Learn how organizations are implementing, managing, and making the most of their integrated management systems. IMS’ save money and time during implementation, maintenance, and auditing.

An IMS is defined as integrated processes, risk, and audits. Typically, organizations look at ISO 9001:2015 as the model for quality systems.  For food safety there are a few good choices including SQF, BRC, and FSSC 22000.  For environmental, health and safety, and IT security, organizations implement ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ISO 27001.  All of these standards follow the High Level Structure (HLS) which helps in integrated management systems.  Note, food safety standards that follow ISO 22000 as the food safety standard benefit from the HLS, but BRC, and SQF and other food safety standards still integrate nicely with the other five standards.

These standards can be implemented in the organization around the process approach. Each of these standards require the organization to use risk-based thinking and conduct risk analysis. Additionally, an IMS facilitates integrated audits which reduces auditing time and effort, resulting in cost reductions for the organization.

Not only is integration good for an organization, but standardization of the processes in a multi-site organization brings in focus, efficiency, and effectiveness. A management system with integration and standardization results in an overall savings of over 50 percent in implementation costs, 60 percent in maintenance costs, and 20 percent in third-party auditing costs.

In the food industry, it is shown that the largest food organizations are integrating their QMS, EMS, OHS, and FSMS. IMS are easily implemented and provide benefits for any organization including small organizations who manufacture or package for the food industry. Also, all six of these standards do not necessarily need to be integrated. Integration can be for just quality and food safety or in other words two to six standards. Find out how the best organizations in the world are implementing IMS.