What is an Integrated Management System (IMS)?
An Integrated Management System (IMS) integrates the requirements of two or more management system standards into a unified management framework. It enables an organisation to manage its processes, risks, resources and objectives in a coordinated manner while avoiding unnecessary duplication of activities and documentation.
Rather than maintaining several separate management systems, an organisation can integrate common elements such as policies, objectives, responsibilities, control of documented information, internal audits, management reviews and improvement processes.
Integration goes beyond simply combining documentation. It requires management processes to be aligned while ensuring that the specific requirements of each applicable standard are met.

Which management system standards can be integrated?
Integrated management systems can incorporate various combinations of standards, depending on the organisation's activities, objectives, risks and the requirements of interested parties.
Common combinations include:

• Quality, environmental and occupational health and safety management – ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001;
• Quality and food safety management – ISO 9001 and ISO 22000;
• IT service management and information security management – ISO/IEC 20000-1 and ISO/IEC 27001;
• Information security and business continuity management – ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO 22301;
• Quality, security, and business continuity management – ISO 9001, ISO 28000,  and ISO 22301;
• Quality, environmental and energy management – ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001.

In the food sector, management systems can also be aligned with the requirements of other standards and certification schemes, including IFS Food, FSSC 22000 and BRCGS, while taking their specific requirements into account.
ISO 9001 often serves as a starting point for developing an integrated management system. The Harmonized Structure of ISO management system standards facilitates the integration of common requirements relating to the context of the organisation, leadership, planning, resources, performance evaluation and improvement.

Why is an Integrated Management System needed?
Organisations increasingly need to meet requirements relating to quality, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, information security and other aspects of their operations simultaneously.
When management systems are developed and maintained independently, this can lead to duplicated activities, overlapping or inconsistent responsibilities, excessive documentation and difficulties in planning and control.
An integrated management system enables a unified approach to organisational management, with common requirements addressed through coordinated processes while the specific requirements of each standard are applied in the relevant areas.
This approach is particularly beneficial for organisations that already maintain more than one management system or plan to implement additional standards.

Benefits of an Integrated Management System
An effectively designed and implemented integrated management system can offer a range of organisational and economic benefits:

• Unified management structure – alignment of policies, objectives, processes, responsibilities and control mechanisms;
• Reduced duplication of activities – integration of common processes relating to planning, documented information, training, internal audits and management reviews;
• More efficient use of resources – optimisation of the time, effort and costs involved in implementing and maintaining management systems;
• Coordinated risk management – consideration of the interrelationships between different aspects of operations and implementation of coordinated measures;
• Improved coordination between departments – clear allocation of responsibilities and better cooperation between different functions;
• More effective monitoring and performance evaluation – providing top management with consolidated information on the performance of the system;
• More efficient internal and external audits – opportunities to plan and conduct audit activities jointly;
• Greater flexibility – making it easier to incorporate additional standards and adapt to changing requirements.

The extent to which these benefits can be achieved depends on the organisation's characteristics, the applicable standards and the level of integration achieved.

How is an Integrated Management System developed and implemented?
An integrated management system can be developed by implementing several standards simultaneously or by extending an existing management system to meet the requirements of an additional standard. The latter approach builds on established processes and management practices, supplementing them with the requirements of the new standard.
Developing an IMS requires a systematic approach tailored to the organisation's activities and the requirements of the standards to be integrated.
The main stages typically include:
1. Assessment of the current situation
Existing management practices, processes, documentation and management systems are assessed. Common and standard-specific requirements are identified, along with areas where additions or changes are needed.
2. Integration planning
The scope of the IMS, required resources, responsibilities and sequence of activities are defined. Processes that can be managed jointly are identified.
3. Development of the integrated management system
Policies, objectives, processes and documented information are aligned. Common management processes and controls are established, taking into account the specific requirements of each standard.
4. Implementation and operation
The integrated management system is implemented across the organisation. Defined responsibilities and procedures become part of day-to-day operations, and employees are made aware of the requirements relevant to their roles.
5. Internal audit and management review
Conformity with applicable requirements and the effectiveness of the system are evaluated. The results are used to identify necessary corrective actions and opportunities for improvement.
The integrated management system must be maintained and updated to reflect changes in the organisation's activities, structure, risks or applicable requirements.

Certification of an Integrated Management System
An organisation may choose to obtain certification against two or more standards included in its integrated management system.
Under certain conditions, certification audits can be planned and conducted as an integrated audit, during which conformity with the requirements of several standards is assessed simultaneously.
This can improve audit coordination and reduce duplication when assessing common management system requirements.
Certification is carried out by an independent certification body, with conformity assessed and certified against the specific standards and the defined scope of certification.
An integrated approach does not remove the obligation to meet all applicable requirements of each individual standard.

Consulting Services by CONSEJO
CONSEJO provides consulting services for the development, implementation, integration and maintenance of management systems in accordance with international standards.
We support organisations in establishing new integrated management systems, integrating existing systems and extending them to meet the requirements of additional standards.
Our approach is tailored to each organisation's activities, structure, existing processes and specific requirements.
Our objective is to develop an effective integrated management system that supports the organisation's day-to-day operations and helps maintain conformity with applicable standards.
 

 

Integrated Management System (IMS) | CONSEJO