report, and compliance statement. Note: ISO 45003 is a guidance standard and cannot be certified against, so no certificate is issued. The ROI from reduced absenteeism, turnover, and improved productivity typically exceeds assessment costs. Contact us for a detailed quote tailored to your organization.
Confidentiality is paramount in ISO 45003 audits. Our auditors are trained in sensitive, confidential consultation methods. Worker participation is conducted through confidential interviews, anonymous surveys, and focus groups. Individual responses are never disclosed, and findings are reported in aggregate only. Audit processes comply with privacy laws and ethical guidelines. We ensure workers feel safe to share experiences of psychosocial hazards without fear of reprisal. This confidentiality builds trust and ensures honest feedback.
No, ISO 45003 audits focus on organizational systems and controls, not individual mental health status. Auditors assess whether your organization has processes to identify psychosocial hazards, assess risks, implement controls, and provide support. Individual workers' mental health information is confidential and protected. The audit examines organizational-level data (e.g., aggregated absenteeism trends, workplace culture surveys) and the effectiveness of systems, not personal medical information. Your organization's privacy policies and applicable privacy laws are respected throughout the audit.
After completing the compliance assessment, you receive a compliance statement confirming your implementation aligns with ISO 45003 guidance. Note: ISO 45003 is a guidance standard and cannot be certified against, so no certificate is issued. You may choose to conduct periodic follow-up assessments (as needed) to verify continued compliance and improvement. You must continue managing psychosocial risks, monitoring psychological health outcomes, responding to incidents, providing support to workers, demonstrating continuous improvement, and maintaining a psychologically safe culture.
Yes, ISO 45003 directly addresses burnout prevention. Burnout results from chronic workplace stress that hasn't been successfully managed. ISO 45003 requires organizations to identify and manage psychosocial hazards that lead to burnout, including: excessive workload, lack of control, insufficient rewards, community breakdown, absence of fairness, and value conflicts. By systematically addressing these factors through organizational controls (workload management, role clarity, work-life balance) and support systems, ISO 45003 helps prevent burnout before it occurs.
ISO 45003 applies to all work arrangements including remote, hybrid, and traditional work. The standard addresses unique psychosocial risks of remote work such as: isolation and lack of social connection, blurred work-life boundaries, always-on culture, inadequate communication, lack of ergonomic workspace at home, technology issues, and difficulty disconnecting. Organizations must identify and manage psychosocial hazards specific to their work arrangements, implement controls (clear working hours, regular check-ins, virtual social connection), and ensure remote workers have equal access to support systems and resources.
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Why Choose Glocert for ISO 45003 Compliance Assessment?
Accreditations
Glocert International is a globally accredited Conformity Assessment Body for ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 by IAS Inc, USA, a member of the IAF (International Accreditation Forum) and signatory to a number of bilateral, regional and international agreements.
This provides international recognition and acceptance to certificates issued by Glocert International in the following schemes:
- ISO 9001 – Quality Management Systems (QMS)
- ISO 20000-1 – Information Technology Service Management Systems (ITSMS)
- ISO 22301 – Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS)
- ISO 27001 – Information Security Management Systems (ISMS)
- ISO/IEC 27701 – Privacy Information Management Systems (PIMS)
- ISO 55001 – Asset Management Systems (AMS)
Expertise in Psychological Safety Assessment
Our team of experienced assessors possess in-depth knowledge of ISO 45003, psychosocial risk management, occupational psychology, and industry best practices. Our assessors are trained in confidential, sensitive consultation methods that respect worker privacy and build trust. We understand that every organization is unique, which is why we conduct thorough ISO 45003 compliance assessments that evaluate your specific psychosocial hazards, organizational culture, and effectiveness of controls against the ISO 45003 guidance.
Continuous Assessment Support
Important: ISO 45003 is a guidance standard and cannot be certified against. We provide compliance assessments (not certification audits). Beyond the initial ISO 45003 compliance assessment, we provide ongoing assessment services through follow-up assessments (as needed) to help you maintain psychological safety and demonstrate continuous improvement. We pride ourselves in providing the highest standard of assessment services in the industry and it is a major reason why more and more organisations choose us as their assessment partner for their ISO 45003 compliance needs.
Related Certifications
Many organizations combine ISO 45003 with other certifications for comprehensive management system governance. ISO 45003 integrates naturally with ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety. Consider also pairing with ISO 9001 for quality management or ISO 27001 for information security to create an integrated management system framework.
Unlock the Full Potential of Your Organization
Contact us today to learn more about our ISO 45003 compliance assessment services. Note: ISO 45003 is a guidance standard (not certifiable) - we provide compliance assessments to verify your implementation aligns with the guidance.
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