Where we work · Panama
ISO and GRC certification consulting in Panama
Achieve ISO and GRC certification in Panama with Sterling: 8,100+ client engagements in 60+ countries, 20+ years.
- 21 standards, one team
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Sectors that ask for certification in Panama
Clients include
ISO and GRC certification in Panama at a glance
Banks in Panama answer to the Superintendencia de Bancos, whose Acuerdo 003-2012 on information technology risk and Acuerdo 011-2018 on operational risk call for an information security unit and a tested continuity plan, and whose Acuerdo 1-2022 adds duties on client data. Law 81 of 2019 on Personal Data Protection, regulated by Executive Decree 285 of 2021, is supervised by ANTAI. Fishery exporters work under ARAP's traceability decree, food importers under AUPSA, device suppliers under MINSA's directorate for medical devices, and projects under MiAmbiente's impact assessment process. The Panamá-Pacífico area, MICI's free zones and the regional headquarters regime shape demand from logistics and multinational firms, while public buyers publish notices on PanamaCompra. The Consejo Nacional de Acreditación accredits laboratories and inspection bodies, and certification bodies, not Sterling, issue management system certificates. Sterling's New York office serves clients across Panama, drawing on 8,100+ client engagements in 60+ countries, 20+ years of practice, and Effivity and Sterling Academy included with every engagement.
ISO and GRC standards Sterling delivers in Panama
Each card opens Sterling's guide to the standard: what it requires, how certification or compliance works and what sets the time and cost.
Quality & operational excellence
Information security, cyber & cloud
Privacy & data protection
AI governance & digital trust
Environment, energy & climate
Health & safety
Governance, risk & resilience
Financial services, payments & AML
Food safety & agriculture
Healthcare, medical devices & life sciences
Laboratories, inspection & accreditation
Automotive, aerospace, rail & defence
Construction, energy, oil & gas
Regulators and laws that drive certification in Panama (11)
| Law or regulator | What it asks for | Standards it cites |
|---|---|---|
| Ley 81 de 26 de marzo de 2019, Sobre Protección de Datos Personales — Law 81 of 26 March 2019 on Personal Data Protection Autoridad Nacional de Transparencia y Acceso a la Información (ANTAI), which Article 7 charges with supervising secure-management protocols, with the Autoridad Nacional para la Innovación Gubernamental (AIG) supporting on information and communication technology; Article 34 also creates an advisory Consejo de Protección de Datos Personales | Covers databases located in Panama that hold personal data of nationals or foreigners, and controllers domiciled in Panama; processing regulated by special laws is excluded where those laws set minimum technical standards. It sets principles (fairness, purpose, proportionality, accuracy, security, transparency, confidentiality, lawfulness, portability), lawful conditions for processing with consent that can be traced and revoked, access, rectification, cancellation, objection and portability rights, a right not to be subject to decisions based only on automated processing, limits on transferring sensitive data, a record of databases transferred to third parties that the authority can request, and a list of conditions under which transfers are lawful, including to countries with equivalent or higher protection and under binding contractual clauses. Infringements are classed as minor, serious or very serious. The Law does not cite any ISO standard, although Article 5 refers to standards, certifications and protocols that the controller or custodian must meet to secure systems. | |
| Decreto Ejecutivo 285 de 28 de mayo de 2021, Que reglamenta la Ley 81 de 2019 sobre Protección de Datos Personales — Executive Decree 285 of 28 May 2021 ANTAI, as the control authority | ANTAI's guide for the private sector describes the Decree as adding a technical file (ficha técnica) of protocols, processes and records, information to be given to data subjects, security measures that secure confidentiality, integrity, availability and resilience, notification of security breaches that carry significant risk to the authority and the people affected, rules for contracts with data custodians, and conditions for transfers abroad. According to that guide, private entities have no legal duty to appoint a data protection officer, the Decree allows a voluntary appointment, and some regulators, such as the Superintendency of Banks, require one of the institutions they supervise. | |
| ANTAI — Dirección de Protección de Datos Personales Autoridad Nacional de Transparencia y Acceso a la Información (ANTAI) | ANTAI's page says the directorate evaluates and reviews processing by controllers, can request databases, documentation and certifications from them, regulates public and private entities that process or store personal data, promotes compliance through training, and handles complaints about access, rectification, deletion and confidentiality. Where a regulated entity falls under a special law, Article 18 of the Law sends the person first to the sector regulator and then to ANTAI if the regulator does not respond. | |
| Superintendencia de Bancos de Panamá (SBP) Banks licensed in Panama: technology, operational and business-continuity risk | Acuerdo 003-2012 of 22 May 2012 on information technology risk management, which requires an information security unit that sets policies and procedures according to international information security standards, a risk methodology with logical, physical and network controls, and a business continuity plan; and Acuerdo 011-2018 of 11 September 2018 on operational risk, whose Article 21 requires a business continuity plan that the bank tests at least once a year. The SBP's Rule 1-2022 describes these rules together with the e-banking rule 6-2011 as requiring banks to have an information security management system. The SBP and AIG also signed an inter-institutional cybersecurity agreement on 19 March 2021 to share information on digital security incidents. None of these texts names ISO/IEC 27001 or ISO 22301. | |
| Superintendencia de Bancos de Panamá (SBP) Banks licensed in Panama: personal data held about clients | Acuerdo 1-2022 of 24 February 2022, which sets special guidelines for personal data processed by banks. It reaches data custodians and banking service providers working under outsourcing contracts, requires banks to appoint a Data Protection Officer, expects the bank's information security officer to communicate personal data breaches, and requires an annual compliance certificate signed on behalf of the board. The SBP told supervised banks about Executive Decree 285 of 2021 in Circular SBP-DR-0063-2021 of 3 June 2021. The text cites no ISO standard. | |
| Autoridad Panameña de Seguridad de Alimentos (AUPSA) Food entering the national territory: importers, distributors and their overseas suppliers | Decreto Ley 11 de 22 de febrero de 2006 creates AUPSA as the State's lead body for ensuring that the laws and regulations on the safety of food introduced into the national territory are applied. Resolution 035-AG-2017 of 11 August 2017 formalises its procedure for enabling or disabling the sanitary registrations of imported foods. Resolution 035-AG-2017 does not mention HACCP, ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000. | |
| Autoridad de los Recursos Acuáticos de Panamá (ARAP) Fishing, aquaculture, fish processing and fishery exports | Ley 44 de 23 de noviembre de 2006 creates ARAP as the State's lead body for national fisheries and aquaculture policy. Executive Decree 111 of 5 July 2021 (Gaceta Oficial Digital 29323-B) regulates traceability of fishery products, fishing-related activities and related activities, including processing and export, with the aim of showing the legality of products along the value chain for markets that demand traceability records. It names no ISO standard. | |
| Dirección Nacional de Dispositivos Médicos, Ministerio de Salud (MINSA) Medical devices: importers, distributors and manufacturers placing devices on the Panamanian market | MINSA's page describes the directorate's mission as regulating, monitoring and controlling compliance with legal and technical rules for medical devices. Its functions include operating licences, sanitary registrations, free-sale certificates, inspections, sanctions procedures, a traceability system and the national registry of implantable devices and prostheses, and it issues certificates of good manufacturing, distribution and storage practices to device establishments. The page does not mention ISO 13485. | |
| Ministerio de Ambiente (MiAmbiente) Projects and industry that need environmental impact assessment, wastewater discharge or water concessions | MiAmbiente's site lists Executive Decree 4 of 28 May 2026 as the new decree regulating the environmental impact assessment process, the e-SEVIA platform for studies and registered environmental consultants, application forms for wastewater discharge concessions and water concessions, a sanctions dashboard and guides of good environmental practices. The cited pages do not mention ISO 14001. | |
| Ministerio de Trabajo y Desarrollo Laboral (MITRADEL), Dirección de Inspección de Trabajo All employers: occupational safety and health inspection | MITRADEL's site lists its Dirección de Inspección de Trabajo and runs regional training to identify hazards, prevent accidents and promote safe and healthy workplaces. The homepage does not cite ISO 45001 or a specific safety instrument. | |
| Dirección General de Normas y Tecnología Industrial (DGNTI) and the Comisión Panameña de Normas Industriales y Técnicas (COPANIT), Ministerio de Comercio e Industrias (MICI) Standards and technical regulations for products and services | Ley 23 de 15 de julio de 1997 designates DGNTI as the national standardisation body and COPANIT as an advisory body to MICI. Its definitions treat standards as voluntary documents and technical regulations as mandatory documents issued by the competent authority, and MICI officialises both once published in the Gaceta Oficial. DGNTI and COPANIT have a standards role only. |
Accreditation and recognition
- Consejo Nacional de Acreditación (CNA): National accreditation body, authorised by the State under Chapter IV of Title II of Law 23 of 15 July 1997 and Executive Decree 55 of 6 July 2006 to accredit inspection bodies, testing laboratories and calibration laboratories against ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO/IEC 17020, working under ISO/IEC 17011; its 2020–2021 report counts 53 accredited conformity assessment bodies in 2021 (28 testing laboratories, 1 calibration laboratory and 24 inspection bodies).
- Dirección General de Normas y Tecnología Industrial (DGNTI): National standardisation body under Law 23 of 1997, and technical secretariat of COPANIT.
Look for a certification body whose accreditation scope covers your standard and sector, from a national accreditation body recognised under the international arrangements of Global ACI (Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, formerly the IAF MLA). Sterling does not certify.
Tenders and procurement
- PanamaCompra — Sistema Electrónico de Contrataciones Públicas de la República de Panamá (The Panamanian State's electronic public procurement system): The site describes the system as aiming for public purchasing that is simple, effective and transparent. Each notice sets its own qualification evidence, so read the tender's requirements before assuming that a certificate is needed.
Economic zones
- Área Económica Especial Panamá-Pacífico: logistics, light manufacturing, services
- Free zones under the Dirección General de Zonas Francas, MICI: logistics, manufacturing, services
- Regional headquarters regime for multinationals (SEM) and the EMMA manufacturing-services regime: regional headquarters, shared services, manufacturing-related services
Sterling in Panama
Sterling delivers in Panama from its New York office: one team from scoping to certificate, with Effivity ISO & GRC software and Sterling Academy access included. Sterling does not certify; certification decisions stay with independent bodies.
Questions Panama clients ask
Does Panama have a personal data protection law?
Yes. Law 81 of 26 March 2019 on Personal Data Protection was published in Gaceta Oficial Digital 28743-A, and Executive Decree 285 of 2021 regulates it. It sets principles, lawful conditions for processing, access, rectification, cancellation, objection and portability rights, and conditions for transfers. Check how it applies to your databases with your counsel or ANTAI.
Which authority supervises personal data protection in Panama?
ANTAI, the Autoridad Nacional de Transparencia y Acceso a la Información, through its Dirección de Protección de Datos Personales. The directorate reviews processing by controllers, can request databases and documentation, and handles complaints. For entities under a special law, the person goes first to the sector regulator, such as the Superintendency of Banks, and then to ANTAI.
Is there a Panamanian accreditation body for certification bodies?
Panama's national accreditation body is the Consejo Nacional de Acreditación, and ILAC lists it as a signatory for testing laboratories, calibration laboratories and inspection bodies. A management system certificate generally comes from a certification body accredited elsewhere. Request the body's accreditation certificate and scope, and ask your buyer what it accepts.
Are certification audits in Panama conducted in English?
Often in English or in both languages, but not always. Legislation, regulator rules and tender documents are in Spanish, so records and staff interviews may be too. Agree the audit language, any interpreter and the language of controlled documents with the certification body at application, since the body decides what it can staff.
What technology and continuity rules apply to banks in Panama?
The Superintendency of Banks sets Acuerdo 003-2012 on information technology risk and Acuerdo 011-2018 on operational risk. They call for an information security unit working to international standards, risk controls and a business continuity plan that is tested at least once a year. None of them names an ISO standard, so ask the Superintendency how to evidence compliance.
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Sources
- Ley 81 de 26 de marzo de 2019, Sobre Protección de Datos Personales — Law 81 of 26 March 2019 on Personal Data Protection — gacetaoficial.gob.pa; sinaproc.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- Decreto Ejecutivo 285 de 28 de mayo de 2021, Que reglamenta la Ley 81 de 2019 sobre Protección de Datos Personales — Executive Decree 285 of 28 May 2021 — gacetaoficial.gob.pa; antai.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- ANTAI — Dirección de Protección de Datos Personales — antai.gob.pa; sinaproc.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- Acuerdo 003-2012 of 22 May 2012 on information technology risk management, which requires an information security unit that sets policies and procedures according to international information security standards, a risk methodology with logical, physical and network controls, and a business continuity plan; and Acuerdo 011-2018 of 11 September 2018 on operational risk, whose Article 21 requires a business continuity plan that the bank tests at least once a year. The SBP's Rule 1-2022 describes these rules together with the e-banking rule 6-2011 as requiring banks to have an information security management system. The SBP and AIG also signed an inter-institutional cybersecurity agreement on 19 March 2021 to share information on digital security incidents. None of these texts names ISO/IEC 27001 or ISO 22301. — superbancos.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- Acuerdo 1-2022 of 24 February 2022, which sets special guidelines for personal data processed by banks. It reaches data custodians and banking service providers working under outsourcing contracts, requires banks to appoint a Data Protection Officer, expects the bank's information security officer to communicate personal data breaches, and requires an annual compliance certificate signed on behalf of the board. The SBP told supervised banks about Executive Decree 285 of 2021 in Circular SBP-DR-0063-2021 of 3 June 2021. The text cites no ISO standard. — superbancos.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- Decreto Ley 11 de 22 de febrero de 2006 creates AUPSA as the State's lead body for ensuring that the laws and regulations on the safety of food introduced into the national territory are applied. Resolution 035-AG-2017 of 11 August 2017 formalises its procedure for enabling or disabling the sanitary registrations of imported foods. Resolution 035-AG-2017 does not mention HACCP, ISO 22000 or FSSC 22000. — faolex.fao.org (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- Ley 44 de 23 de noviembre de 2006 creates ARAP as the State's lead body for national fisheries and aquaculture policy. Executive Decree 111 of 5 July 2021 (Gaceta Oficial Digital 29323-B) regulates traceability of fishery products, fishing-related activities and related activities, including processing and export, with the aim of showing the legality of products along the value chain for markets that demand traceability records. It names no ISO standard. — arap.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- MINSA's page describes the directorate's mission as regulating, monitoring and controlling compliance with legal and technical rules for medical devices. Its functions include operating licences, sanitary registrations, free-sale certificates, inspections, sanctions procedures, a traceability system and the national registry of implantable devices and prostheses, and it issues certificates of good manufacturing, distribution and storage practices to device establishments. The page does not mention ISO 13485. — minsa.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- MiAmbiente's site lists Executive Decree 4 of 28 May 2026 as the new decree regulating the environmental impact assessment process, the e-SEVIA platform for studies and registered environmental consultants, application forms for wastewater discharge concessions and water concessions, a sanctions dashboard and guides of good environmental practices. The cited pages do not mention ISO 14001. — miambiente.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- MITRADEL's site lists its Dirección de Inspección de Trabajo and runs regional training to identify hazards, prevent accidents and promote safe and healthy workplaces. The homepage does not cite ISO 45001 or a specific safety instrument. — mitradel.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- Ley 23 de 15 de julio de 1997 designates DGNTI as the national standardisation body and COPANIT as an advisory body to MICI. Its definitions treat standards as voluntary documents and technical regulations as mandatory documents issued by the competent authority, and MICI officialises both once published in the Gaceta Oficial. DGNTI and COPANIT have a standards role only. — mici.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- Consejo Nacional de Acreditación (CNA) — ilac.org; mici.gob.pa; cna.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- Dirección General de Normas y Tecnología Industrial (DGNTI) — mici.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- PanamaCompra — Sistema Electrónico de Contrataciones Públicas de la República de Panamá — panamacompra.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- Área Económica Especial Panamá-Pacífico — mici.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- Free zones under the Dirección General de Zonas Francas, MICI — zf.mici.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
- Regional headquarters regime for multinationals (SEM) and the EMMA manufacturing-services regime — sem.mici.gob.pa (accessed 18 Oct 2026)
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