Client Profile
The client is a mid-sized, rapidly growing fintech company with over 1,200 employees and a strong AI product line used for real-time credit risk assessment and fraud detection. With global expansion plans and rising regulatory scrutiny, the organization sought to operationalize trustworthy AI practices and gain certification under the newly introduced ISO/IEC 42001 standard for AI management systems.
Challenges Faced
Key security concerns included:
- Lack of centralized AI governance policies and procedures
- Inability to trace ethical and fairness reviews of AI/ML models
- No documentation or audit trail for model risk management
- Limited internal awareness and role clarity around AI responsibilities
Solution
COE Security implemented a tailored AI Governance & Assurance Program, combining:
- Gap Analysis & Control Mapping: Assessed AI systems against ISO/IEC 42001 clauses and Annex A controls
- AI Risk Framework: Developed risk assessment procedures, bias mitigation workflows, and explainability standards
- Policy & Governance Development: Authored AI ethics policy, model lifecycle procedures, and role-based accountability matrix
- Training & Internal Audit Prep: Conducted workshops, dry-run audits, and stakeholder alignment sessions for certification readiness
AI Governance Maturity Uplift
- Performed comprehensive asset inventory of AI systems and associated datasets
- Integrated bias detection tools within model development lifecycle
- Established Model Risk Classification system with tiered controls
- Created audit-ready documentation for algorithmic decisions and model updates
- Embedded human-in-the-loop checkpoints in high-impact use cases
Governance, Strategy & Readiness
- Formed an AI Governance Council including compliance, tech, and legal leads
- Rolled out policies on data lineage, algorithmic transparency, and data subject rights
- Conducted Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) aligned with GDPR/AI Act
- Enabled quarterly AI compliance audits with continuous improvement workflows
Service Portfolio
- ISO/IEC 42001 Readiness & Gap Assessment
- AI Ethics & Responsible AI Framework
- Model Lifecycle Governance (MLG)
- AI Risk Management & Impact Assessment
- Human Oversight & Accountability Modeling
- Policy & Documentation Development
- Audit-Ready Control Implementation
- Internal Training & Awareness Campaigns
- AI/ML Supply Chain Security
- Regulatory Intelligence & Alignment (EU AI Act, GDPR, etc.)
Implementation Details
- Deployed AI system registry and lifecycle templates across teams
- Integrated fairness metrics into CI/CD for model deployment
- Trained 200+ employees on AI governance, risk, and ethics topics
- Delivered ISO/IEC 42001 documentation pack covering all 9 core clauses
- Created role-specific dashboards for audit trail and model traceability
Results Achieved
- ISO/IEC 42001 certification awarded within 6 months
- 50% reduction in model rework due to clear lifecycle controls
- Established formal AI accountability across engineering, risk, and legal
- Maturity score uplifted from Level 2.1 to 4.5 in AI governance capability
Client Testimonial
“COE Security helped us not only check the boxes but truly embed trust and control into our AI DNA. Their methodology brought structure and clarity to a space we once viewed as ambiguous.”