With two of the most widely used International Standards recently revised, it's a great time to consider how an Integrated Management System ISO (IMS) might help improve your organisation.
Before exploring how best to implement an Integrated Management System ISO, let's look at the many benefits it can bring, including major savings in time and money. Basically, you are now dealing with one set of procedures, one set of documentation, and one audit, instead of several.
An Integrated Management System ISO will help clarify priorities, and set in place clear roles and responsibilities, with a greater emphasis on leadership.
ISOs Revised in 2015
There are several compatible Standards that can be brought together, including ISO 9001 Quality Assurance and ISO 14001 Environmental Management. Both of these were revised and updated in 2015, making them even more relevant to how we do business today.
Implementing an IMS involves several steps and, if you are keen to achieve Integrated Management System certification, it is advisable to work with a professional consultancy to reach your goals.
The first step is to sit down with your consultant and discuss the basics, such as your main business, your targets and goals, your workforce, and your time frame. You also need to consider what systems you currently have in place, what's working and what isn't.
Effective Leadership is the Key
The aim here is to keep what's currently working well, and integrate it into your new system. Your consultant can then tailor-make and help implement your Integrated Management System ISO, and organise integrated management system training.
The latter is crucial for success. It starts at the top, as effective leadership is a key component in integrated management systems. It will then filter down through the workforce, probably with the suggestion that at least one staff member is put through internal audit training.
In today's challenging business world, we must surely embrace any system that makes running an organisation easier, more productive and more cost effective.
Before exploring how best to implement an Integrated Management System ISO, let's look at the many benefits it can bring, including major savings in time and money. Basically, you are now dealing with one set of procedures, one set of documentation, and one audit, instead of several.
An Integrated Management System ISO will help clarify priorities, and set in place clear roles and responsibilities, with a greater emphasis on leadership.
ISOs Revised in 2015
There are several compatible Standards that can be brought together, including ISO 9001 Quality Assurance and ISO 14001 Environmental Management. Both of these were revised and updated in 2015, making them even more relevant to how we do business today.
Implementing an IMS involves several steps and, if you are keen to achieve Integrated Management System certification, it is advisable to work with a professional consultancy to reach your goals.The first step is to sit down with your consultant and discuss the basics, such as your main business, your targets and goals, your workforce, and your time frame. You also need to consider what systems you currently have in place, what's working and what isn't.
Effective Leadership is the Key
The aim here is to keep what's currently working well, and integrate it into your new system. Your consultant can then tailor-make and help implement your Integrated Management System ISO, and organise integrated management system training.
The latter is crucial for success. It starts at the top, as effective leadership is a key component in integrated management systems. It will then filter down through the workforce, probably with the suggestion that at least one staff member is put through internal audit training.
In today's challenging business world, we must surely embrace any system that makes running an organisation easier, more productive and more cost effective.
