We are proud to certify the first AI contract platform against ISO/IEC 42001 (AI management system, or AIMS) in Europe.
top.legal received the ANAB-accredited ISO/IEC 42001 certification for its robust AIMS and commitment to responsible, safe and transparent AI.
“We wish top.legal all the best in their future AI endeavors,” said Marcello Walz, Digital Trust Leader DACH at SGS.
“Their ISO/IEC 42001 certification is a testament to their mature internal management processes and underscores their commitment to delivering best-in-class services and processes.”
The journey to ISO/IEC 42001 certification
The journey involved a thorough evaluation of top.legal’s AI management practices, risk controls and governance structures. Every aspect of its contract life cycle management (CLM) platform, from AI-assisted drafting to automated approval workflows, was assessed for transparency, fairness, data quality and security.
Throughout the process, top.legal leveraged Trail’s AI governance platform to evaluate its ISO/IEC 42001 readiness and align its systems with the respected requirements, ensuring that policies, documentation and continuous monitoring met the highest standards.
“We see this certification as a promise to our customers – we take responsible AI seriously and keep improving how we manage and develop it,” added Alexander Baron, Cofounder and CRO of top.legal.
What was the challenge?
For top.legal, ISO/IEC 42001 certification was a strategic and time-sensitive priority. The company needed to demonstrate responsible AI governance to meet growing client expectations and secure a key enterprise partnership that required certification as a condition.
With a compact team and limited internal resources, the main challenge was to establish a fully compliant AIMS within a short timeframe, without compromising quality or disrupting ongoing operations.
This required a rapid understanding and implementation of the ISO/IEC 42001 standard, integrating AI risk management into existing governance processes and close coordination with an accredited certification body.
What was the solution?
To meet these objectives, top.legal adopted a structured, technology-supported approach to build and operate its AIMS efficiently.
- Certifier selection
Within the first week, the team evaluated several certification bodies based on expertise, credibility and flexibility.
SGS was selected for its proven experience, strong reputation and pragmatic audit methodology, ensuring reliability and speed.
- Gap analysis and system setup
A detailed gap analysis was conducted to map existing governance practices against ISO/IEC 42001 requirements. The AI management framework was configured to reflect top.legal’s organizational structure, AI use cases and risk profile. - Policy and risk framework development
Through focused workshops, top.legal defined roles and responsibilities, formalized AI policies and implemented a comprehensive risk management framework.
Leveraging automation and guided documentation tools reduced manual effort and increased transparency throughout the process.
- Audit readiness and certification
Evidence collection, internal reviews and audit preparation were streamlined to ensure full readiness for the external audit with SGS.
Certification was successfully achieved the first time and completed within just 12 weeks.
What is ISO/IEC 42001 certification?
ISO/IEC 42001 is the world’s first international standard for an AIMS.
It provides a certifiable framework for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continuously improving responsible AI practices.
Certification demonstrates a company’s commitment to transparency, fairness and data protection while ensuring that AI is developed and deployed safely and ethically.
The standard helps organizations integrate strong governance structures, balance innovation with accountability, and ensure that safeguards around data quality, security and continuous learning are in place.
By aligning AI management with globally recognized benchmarks, ISO/IEC 42001 strengthens trust in AI-driven solutions and contributes to broader sustainability and compliance goals.
Whatever your industry, size, location and AI technology, our comprehensive ISO/IEC 42001 services are ready to support your mission.
For more information, please contact:
Michal Cichocki
Global Product Manager – AI
Global Innovation, Mobility & Digital Trust
t: +48 22 329 22 22
About top.legal
top.legal is a German LegalTech Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company that provides an AI-powered CLM platform, enabling organizations to create, negotiate, sign and manage contracts efficiently and gain strategic insights and implications.
Its software combines automation, AI-assisted drafting and embedded electronic signatures with features like contract analytics, clause libraries and deadline management.
Designed for legal, sales, procurement, HR and finance teams, top.legal helps streamline contract workflows, reduce risk, ensure compliance and increase speed and transparency.
About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.
Our brand promise – when you need to be sure – underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.
SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH1256740924, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN:SW).
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