Integrated Management System

Integrated means combined; putting all the internal management practices into one system but not as separate components. An integrated management system is a management system that integrates all of an organization's systems and processes in to one complete framework, enabling an organization to work as a single unit with unified objectives.
Yearly surveys on the application of Q&EHS management system standards show a steady worldwide increase in certifications based on ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management) and OHSAS 18001 (health and safety management).

Benefits of an Integrated Management Systems
Integrating the management systems can provide significant advantages to organisations, and some of these are listed here:

• Facilitating better decision making by providing a more complete view of the impact of the quality, environmental and occupational health & safety programs on business performance
• Identifying areas where there may be overlapping responsibilities or duplication of effort
• Helping to develop objectives and plans that are not competing or contradictory, and are consistent with business needs
• Allowing better planning and allocation of available resources, leading to improved work flow and operational efficiencies
• Promoting harmonised methods and processes for the overall 'business management' system
• Reducing the amount of documentation, providing all relevant information in one place, resulting in happier employees who are not overwhelmed by multiple cross-references
• Raising awareness of, and promoting the interaction and interrelation of Quality, Environmental, and Health & Safety systems with the company's operational and business processes
• Facilitating the development of coordinated solutions to problems identified in different work areas
• Promoting a more business focused approach to the audit process
• Consolidating audit results for all the management systems.

Why do SMEs implement integrated management systems ?
The main reason is that many SMEs are suppliers to large companies that impose quality, environmental, health and safety requirements on their supply chain. In many cases, these requirements can only be met by implementing a management system and being certified. Also, governments apply quality, environmental, health and safety, even sustainability criteria in their purchasing and procurement activities. SMEs are therefore forced to implement quality, environmental, health and safety management systems to stay in business.
Note: Integrated management system does not necessary three systems, it could be only two e.g. environmental, health and safety or quality and environmental.