Integrated Management Systems Certification

ACCREDITED BY: NABCB, DAKKZ, JAS-ANZ, ANAB

What is Integrated Management Systems (IMS) Certification?

An integrated management system combines multiple management frameworks, such as quality management, environmental management, and occupational health and safety management, into a unified system. It allows organisations to streamline their processes, reduce duplication, and improve overall efficiency. An Integrated Management Systems (IMS) certification is a common certification for multiple management system standards usually evaluated in a single, comprehensive audit.

Integrated management systems certification validates that an organisation has successfully implemented and integrated these management systems, demonstrating its commitment to meeting various standards and regulations. It involves a comprehensive evaluation of the organisation's processes, documentation, and practices to ensure they align with the requirements of each management system.

Benefits of Integrated Management Systems (IMS) Certification

IMS certification, or Integrated Management Systems certification, offers several benefits to organisations that have successfully implemented and integrated multiple management systems. Here are some key advantages of IMS certification:

• Improved Performance: IMS certification enables organisations to enhance various aspects of their operations, including quality, safety, risk management, and productivity.

• Reduced Operational Costs: Integration of management systems helps organisations reduce operational costs by eliminating redundant activities, minimising interruptions, and improving overall efficiency.

• Process and Resource Optimisation: IMS certification focuses on process implementation and value addition, allowing organisations to optimise their processes and allocate resources more effectively.

• Reduced Maintenance: By integrating different management systems into a single framework, organisations can reduce the maintenance efforts required to keep multiple systems running smoothly.

• Cost-effective Audits: With IMS certification, organisations can undergo a single integrated management system audit once a year. This consolidation of audits saves significant resources and time compared to conducting separate audits for each individual management system.

How can you optimiSe your resources?

Simultaneously meeting the requirements of multiple management system standards puts a significant strain on an organisation’s resources. Instead of streamlining processes and resources, this creates unnecessary duplication of effort and budget allocation. You must therefore balance the achievement of management system standards against the resources required to gain certification.

An IMS audit increases efficiencies using simplified processes and documentation, thereby eliminating the fundamental approach, lowering effort duplication, improving system performance and reducing costs. IMS certification means that certification for multiple management system standards is usually evaluated in a single, comprehensive audit. Organisations spend less time preparing for audits and responding to their findings, significantly reducing the overall investment of time and money.

How can we help you?

TÜV SÜD is an internationally accredited certification body for a wide range of management systems, and our certificates are accepted and recognised globally. Our auditors have proven experience of how IMS certification reduces costs and risks for both large and small organisations.

The IMS audit certification mark equips your organisation with a powerful and recognisable demonstration of your commitment to excellence, sustainability, and reliability. For example, the certification mark shown on the left signifies compliance with quality, environment, energy, and safety requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between IMS and QMS?

IMS (Integrated Management System) is a comprehensive framework that combines multiple management systems into a unified structure. It integrates various systems, such as Quality Management Systems (QMS), Environmental Management Systems (EMS), Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS), and more, into a single cohesive system. IMS enables organizations to streamline processes, eliminate duplication, and improve overall efficiency by managing different aspects of their operations under one umbrella.

QMS (Quality Management System), on the other hand, is a specific management system focused solely on quality-related aspects within an organization. It is designed to establish and maintain quality standards, processes, and procedures to ensure that products or services consistently meet customer requirements and expectations. QMS typically includes activities such as quality planning, quality control, quality assurance, and continuous improvement.

In summary, while IMS is a broader framework that encompasses various management systems, including QMS, QMS specifically deals with quality-related processes and ensuring customer satisfaction.
What is the scope of IMS?

The scope of an IMS (Integrated Management System) refers to the extent or range of activities and processes covered by the system within an organization. It encompasses all the functions, departments, and processes that are integrated and managed within the IMS framework.

The scope of an IMS can vary from one organization to another, but it typically includes various management systems, such as Quality Management System (QMS), Environmental Management System (EMS), Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS), and potentially other systems like Information Security Management System (ISMS) or Energy Management System (EnMS).
Why is IMS audit needed?

An Integrated Management System (IMS) audit is essential to assess the effectiveness and compliance of the integrated system within an organization. It evaluates conformity, identifies improvement areas, ensures ongoing effectiveness, and demonstrates accountability to stakeholders. The IMS audit plays a crucial role in maintaining high standards, managing risks, and continuously improving the integrated management system.