In recent years, the International Standards Organisation (ISO) have made a consistent effort to standardise the structure of all the standards that they publish for commercial use. In doing this, they have made the process of integrating the differing standard requirements into one management system, significantly easier. If you are certified to three standards (ISO9001, ISO14001 and ISO45001 for example), why create three separate management systems when you can manage the standards within one?
Generally speaking, a significant number of companies initially implement a quality management system, to enable them to hold a certificate for ISO9001. Once implemented, the management system then has the framework to expand upon existing areas and easily enables conformance to other standard requirements. Not only does this significantly reduce the time spent on system running/maintenance, but it makes both the internal and external auditing processes much easier.
Take the example of creating a risk register. Why create three registers, each requiring reviewing and updating when you can create a risk register incorporating risks that relate to each of the differing standards. Another good example is the setting of objectives. Why have three segregated objective sets, when you can create one ‘Company Objectives’ register. This allows for more efficient monitoring, whilst also enabling any links between set objectives to be identified more readily and effectively.
At Mark 1, we implement both standalone and integrated management systems. However, when implementing a system for one standard (for example ISO9001), we proactively set the system up with a structure that can be easily expanded should a company wish to extend to other standards in the future. As a company we always work smart, saving time for our clients and providing the most efficient service we can.
Whatever standard (or standards) you require, we will work with you to plan , implement, monitor, evaluate and continually review the way you operate. Furthermore, we can offer you our bespoke paperless ISO management system Titan™. The Titan System provides a structured framework which significantly simplifies the ISO process aiding you on the path to accreditation.
For more information on how we can support you to achieve ISO 14001, or to request a free trial of our products and services, contact 0161 359 4329 / info@mark1systems.com
