AIVARA™ — AI Readiness & Responsible AI Governance Assessment
Measure how prepared your organisation is to govern AI responsibly, create value, and manage risk with a clear pathway from self-assessment to CERTIFICATION.
Aligning AI with
ESG and ROI
Assess and certify your AI systems for governance, ESG alignment, and performance
all in one streamlined diagnostic platform.
Why AI Readiness Matters
Artificial intelligence is now embedded in decisions that affect people, finances, operations, and reputation. As AI use expands, failures are no longer technical issues they become governance, trust, and leadership issues.
Boards, regulators, investors, and business partners are increasingly asking the same question: How do we know AI is being governed responsibly? Vague assurances are no longer sufficient. Organisations are expected to demonstrate structure, oversight, and accountability.
AI readiness today is not about how advanced your technology is. It is about whether your organisation can defend how AI decisions are made, governed, and monitored before problems arise.
What We Assess
AIVARA™ evaluates AI readiness across five dimensions, reflecting how governance, value, impact, and risk shape long-term trust and performance.
Governance & Responsible AI
Oversight and controls that make AI defensible and auditable.
- Board oversight
- Policies
- Audit trail
Financial & Operational Value
How AI creates measurable ROI, productivity, and time-to-value.
- Business case
- Benefits tracking
- Portfolio discipline
Environmental Impact
Efficiency and sustainability of AI workloads and infrastructure.
- Energy intensity
- Carbon footprint
- Efficiency design
Social Impact
Human outcomes across fairness, workforce, accessibility, and trust.
- Bias checks
- Reskilling
- Accessibility
Risk & Reputation
Readiness to detect, respond to, and govern incidents and exposure.
- Monitoring
- Incident response
- Regulatory exposure
How the Assessment Works
A simple, executive-friendly pathway from quick self-assessment to verified diagnostics and formal certification.
Complete the online assessment
Answer structured questions across governance, value, impact, and risk.
- 15–25 minutes
- Executive-friendly
- No setup
Receive your AI Impact Score
Get a weighted AIVARA™ score and your maturity band based on your responses.
- Score (0–100)
- Maturity (1–5)
- Key gaps
Get a prioritised roadmap
Clear actions, sequenced by urgency, to strengthen governance and reduce exposure.
- 0–30 days
- 30–90 days
- 90–180 days
Upgrade when you need proof
Move from self-assessment to evidence review and certification for board, investor, or partner use.
AIVARA™ Certification - Scope, Meaning, and Limitations
AIVARA™ Certification is designed for organisations that need more than a self-assessment. It provides a structured, evidence-based view of AI governance maturity and AI impact readiness — suitable for board oversight, investor discussions, partner due diligence, and internal governance.
Certification reflects practices at the time of assessment and is valid for 12 months.
Designed for executive defensibility. AIVARA™ helps organisations demonstrate how AI is governed, monitored, and managed with clear scope, evidence basis, and explicit limitations that stand up to board, investor, and regulatory scrutiny.
OverviewWhat AIVARA™ Certification Means
AIVARA™ Certification is an independent, evidence-based assessment of an organisation’s AI governance maturity and AI impact readiness, conducted using the AIVARA™ Responsible AI Impact Framework.
It certifies that, at the time of assessment, the organisation has demonstrated:
- Structured AI governance and oversight
- Defined Responsible AI policies and lifecycle controls
- Measurable financial and operational value discipline for AI initiatives
- Consideration of environmental and social impacts of AI
- Active risk and reputational risk management related to AI use
AIVARA™ Certification provides executives, boards, investors, regulators, and partners with a credible reference point for understanding how responsibly and effectively AI is governed.
It enables organisations to move from “We believe our AI is responsible” to “We can demonstrate how our AI is governed, monitored, and managed.”
ScopeCertification Scope
AIVARA™ Certification assesses AI at the organisational governance and impact level, not at the level of individual algorithms or source code.
The certification covers:
- AI governance structures, ownership, and oversight
- Responsible AI policies and lifecycle controls
- AI risk identification, monitoring, and incident response
- Financial and operational value management of AI initiatives
- Environmental efficiency and sustainability considerations
- Social, workforce, fairness, and accessibility impacts
- Risk, trust, and reputational exposure related to AI use
The certification does not assess:
- Algorithmic performance accuracy at code or model level
- Cybersecurity penetration testing
- Legal compliance opinions
- Model-specific technical validation or certification
- Ethical “approval” of individual AI decisions
AIVARA™ Certification focuses on how AI is governed and managed, not on judging whether individual outcomes are “good” or “bad” in isolation.
MaturityCertification Levels
AIVARA™ Certification is awarded at defined maturity levels:
- Level 1 — Initial
- Level 2 — Defined
- Level 3 — Implemented
- Level 4 — Advanced
- Level 5 — Leading
Certification is typically granted from Level 3 (Implemented) onward, reflecting a minimum threshold of governance maturity and evidence readiness.
Organisations below this threshold may receive a Verified Diagnostic, but are not certified.
ValidityValidity Period
AIVARA™ Certification is valid for 12 months from the date of issuance. It reflects the organisation’s practices at the time of assessment.
Re-assessment is required for renewal. This recognises that AI systems, regulations, and organisational practices evolve rapidly and that governance maturity must be continuously maintained.
EvidenceEvidence & Review Basis
Certification is granted based on:
- Structured assessment responses
- Review of supporting documentation and evidence
- Validation of governance practices
- A governance interview or clarification process
- Application of AIVARA™ scoring, weighting, and materiality rules
All certifications include:
- A dated certification record
- A frozen score snapshot
- Documented scope and limitations
LimitsWhat Certification Does Not Mean
AIVARA™ Certification is explicit about what it is — and what it is not.
- Not legal advice
- ot a declaration of regulatory compliance
- Not a guarantee that AI incidents will not occur
- Not an audit opinion
- Not an endorsement of specific AI models or vendors
Certification demonstrates reasonable, structured governance and risk management — not perfection. It shows that an organisation is taking AI responsibility seriously, not that AI risk has been eliminated.
StandardsRelationship to ISO, Regulation, and Legal Compliance
AIVARA™ Certification vs ISO Standards
AIVARA™ Certification is not a replacement for ISO certifications such as ISO/IEC 42001. Instead, it aligns with governance principles, helps organisations prepare for formal management system adoption, and identifies gaps that ISO programmes typically require. Many organisations use AIVARA™ Certification as a pre-ISO readiness step.
AIVARA™ Certification vs EU AI Act and other regulations
AIVARA™ Certification aligns with governance principles reflected in the EU AI Act, NIST AI RMF, OECD AI Principles, and ISSB-style disclosures. It supports defensibility and preparedness by demonstrating that governance processes exist and are operational. However, it does not certify legal compliance, replace regulatory obligations, or shield organisations from enforcement.
AIVARA™ Certification vs Legal Opinions
AIVARA™ Certification complements legal and compliance work and provides structured governance evidence that legal teams can reference. It does not replace legal reviews, regulatory interpretations, or external counsel advice.
Brand useAppropriate Use of the AIVARA™ Certification Mark
Certified organisations may:
- Display the AIVARA™ Certification badge
- Reference certification in governance disclosures, ESG reports, and board materials
- State their certified maturity level and validity period
Certified organisations may not:
- Claim legal or regulatory compliance based solely on certification
- Imply endorsement of specific AI outcomes
- Use certification beyond its stated validity period
Assessment Levels and Pricing
Can your organisation clearly demonstrate how your AI is governed, how value is managed, and how trust and risk are addressed today?
AIVARA™ Snapshot is frequently used as a pre-certification diagnostic by organisations preparing for deeper governance reviews, assurance, or regulatory scrutiny.
👉 Snapshot fees are credited toward higher-level AIVARA™ assessments.
This assessment is not a certification. It does not provide legal or regulatory assurance. This is not a quick quiz. It is a comprehensive assessment designed to help leaders understand how AI is currently governed and where priority gaps exist. It reflects a snapshot of practices at the time of completion.
Who This Is For
AIVARA™ is designed for decision-makers and advisors who are accountable for how AI is governed, deployed, and explained. This assessment and certification is particularly relevant for:
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Board members and CEOs who oversee AI risk, strategy, and accountability
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CIOs, CTOs, and CDOs who are responsible for AI systems, data, and technology governance
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Risk, Compliance, and ESG leaders who manage exposure, controls, and disclosures
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Organisations scaling AI and organisations preparing for regulatory, investor, or partner scrutiny
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Consultants and advisors who support enterprise clients on AI governance and readiness
If you are responsible for explaining how AI is governed and not only what it does, then this is designed for you.
Why Organisations Choose AIVARA™ Certification
Organisations pursue AIVARA™ Certification to create clarity, confidence, and defensibility as AI use expands. Typical outcomes include:
A structured record that explains how AI is governed, monitored, and managed.
Clear responsibilities, controls, and escalation paths for AI risk decisions.
A credible reference point that supports due diligence and strengthens trust.
A shared view of gaps and next actions that leadership teams can execute.
Evidence that governance maturity grows alongside AI deployment and adoption.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions address common legal, procurement, and governance clarifications.
Is AIVARA™ Certification a legal or regulatory compliance certification?
Is AIVARA™ Certification equivalent to ISO or ISO/IEC 42001?
How long is AIVARA™ Certification valid?
What evidence is required for certification?
Can we use the AIVARA™ certification badge publicly?
Does certification guarantee that AI incidents will not occur?
Take a Confident Next Step
Whether you are at an early stage or you are preparing for board, investor, or regulatory scrutiny, AIVARA™ provides a clear and structured way to understand how your AI is governed and what to prioritise next.
AIVARA™ is designed to support responsible AI leadership and defensible governance decisions. It does not replace legal advice, regulatory obligations, or formal certifications.
