Manage Communications

Clause 7.4 requires an organization to explicitly determine its internal and external communications related to the AI management system. Specifically, it dictates that an organization must establish what to communicate, when to communicate, with whom to communicate, and how to communicate.

Internal stakeholders include employees, developers, management, and the board of directors. External stakeholders typically encompass customers, regulators, partners, third-party suppliers, and the general public or groups affected by the AI systems.

Organizations must communicate relevant AI risk assessments, identified system impacts, privacy or safety concerns, and mitigation strategies to appropriate stakeholders. The depth of information varies depending on the audience, ensuring technical teams get detailed metrics while business users receive clear limitations.

While Clause 7.4 does not explicitly mandate a standalone documented procedure, an ISO 42001 communication matrix template or documented plan is the standard way to provide verifiable audit evidence that the 'what, when, who, and how' have been formally established. Tools like WatchDog Security's Policy Management can store this plan as controlled documented information with version history and review cycles, while WatchDog Security's Compliance Center can map it to Clause 7.4 and track related audit evidence.

You build it by listing key AIMS events (like policy updates, major system deployments, or security incidents) and mapping each scenario to the target audience (with whom), the timing (when), the method or channel (how), and the core message payload (what). Tools like WatchDog Security's Policy Management can keep the matrix in one controlled place and route updates for review and approval as stakeholders or channels change.

AIMS communications processes should be evaluated during periodic management reviews or whenever there are significant changes to the AI systems, legal environments, or organizational structure to ensure they remain effective and accurate.

Auditors typically look for an ISO 42001 communication procedure documented information or matrix, logs of recent internal announcements, examples of external stakeholder communication ISO 42001, and evidence that incident notifications occurred as planned. Tools like WatchDog Security's Compliance Center can automate evidence collection and highlight gaps, and WatchDog Security's Trust Center can help share selected artifacts with customers or auditors using access controls.

Organizations should follow a predefined incident response plan that outlines specific external communication protocols. This ensures timely, accurate, and legally compliant notifications to affected customers, regulators, and other interested parties. Tools like WatchDog Security's Secure File Sharing can support controlled exchange of incident statements and supporting artifacts with encryption, verification, and audit logs.

The standard's requirement to define external communications directly supports compliance with global AI regulations and contractual transparency clauses. It ensures required disclosures about AI use, capabilities, and data processing are systematically planned and executed.

Organizations should assign specific personnel, such as legal counsel, PR, or a designated AI ethics officer, to authorize and distribute external messages. Internal communications are typically managed by HR, compliance officers, or AIMS project leads.

Clause 7.4 is often hard to operationalize because communication requirements sprawl across teams, channels, and stakeholders. Tools like WatchDog Security's Policy Management can centralize the communication plan/matrix as controlled documented information with versioning and review cycles, while WatchDog Security's Compliance Center can map tasks and evidence to Clause 7.4 for audit readiness.

External communications frequently require selective disclosure, approvals, and proof of what was shared and when. Tools like WatchDog Security's Trust Center can publish approved AI governance artifacts to a controlled external portal, and WatchDog Security's Secure File Sharing can support one-off exchanges with encryption, verification, and audit logs.