( IMS) Integrated Management System

Integrated Management System

IMS = QMS + EMS + SMS + EnMS + FSMS + ISMS etc

An Integrated Management System (IMS) integrates all of an organization’s systems and processes into one complete framework, enabling an organization to work as a single unit with unified objectives.

Organizations often focus on management systems individually, often in silos and sometimes even in conflict. A quality team is concerned with the QMS, often an EHS manager handles both Environmental and Health and Safety issues, etc.

Integrated Management Systems:

QMS – Quality Management System

A quality management system (QMS) is a set of policies, processes and procedures required for planning and execution (production, development, service) in the core business area of an organization. (i.e. areas that can impact the organization’s ability to meet customer requirements.) ISO 9001:2015 is an example of a Quality Management System.

·         ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems

·         AS9100 Aerospace and Defense

·         ISO 13485 Medical Devices

·         IATF 16949 Automotive

EMS – Environmental Management System

An Environmental Management System (EMS) determines and continuously improves an organizations’ environmental position and performance.

·         ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems

SMS – Safety Management System

An OHSMS determines and continually improves an organizations Health and Safety position and performance. It follows an outline and is managed like any other facet of a business, such as with marketing or engineering functions.

·         ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems

EnMS – Energy Management System

An EnMS determines and continually improves and organizations’ energy usage and impact.

·         ISO 50001 Energy Management System

FSMS – Food Safety Management System

A Food Safety Management System confirms that corporations in the food industry follow certain procedures and guidelines to ensure their products for customer safety.

·         FSSC 22000 Food Safety Certification

·         ISO 22000

·         SQF

ISMS – Information Security Management System

An Information Security Management System determines how your organization should organize and manage its information security.

·         ISO 27000 Internet Security Management System

Benefits of an Integrated Management System

An Integrated Management System can benefit your organization through increased efficiency and effectiveness, and cost reductions while minimizing the disruption caused by several external audits. It also shows your commitment to increased performance, employee and customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement.

With an integrated management system, your management systems work together, with each function aligned behind a single goal: improving the performance of the entire organization. Instead of silos, you have a coordinated effort which is greater than the sum of its parts and is not only more efficient but more effective. An integrated system provides a clear, uniform image of your entire organization, how they impact each other, and the associated risks. Efficiency is gained from less duplication, and it becomes easier to adopt new systems in the future.

Benefits of an IMS

The Ten Benefits of an IMS are:

Improving performance

Integrated management systems will have a positive impact on specific management system components and outcomes such as improvements in quality, safety, risk, and productivity.

Eliminating redundancies

One of the top benefits of implementing multiple management system standards is being able to align the standards to find a common or single management system components. These may include policies, objectives, processes or resources. For example, you may be able to have a single procedure for training, document control, management reviews, internal audits or improvements. When you implement more than one standard at a time you are able to find these similarities which can save your organization a great amount of time, and in return money

Accountability

When you integrate multiple management systems at a time and establish cohesive objectives, processes, and resources, with the alignment of the systems you will see improvement in accountability.

Establish consistency

When you use an integrated approach, your organization can create better consistency of the management systems. When you create consistency, the system will become less complex and therefore is easier understood. Consistency will create an improved focus on achieving a common set of objectives that are important to the organization.

Reducing Bureaucracy

Reducing bureaucracy stems from eliminating redundancy. Oftentimes when multiple management standards are implemented and not integrated, dilemmas can arise by the inability to streamline decisions because of the layers of hierarchy. When the management systems are integrated, your organization can take a systematic approach. The processes can better accommodate changes. When changes and decisions are easily made, this will reduce bureaucracy. For an effective approach, establishing process owners with a cross-functional team can be greatly beneficial. These teams take on responsibility and accountability in an effective approach to breaking down barriers to decision making and deployment.

Cost Reduction

Integrated Management Systems allows your organization to conduct integrated audits and assessments, as well as optimize processes and resources. When you can integrate these systems it can help reduce the time it takes to do certain activities, eliminate the amount of time interrupted and therefore reduce costs.

Optimize Processes and Resource

When viewing standard requirements, do not consider them an added load or task to the organization, rather remember that they are a way to implement expectations from customers, interested parties and the organization, and create a smooth and effective process. Resources can be optimized because they become focused on process implementation and adding value rather than additional system maintenance.

Reducing maintenance

Maintenance refers to the ongoing compliance checks and ensuring that you are upholding the management system standard requirements. When you have an integrated management system you can maintain the requirements concurrently, streamlining the process and allowing the organization to focus on improvements rather than maintaining multiple systems when that is unnecessary.

Integrated Audits

When you start with an integrated management system, you can then have integrated audits. There are many great benefits to having integrated audits if you are interested in learning more read: Integrated Audits

Facilitating decision making

Eliminating redundancy and creating consistency within the organization allows for a more complete view of the functional needs and performance. This integrated approach also allows the organization to analyze functional and department barriers and therefore improve communication and decision making.