Integrated Systems
What is an Integrated Management System (IMS)?
Discreet management systems for Quality, Environmental or Health and Safety are often inefficient. This is particularly true where there is duplication or conflict of interest. Therefore, more integrated systems can be developed and implemented enabling companies to combine existing business practices within a common framework, increasing efficiency and preventing unnecessary bureaucracy.
An Integrated Management System (IMS) includes the requirements of a number of management system standards (i.e. Health & Safety, Environmental, Quality, HSEQ) that are implemented into one cohesive management system, incorporating common elements while dealing with differing and additional requirements through this generic approach. Recent revision to the standards have been designed to make this integration easier.
These common ‘Top Level’ elements of each of the standards include:
- Leadership
- Planning
- Support
- Operation
- Performance Evaluation
- Improvement
Any organisation may find Integrated Management Systems more beneficial than single management systems for a number of different reasons, which may include the following:
- Avoiding duplication of documentation relating to procedures and other management system records
- Assisting in keeping system documentation to a minimum
- Ensuring best practice and lessons learned are shared across the different disciplines
- Only one set of internal audits needs to be undertaken
- Only one management review is required
- Policy and objectives setting can be managed as a single activity
- A consistent framework for staff training
- A single framework for continuous improvement of processes and performance.
How is it done?
M-Tek can design and implement Integrated Management Systems to suit your requirements. These can be a combination of two or more recognised systems such as ISO 9001:2015 (Quality), ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental), or ISO 45001:2018 (Health and Safety).