EN ISO 27501:2019

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-september-2019
Organizacija, osredotočena na človeka - Smernice za vodje (ISO 27501:2019)
The human-centred organization - Guidance for managers (ISO 27501:2019)
Die menschzentrierte Organisation - Anleitung für Führungskräfte (ISO 27501:2019)
Organisme centré sur l'humain - Lignes directrices pour les dirigeants ISO 27501:2019)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 27501:2019
ICS:
03.100.30 Vodenje ljudi Management of human
resources
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN ISO 27501
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
March 2019
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 13.180
English Version
The human-centred organization - Guidance for managers
(ISO 27501:2019)
Organisme centré sur l'humain - Lignes directrices Die menschzentrierte Organisation - Anleitung für
pour les dirigeants (ISO 27501:2019) Führungskräfte (ISO 27501:2019)
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 15 February 2019.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2019 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN ISO 27501:2019 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3

European foreword
This document (EN ISO 27501:2019) has been prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 159
"Ergonomics" in collaboration with Technical Committee CEN/TC 122 “Ergonomics” the secretariat of
which is held by DIN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by September 2019, and conflicting national standards
shall be withdrawn at the latest by September 2019.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Endorsement notice
The text of ISO 27501:2019 has been approved by CEN as EN ISO 27501:2019 without any modification.

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 27501
First edition
2019-02
The human-centred organization —
Guidance for managers
Organisme centré sur l'humain — Lignes directrices pour les
dirigeants
Reference number
ISO 27501:2019(E)
©
ISO 2019
ISO 27501:2019(E)
© ISO 2019
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting
on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address
below or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Fax: +41 22 749 09 47
Email: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

ISO 27501:2019(E)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 The human-centred organization and ergonomics . 4
4.1 The seven principles of a human-centred organization . 4
4.2 Ergonomics/human factors . 5
5 Stakeholders and management levels . 6
5.1 Stakeholders and value co-creation . 6
5.2 Change of perspective: Internal customers and external employees . 7
5.3 Management responsibilities . 7
6 Strategic planning and human-centred activities . 8
7 Management responsibilities in a human-centred organization .10
7.1 General .10
7.2 Organizational policies .11
7.3 Organizational activities .11
7.3.1 General.11
7.3.2 Integration .11
7.3.3 Planning .12
7.3.4 Operations management .12
7.4 Consideration of Individual differences, usability, and accessibility .13
7.4.1 General.13
7.5 Communication .13
7.5.1 General.13
7.5.2 Open and transparent communications .13
7.5.3 Effective communications .14
8 Conformance .14
Annex A (informative) .15
Annex B (informative) .19
Bibliography .27
ISO 27501:2019(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see www .iso
.org/iso/foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 159, Ergonomics, Subcommittee SC 1,
General ergonomics principles.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/members .html.
iv © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

ISO 27501:2019(E)
Introduction
This document is based on ISO 27500, which explains to executive board members the principles that
enshrine the values and beliefs that make an organization human-centred. The term human-centred
is used to reflect that organizations not only have an impact on their customers (the users of their
products and services), but also on other stakeholders, including their employees, their families, and
the wider community. ISO 27500 explains seven principles of human centredness, which are:
— capitalize on individual differences as an organizational strength;
— make usability and accessibility strategic business objectives;
— adopt a total system approach;
— ensure health, safety and wellbeing are business priorities;
— value personnel and create meaningful work;
— be open and trustworthy; and
— act in socially responsible ways.
Although it is recognized that organizations establish their governance systems based on a set of
principles which they develop (as described in ISO 30408), the principles described here are considered
to be essential to be included by organizations that wish to make the claim of being human-centred.
Human factors and ergonomics provide an effective and valuable approach for managers to utilize in
their day-to-day work to support the achievement of a human-centred organization.
The requirements and recommendations of this document are intended to be applicable to various types
of organizations in the private, public and non-profit sectors, whether large or small. Organizations
vary in their assignment of management responsibilities. Some larger organizations can assign the
responsibilities set out in this document to multiple managers, while some smaller organizations can
have these assigned to a few managers or even one manager. While not all clauses of this document are
of equal use to all types of organizations, all the core subjects are relevant to every organization. It is
the individual organization’s responsibility to identify which clauses are relevant and significant for the
organization to address, through its own considerations and through dialogue with stakeholders.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 27501:2019(E)
The human-centred organization — Guidance for
managers
1 Scope
This document is intended to be used within organizations that embrace and intend to implement the
principles of human centredness outlined in ISO 27500.
This document is intended to provide requirements and recommendations on the human factors and
ergonomics approach to achieving a successful and sustainable human-centred organization. It outlines
managers’ responsibilities ranging from organizational strategy to development of procedures and
processes enabling human centredness, and the implementation of those procedures and processes.
This document provides requirements and recommendations for managers and the actions to be taken
in order for an organization to achieve human centredness.
This document can be used:
a) by managers to understand and improve human-centred aspects of their activities;
b) by managers to identify how their staff can improve human-centred aspects of their activities;
c) to provide a basis for training managers how to be human-centred;
d) to provide a basis for organizations to evaluate the performance of managers.
It is not a management systems standard. Nor is it intended to prevent the development of standards
that are more specific or more demanding.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https: //www .iso .org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http: //www .electropedia .org/
3.1
ergonomics
human factors
scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among human and other elements
of a system (3.5), and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order
to optimize human well-being and overall system performance
Note 1 to entry: This definition is consistent with that given by the International Ergonomics Association.
[SOURCE: ISO 26800:2011, 2.2]
ISO 27501:2019(E)
3.2
organization
person or group of people that has its own functions with responsibilities, authorities and relationships
to achieve its objectives
Note 1 to entry: The concept of organization includes, but is not limited to, sole-trader, company, corporation,
firm, enterprise, authority, partnership, association, charity or institution or part or combination thereof,
whether incorporated or not, public or private.
[SOURCE: ISO 9000:2015, 3.2.1, modified — Note 2 to entry has been deleted.]
3.3
usability
extent to which a system (3.5), product or service (3.6), can be used by specified users (3.13) to achieve
specified goals with effectiveness (3.7), efficiency (3.8) and satisfaction in a specified context of use
[SOURCE: ISO 9241-210:2010, 2.13, modified —Note 1 to entry has been removed.]
3.4
accessibility
extent to which products, systems (3.5), services (3.6), environments and facilities can be used by people
from a population with the widest range of user (3.13) needs, characteristics and capabilities to achieve
identified goals in identified contexts of use
Note 1 to entry: “Context of use” includes direct use or use supported by assistive technologies.
[SOURCE: ISO 9241-125:2017]
3.5
system
combination of interacting elements organized to achieve one or more stated purposes
[SOURCE: ISO 26800:2011, 2.7, modified — The Notes to entry have been removed.]
3.6
service
means of delivering value for the stakeholder (3.9) by facilitating results which the stakeholder wants
to achieve
Note 1 to entry: Services can include both human-system interactions (e.g. accessing a word processor through
the web) and human-human interactions (e.g. a citizen interacting with a clerk at the post office counter).
Note 2 to entry: The results of the service can be intangible and tangible in nature.
Note 3 to entry: Delivered value consists of fundamental value, knowledge value and emotional value.
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018, 3.2.15, modified — In the definition, the terms "stakeholder" and
"results" have been substituted for "customer" and "outcomes". Notes 1 to 2 to entry have been changed
and Note 3 to entry has been added.]
3.7
effectiveness
accuracy and completeness with which users (3.13) achieve specified goals
[SOURCE: ISO 9241-11:2018, 3.1.12]
3.8
efficiency
resources used in relation to the results achieved
[SOURCE: ISO 9241-11:2018, 3.1.13, modified —Note 1 to entry has been removed.]
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ISO 27501:2019(E)
3.9
stakeholder
person or organization (3.2) that can affect, be affected by, or perceive themselves to be affected by a
decision or activity
Note 1 to entry: Includes, but not limited to environmental organizations, investors, communities, regulators,
employees, specific employee groups and customers.
[SOURCE: ISO 31000:2018, 3.3, modified —Note 1 to entry has been changed.]
3.10
workspace
volume allocated to one or more persons in the work system (3.5) to complete the work tasks (3.12)
[SOURCE: ISO 6385:2016, 2.9]
3.11
environment
physical, chemical, biological, organizational, social and cultural factors surrounding one or more persons
[SOURCE: ISO 26800:2011, 2.3]
3.12
task
set of activities undertaken in order to achieve a specific goal
Note 1 to entry: These activities can be physical, perceptual and/or cognitive.
Note 2 to entry: While goals are independent of the means used to achieve them, tasks describe particular means
of achieving goals.
[SOURCE: ISO 9241-11:2018, 3.1.11]
3.13
user
person who interacts with a system (3.5), product or service (3.6)
[SOURCE: ISO 26800:2011, 2.10, modified — Notes 1 to 3 to entry have been removed.]
3.14
customer
organization (3.2) or individual purchasing property, products, or services (3.6), for commercial, private,
or personal use
Note 1 to entry: A customer does not necessarily have a financial relationship with the organization.
[SOURCE: ISO 27500:2016, 2.2, modified — In the definition, the phrase "public purposes" has been
changed to "personal use" and Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.15
fundamental value
value expected by stakeholders (3.9)
3.16
knowledge value
value stemming from knowledge of stakeholders (3.9), through their interactions
3.17
emotional value
value stemming from emotion of stakeholders (3.9) through their interactions
Note 1 to entry: Emotional value can be short term from a single or short, successful interaction, or it can be long
term (trust and comfort).
ISO 27501:2019(E)
3.18
workstation
combination and spatial arrangement of work equipment, surrounded by the work environment (3.11)
under the conditions imposed by the work tasks (3.12)
[SOURCE: ISO 6385:2016, 2.18]
3.19
job
organization and sequence in time and space of an individual’s work tasks (3.12) or the combination of
all human performance by one worker within a work system (3.5)
[SOURCE: ISO 6385:2016, 2.16]
3.20
human-centred design
approach to systems (3.5) design and development that aims to make systems more usable by focusing
on the use of the system and applying ergonomics (3.1), human factors (3.1) and usability (3.3) knowledge
and techniques
[SOURCE: ISO 9241-210:2010, 2.7, modified — In the definition, the phrases "interactive system" and
"human factors/ergonomics" have been replaced by "system" and "ergonomics, human factors". Notes 1
and 2 to entry have been removed.]
4 The human-centred organization and ergonomics
4.1 The seven principles of a human-centred organization
The seven principles that characterize a human-centred organization, are outlined in ISO 27500 as
follows.
1) Capitalize on individual differences as an organizational strength
The organization recognises individual differences as a strength and takes this into account in all areas
of its business. The organization accommodates the nature and extent of individual differences, and
creates teams of individuals who have complimentary skills.
2) Make usability and accessibility strategic business objectives
The human-centred organization uses International Standards and best practices to ensure that
products, systems and services are accessible and usable (effective, efficient and satisfying to use) both
by personnel and by other stakeholders.
3) Adopt a total system approach
The organization recognizes that people are part of a comprehensive system, which can include many
elements such as equipment, workspace, and the physical, social and organizational environment in
which people work and live. These elements interact and are interdependent, and the organization
understands this and acts accordingly.
4) Ensure that health, safety and wellbeing are business priorities
The organization takes the necessary steps to protect individuals (both inside and outside the
organization) from hazards to their health, safety and wellbeing, and aims to exceed the minimum
requirements required by legislation.
5) Value personnel and create meaningful work
The organization values and acknowledges the contribution that personnel make. It strives to create
meaningful tasks for all potential users of the system. The intent for this principle is not to develop
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ISO 27501:2019(E)
a workplace within which a worker simply “survives” (passive vision), but to create an environment
within which to live and thrive as a meaningful part of the organization’s objectives and work.
6) Be open and trustworthy
The organization benefits from being open and trustworthy through enhanced customer relations
(internal and external), user confidence, and increased loyalty, as well as an enhanced reputation.
7) Act in socially responsible ways
The organization is socially responsible. It behaves ethically and instils pride and confidence in its
personnel, customers, and the local community. It does this by following the recommendations in
ISO 26000.
4.2 Ergonomics/human factors
Ergonomics (or human factors), by definition, is human-centred. As detailed in ISO 26800, ergonomics
addresses the interactions between humans and the other components of a system, such as, machines,
products, services, environments and tools. All of these are integrally important in order to achieve a
human-centred organization. Although the terms human factors and ergonomics are synonymous, the
remainder of this document uses “ergonomics” for expediency.
The ergonomics approach helps to support and maintain a human-centred organization in its regular
maintenance and operation of systems and whenever systems are being designed, redesigned and
improved.
The ergonomics approach and its associated methodologies can be applied to any system, whether
that system is one that is internal to the organization (such as the organization’s intranet), or one that
includes external stakeholders (such as the design of a product which the organization intends to sell).
An ergonomics approach can also be applied to the organization as a whole (i.e. the organization itself
can be considered as a “system.”) In addition to ergonomics, there are also other types of considerations
which organizations address as a part of being human-centred (see other standards listed in Annex B
for examples).
Figure 1 represents the relationship between this document and ISO 27500. It shows how the
responsibilities in question in each of the two International Standards differ, based on the target
audience for each standard (i.e. either executive board members and policy makers or other levels
of management). It also includes some key references on which this document is based. ISO 27500
contributes to the organization’s strategic planning for ergonomics (shown on the left-hand side of the
figure) and other activities of the organization (shown on the right).
ISO 27501:2019(E)
Figure 1 — Relationship between ISO 27500 and ISO 27501
5 Stakeholders and management levels
5.1 Stakeholders and value co-creation
Stakeholders can affect the organization, and the organization can affect stakeholders. Human-centred
organizations and their stakeholders co-create values through their relationships and interactions.
Stakeholder groups in the framework include management, employees and/or their representatives,
customers and society. Managers and employees and/or their representatives are examples of internal
stakeholders to the organization and customers are examples of external stakeholders. There are
societal stakeholders in terms of cultural norms and expectations (e.g., regulatory bodies, communities
of operation, environmental organizations, investors).
[25][27][29][30]
Value is “co-created” among stakeholders, and the benefits are realized by all parties . Co-
creation values are categorized into:
— fundamental value;
— knowledge value; and
[28]
— emotional value .
Fundamental value refers to the value that is expected by stakeholders. Knowledge value comes from
knowledge of stakeholders such as business relations, their preferences and visions, and knowledge
of products and services such as their contents and usages. Such knowledge becomes a cumulative
resource to promote co-creation. Emotional value comes from short-term emotion such as pleasure and
joy through interactions, and long-term emotions such as trust and comfort. It is also a resource to
promote co-creation. Co-creation values are considered and nurtured by management when decisions
around work and organization are made, so that successful stakeholder relationships can be supported,
thereby supporting the human-centred organization.
Management directives should reflect a balanced attention to stakeholder groups in order to promote
the sustainable growth of the organization. Executive board members and policy makers are tasked
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ISO 27501:2019(E)
with the responsibility of leading the organization and committing to provide the resources needed to
achieve their goals. Regarding the human-centred organization, this responsibility is outlined in more
detail in ISO 27500.
5.2 Change of perspective: Internal customers and external employees
A useful concept for human-centred organizations is that employees be considered as internal customers,
and that customers be considered as external employees [#21–24]. In the human-centred organization,
all employees and managers should treat each other as if they were prized customers, because excellent
internal customer service helps organizations yield a positive interaction, improve interdepartmental
communication and cooperation, harmonize processes and procedures and boost employee morale
and satisfaction. Hence, it promotes safety and health in the organization, and contributes to long-term
wellbeing. This also reduces costs, increases productivity and produces better output.
Similarly, customers are not just purchasers or users of products and services rather they provide
resources to the organization. These customers can be regarded as external employees who participate
in the development and delivery of products and services. In doing so, they add resources to the value
creation process as external employees and increase the value of the organization. Figure 2 shows the
framework of stakeholders.
Figure 2 — Framework of stakeholders
5.3 Management responsibilities
Where the achievement of a human-centred organization is concerned, the following distinctions can
be made between the typically assigned responsibilities for senior, middle and line managers:
a) The responsibility of senior to middle managers is to co-create value by:
— understanding strategic perspectives of the human-centred approach;
— planning use of iterative human-centred activities;
— managing human-centred activities.
b) The responsibility of line managers is to co-create value by:
— understanding who is intended to carry out the activities and the context in which those
activities will be carried out;
ISO 27501:2019(E)
— specifying stakeholder needs and requirements;
— producing, implementing, maintaining, and retiring solutions;
— assessing and evaluating.
Depending on their sizes, organizations vary in the number of people employed at different levels of
management. As a result, there can be one manager only, a small number of managers, or a large number
of people at various levels of management positions (e.g., senior, middle, or line managers). Therefore,
the requirements in this document do not distinguish between management levels and they can fit the
many varieties of organizational structures.
6 Strategic planning and human-centred activities
In an organization, the sphere of responsibility across which the seven human-centred principles
are to be applied increases with the level of the manager. Therefore, it is very important that middle
and, especially senior level managers, acting on behalf of the organization, have a deep strategic
understanding of the human-centred approach that allows them to effectively plan the human-
centred initiatives over which they have high-level management and oversight responsibility. This
understanding allows these managers to make wise planning decisions about such things as the
prioritization, scheduling, and coordination of the initiatives, as well as the acquisition and/or allocation
of resources to them.
The results of strategic planning are communicated to line managers and set the context for the four
human-centred ergonomics-related activities that will be iteratively conducted by these line managers
whose responsibility it is to execute the initiatives.
Organizations shall ensure that managers can practice each of the four iterative human-centred,
ergonomics-related activities described below by providing the necessary resources (e.g. time, money,
expertise, customers, consultants).
The four activities are:
a) Understand the context
— Understand the context in which each stakeholder group interacts with the organization, and
therefore how a new or changed system will affect that stakeholder group’s interests. This will
lead to more effective change and maintenance of strong relationships with stakeholders.
— Include the characteristics of the activities, as well as the directly affected stakeholders,
specific systems, and the organizational, technical, and physical environment, in the contextual
information being considered.
b) Analyse stakeholder needs and specify requirements
Having understood the context, identify and analyse the relevant needs of all stakeholder groups,
so that requirements can be developed for solutions or changes.
c) Create, implement, maintain and retire solutions
— Produce and implement solutions based on these requirements.
— Maintain solutions until they are retired as circumstances, needs, contexts and stakeholder
characteristics evolve and change.
d) Assess and evaluate
— Assess and evaluate situations or circumstances often and iteratively (i.e. not only at the
beginning of a process, but throughout and at the end of system cycles.) This enables the
organization to stay on target with intended goals, and to maintain quality. This is the central
human-centred activity.
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ISO 27501:2019(E)
— Identify the perspective(s) from which the assessment is to be conducted. The perspective may
include all or some of the following:
— organization-wide (cross-system, e.g. from customer service to sales flow);
— internal to one specific system (e.g. staff training functions);
— between organizations (e.g. sister operations, regulatory bodies, community organizations);
— across management systems within the organization (e.g. how a line manager will
experience a change which a middle manager is implementing).
— implement processes for evaluation of the information gathered from an assessment (formally
or informally) in order to make reasonable decisions.
These human-centred activities can be applied in relation to, for example:
— products,
— services,
— workplaces,
— workstations,
— inter-organizational communications,
— community relations,
— environmental commitments,
— legal compliance.
Strategic planning and the four human-centred activities that are used to co-create value are linked,
as shown in Figure 3. The activities can be repeated in cyclical fashion as needed, until the desired
outcomes are achieved. There is no required order in which to perform these activities; rather, the order
or the starting point, where applicable, is dictated by the circumstances which initiate the activities.
ISO 27501:2019(E)
1)
Figure 3 — Relationships among the four human-centred activities in co-creating value
7 Management responsibilities in a human-centred organization
7.1 General
The remainder of this document focuses on providing requirements for managers, according to four
organizational practices:
1) organizational policies;
2) organizational activities;
3) individual considerations, usability and accessibility; and
4) communication.
It is implied and understood that the managers can only be held accountable for the requirements in
this clause if they fall within the managers’ scope of responsibility and if the organization has provided
the managers with the resources and mandates needed to meet the requirements. These requirements
have been designed to provide high-level direction towards achieving the seven human-centred
principles in the organization, in order to allow the flexibility in an organization to meet cultural,
organizational structure and local regulatory demands. These demands will affect how some of the
listed responsibilities can be carried out. In addition, it is acknowledged that all of these responsibilities
can be met in a variety of ways depending on cultural and other environmental characteristics.
The management requirements in this clause have been listed in Annex A again, according to the human-
centred organizational principle(s) to which they are primarily linked, as well as to the stakeholder
types affected and other related standards for further reference.
1) Diagram modified from ISO 9241-210:2010, Figure 1.
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ISO 27501:2019(E)
Managers should consider performing an organizational review of the responsibilities set out in this
clause to identify which responsibilities are already being addressed in their own organization. This
will help to identify the gaps, or areas that require strengthening, and to organize plans for how to
implement the relevant changes. (Annex B provides a checklist to assist with this gap analysis.)
7.2 Organizational policies
7.2.1 Organizations establish formal policies and procedures in order to ensure compliance with laws
and regulations and establish consistency of performance throughout the organization. The following
subclauses outline requirements for the actions needed within an organization in order to support
human centredness.
7.2.2 Managers should be open and transparent about decisions, within the constraints of laws,
regulations, and intellectual property and privacy considerations. Managers should document and
communicate clearly to internal and external stakeholders the processes followed during decision–making.
7.2.3 Managers shall identify and understand their responsibilities for the protection of the health,
safety and wellbeing of the people impacted by their activities.
7.2.4 Managers shall openly communicate with stakeholders about their requirements and the
organization’s responses to them, within the constraints of laws, regulations, and intellectual property
and privacy considerations.
7.3 Organizational activities
7.3.1 General
Organizations exist with the goals of developing and implementing or delivering products, services,
and systems. Some of these goals are internally focused, while others are externally focused and some
can be focused both internally and externally. The following subclauses describe the human-centred
requirements related to achieving these organizational goals as relevant to organizational integration
of a human-centred approach, planning and operations management.
7.3.2 Integration
7.3.2.1 Managers shall take account of individual differences and foster an organizational culture that
is based on respect for and consideration of individual differences.
7.3.2.2 Managers responsible for business, technical, and operational activities shall use a formal
resolution process to resolve potential or actual mismatches between these activities and human
characteristics and capabilities.
7.3.2.3 Managers responsible for human-centred initiatives shall document the initiatives and their
effects within the organization to provide a basis for future use.
7.3.2.4 When making decisions, managers shall take account of the needs and requirements of external
stakeholders together with other necessary criteria.
7.3.2.5 Managers establishing the technical specifications for the design or purchase of supplies,
equipment and facilities for internal use shall consider user characteristics and capabilities.
ISO 27501:2019(E)
7.3.2.6 Managers responsible for risk assessments shall take into account risks of physical or economic
harm to individuals or organizations, including risks related to:
a) the physical work;
b) the cognitive demands;
c) the physical environment;
d) chemical and biological hazards;
e) economic consequences; and
f) wider environmental consequences (e.g., legal, economic, cultural, community).
NOTE A risk assessment can also identify opportunities for improvements in working conditions, jobs, and
outcomes related to any of the seven principles.
7.3.3 Planning
7.3.3.1 Managers planning an activity related to a product, service or system or undertaking a major
development effort shall ensure that all relevant groups of stakeholders both internally and externally
have been identified.
7.3.3.2 Managers responsible for developing systems shall ensure identification and consideration
of the interrelationships between each stakeholder group and other elements of the system (such as
equipment, workspace, and the physical, social, and organizational environment) in order to effectively
apply a total system approach.
7.3.3.3 Managers responsible for activities related to creation or implementation of new systems or
modification of existing systems shall establish protocols to identify requirements of all stakeholders.
7.3.3.4 Managers responsible for activities related to changes to systems, products, or services shall
identify stakeholders to ensure that such changes are evaluated and assessed from their point of view
and determine how they may be impacted by the change. Follow-up activities pursuant to an evaluation
or assessment shall also be evaluated and assessed.
7.3.3.5 Managers responsible for system changes shall assess the potential impact of these changes on
stakeholders and monitor the effects of the changes during continuous process improvement and change
management activities.
7.3.3.6 Managers responsible for the development and maintenance of systems shall ensure that
appropriate human-centred design methods are selected to address usability and accessibility.
NOTE There are many methods that
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