Service Level Management Policy [ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018, ITIL 4]
A professionally authored, fully editable Word (DOCX) policy you can use immediately to evidence compliance with ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 and the ITIL 4 Service Level Management practice—right out of the box. The template maps purpose, scope, controls, roles, and records to ISO 20000 clauses 4–7, 8.1–8.7, 9, 10 so you can point auditors to the right sections with ease.
Why this policy
Need a ready-to-use SLM policy that locks in clear rules for how service levels are negotiated, measured, reported, reviewed, and improved—backed by hard "no-go" gates, segregation of duties, and audit-ready records? This template bakes in the essentials your SMS expects: no SLA without a signed Measurement & Reporting Annex (SLM-T06), evidence-first publication (lineage + snapshots + distribution log), and lifecycle decisions recorded on time.
Key features
Explicit ISO/IEC 20000 alignment – Purpose, scope, governance, planning, operation, performance evaluation, and improvement are structured to match ISO 20000, with clause references surfaced throughout the document.
Hard "No-Go" readiness controls – Publication is blocked if lineage notes (SLM-T05), immutable snapshots (SLM-T21), or the distribution log are missing; the Monitoring & Reporting Analyst's independence is enforced.
Canonical time & window semantics – All measurements, reporting windows, due dates use Europe/Berlin with clear business-day rules and cut-offs; definitions are standardized across KPIs.
Measurable objectives with consequences – Built-in SLM objectives (coverage, timeliness, review discipline, customer feedback, integrity); any Red KPI opens a CAR within five Berlin business days.
Segregation of duties & block authority – MRA, Records Manager, Change Manager, and Security/Privacy/Legal hold explicit stop-the-line powers at defined gates; SoD prevents data stewards from owning the same KPI.
Assurance gates (G1.0–G5.1) – Interfaces to Security/Privacy/Legal, Change Enablement, Catalogue/CMDB, BRM and Supplier Management are controlled through gates; missing evidence blocks progression.
Change control built-in – Any change to measurement, thresholds, cadence, or roles is governed via RFC with verification/dry-run before effect.
Records & retention – Immutable URIs, checksums, and an SLM-T18 records index underpin evidence; retention periods and document control requirements are explicit.
Training & competence – Gated roles require ≥80% pass and are recorded in SLM-T22 before they can sign readiness/publication.
Benefits
Audit-ready in hours, not weeks – Clause-mapped policy, mandatory gates, and evidence pointers make audits straightforward and defensible.
Reliable, repeatable reporting – The policy prevents "publish without proof," raising quality and trust in every KPI pack.
No last-minute surprises – T-90 lifecycle decision rule and defined review cadence keep renewals and improvements on track.
Who it's for
SLM Managers/Process Owners, Service Owners, CIO/IT leaders, Monitoring & Reporting Analysts, Data Stewards, Records Managers, Change Managers, Security/Privacy/Legal, Internal Audit, and Risk & Compliance teams operating an ISO/IEC 20000-aligned SMS.
What's inside
Professional policy front-matter (ID, version, governance), Table of Contents, and a clause cross-reference that aligns with your SMS.
Clear sections on leadership & roles, risk/opportunity, objectives, measurement & readiness gates, nonconformity/CAR & CSI, change control, interfaces & dependencies, monitoring/audit/management review, documented information & retention, communications & awareness, lifecycle decisions, and exceptions.
Appendix linking the full SLM artifact set (SLM-T01, T02, T03, T04, T05, T06, T07, T10, T11, T15, T18, T21, T22), plus SMS procedures (Risk Management, Document Control, Assurance Gates).
Get an ITIL-aligned, ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 SLM Policy—editable, enforceable, and audit-ready—so you can negotiate, measure, publish, review, and improve with confidence from day one.
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Source: Best Practices in ITIL, ISO 20K Word: Service Level Management Policy (ISO 20000-1:2018, ITIL) Word (DOCX) Document, Ivana Nissen
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