Annex SL, which you find, for example, at the end of the ISO 9001 standard, is the document that defines the high-level structure for all ISO management system standards. This annex is designed to facilitate the integration of management systems and to provide organizations with the tools they need to streamline the protocol, encourage standardization, and transform existing management systems into an integrated model.
The common structure was introduced in the latest versions of the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 standards so that the standards would be more compatible and allow for more effective integration.
If you intend to get certified according to two standards (for example, the standard that regulates quality systems, ISO 9001, and the one that refers to environmental systems, ISO 14001), the best way to go is to integrate the various Standards (but there can also be more than two) to reduce the work needed to manage them and improve efficiency.
In today's competitive market, streamlining operations related to management systems is essential to keep overhead costs down and regain effectiveness as well as efficiency, eliminating any redundant work and consolidating systems.
But what is an integrated management system? It is a single system designed to manage multiple aspects of an organization's operations in line with multiple standards, such as those for quality management, environmental management, or health and safety. Most companies already have systems, formal or informal, to address these issues, however, what many managers don't realize is the level of duplication of processes or the creation of extra work for their collaborators that would not be necessary.
Ultimately, safety, environmental management, and quality control have many points in common and all aim to make your organization more effective and efficient. In practice, an integrated management system involves uniting existing formal systems and implementing specific best practices at the organizational level. In an integrated management system, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
The correct integration of your management systems can have a number of very tangible benefits for the organization:
- Avoid duplication of effort;
- Make more effective use of management and management time;
- More efficient use of resources to implement and manage systems;
- More cost-effective certification;
- Less impact of audits.
An integrated system is based on a comprehensive policy and inclusive objectives that combine:
- Document control;
- Documented information control;
- Internal audits;
- Management reviews;
- Process controls and procedural documentation.
There are many good reasons to integrate your management systems. An integrated system will help you:
- Reduce waste of time and resources, avoiding doing the same work twice;
- Reduce risks and, therefore, costs;
- Eliminate any conflicts between two or more different systems;
- Focus on the goals of your business;
- Create consistency;
- Improve communication;
- Improve training and professional growth of your collaborators.
Most companies are aware of the value offered by certification according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 or ISO 45001 but it cannot be stressed enough that the purpose of these standards would be above all to help you manage an organization in a better way. If your management systems are causing staff to unnecessarily duplicate work, they are not providing the value they should.
Three standards that can be easily integrated are ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
ISO 9001
Quality management system certification demonstrates that your organization meets the requirements of the standard for the following areas: facilities, people, training, services and equipment. Achieving this certification is considered the first step in implementing a continuous improvement process throughout the organization.
ISO 14001.
Achieving ISO 14001 certification is essential for any organization that intends to establish, implement, maintain and improve an efficient environmental management system. The extent to which ISO 14001 standards are applied is based on factors such as the organization's specific environmental policies, the types of products and services it provides, and its location and operating conditions.
ISO 45001.
The new ISO 45001 standard includes the extremely important area of occupational health and safety. This standard will provide a model for reducing workplace risks, improving employee safety and, in general, creating better working conditions for employees.
This is where ACSQ comes in. We are able to provide fully integrated audits of multiple management system standards, thus giving you reassurance that the integration of your system is effective.
It is possible to verify all or part of the integrated management system by auditing and, if at any time you wish to introduce further standards, you can verify them and add them to the registration certificate. Furthermore, the verification of an integrated system is faster than that of a series of separate systems. As a result, the number of days you will be subject to external audits will be reduced, along with the associated costs.