Plain answer

What is ISO 30301?

ISO 30301 is the international standard for a management system for records. It sets out the requirements an organization meets to govern how records are created, captured, controlled, kept and disposed of, and it can be certified.

The standard

ISO 30301 is published by ISO/TC 46/SC 11, Archives/records management. The 2019 edition is the second edition and is 16 pages long. It follows the harmonized structure used by other ISO management system standards, so clauses 4 to 10 will look familiar to anyone who has implemented ISO 9001 or ISO/IEC 27001.

What it covers

It requires a records policy and objectives, a defined scope, an analysis of records requirements for each business process, operational processes and controls, performance evaluation, internal audit, management review and improvement. The operational detail is in clause 8 and normative Annex A.

Who it is for

Any organization that wants to establish a records system, assure itself that it conforms to its policy, or demonstrate conformity through self-assessment, external confirmation or certification. It applies to one organization or to several that share business activities.

What it is not

It is not a product standard, not a retention schedule and not a substitute for ISO 15489, which explains records management concepts and principles. It is also not legal advice: the legal retention duties come from the law that applies to the organization.