India’s major IT firms are racing ahead of global regulation by formalising responsible AI practices at scale, with Mphasis emerging as a front-runner after earning the ISO IEC 42001 certification—the world’s first standard dedicated to responsible AI management. The company has already woven the framework into its Mphasis.ai platform, making fairness reviews, bias safeguards, and ethical oversight non-negotiable elements of every AI deployment. With 68 percent of its new deals now AI-led, Mphasis says the certification strengthens project reliability and improves entry into tightly regulated sectors. As the company puts it, the standard is a powerful competitive differentiator that reduces risk while accelerating market pathways.
This shift isn’t limited to one organisation; it is quickly becoming an industry-wide movement. Infosys and Cognizant have also secured ISO 42001, driven by rising global client expectations for AI systems that are transparent, auditable, and demonstrably responsible. Infosys executives describe the certification as “a guiding beacon for clients navigating AI risks,” underscoring its importance in addressing the complexities of enterprise AI adoption. Cognizant CEO Ravi Kumar S echoed this sentiment, noting that the standard “reinforces its role as a trusted partner in delivering ethical and sustainable digital transformation.” Their early alignment with ISO 42001 signals a broader push by service providers to assure customers that AI initiatives are being developed within a trusted governance framework.
A key enabler of this acceleration has been India’s National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), which operationalised the accreditation process ahead of other regions. By doing so, it allowed Indian companies to secure “regulator-ready” credentials faster than many global peers. Industry analysts say this rapid adoption is setting a new baseline for accountability in the AI era, where trust and governance are becoming as critical as model performance.
Mphasis has described ISO 42001 as the emerging global benchmark for responsible AI, a view echoed across consulting circles. EY has highlighted that the standard strengthens oversight of security, fairness, transparency, and data quality throughout the AI lifecycle. KPMG’s Reto Grubenmann noted that ISO 42001 delivers long-term strategic value to enterprises navigating complex AI deployments. Meanwhile, companies continue to reinforce their compliance portfolios with established standards such as ISO 27001, ISO 27701, ISO 9001, and SOC 2—an essential step as AI embeds itself deeper into mission-critical operations.
