There are many business scenarios that can affect the way that companies carry out effective management in compliance with current national and international regulations, meet market demands by offering quality products and services, and meet their needs. competitors.
One of them, and it is the one that concerns us here, has to do with having several management systems for Quality, the Environment, Occupational Risk Prevention (PRL) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) . In cases like this, these systems depend on different departments and, consequently, the processes that they follow vary from one another, and the objectives they seek also.
In addition to demonstrating a lack of coordination, situations such as these lead to an inappropriate use of the company’s human and material resources, the waste of synergies and an excess of bureaucracy / documentation.
It is then when having an integrated Quality, Environment, PRL and CSR management system is presented as an opportunity to improve the performance of the organization and guarantee the success of its business strategy.
INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: WHAT IT IS AND CHARACTERISTICS
An integrated management system is a tool that allows some aspects of a company’s operations and activities to be managed in a unified manner , such as those related to the quality of products and services, the environment and safety at work. All this in accordance with norms and ISO standards.
As for the most common characteristics of an integrated management system, these are:
- Unification of the processes of the management systems of the different areas , in a way that contributes to achieving common goals.
- Creation of a single management department , whose main responsibilities will be to establish the objectives, organize and coordinate the integration process and monitor the actions.
- Preparation of a single manual that includes common procedures and instructions, as well as the most specific information for each system.
- Carrying out a single Internal Audit Plan that includes evaluations of the resources common to all the systems and others separate from the specific ones.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Implementing an integrated management system can bring numerous benefits to a company. Some of the most prominent are:
- Simplification of management systems.
- Development of a more efficient corporate management.
- Greater control of the organization’s operations and monitoring of the progress achieved in relation to Quality, Environment, PRL and CSR.
- Lower costs thanks to the grouping of tasks, better use of resources (human, technical and financial), reduction of audits, etc.
- Increase in business competitiveness in the current market.
- Bet on innovation.
- Safe and reliable work environment.
- Improvement of the brand image, both internally (workers) and externally (clients and suppliers).
HOW TO INTEGRATE A MANAGEMENT SYSTEM? STEP BY STEP
- Have the support and commitment of senior management.
- Identify the management systems that are already implemented in the company, which ones are to be integrated and the resources available and necessary to carry out the process.
- Appoint the person who will lead the project and a coordinating committee.
- Plan and prepare a strategic and operational plan for the implementation of Integrated Management Systems: deadlines, actions, people involved in the process, documentation, etc. This must be approved by senior management.
- Communicate the final management systems integration plan to all members of the organization so that they are aware of the changes, responsibilities and tasks they must assume, processes to follow, etc.
- Launch the implementation of Integrated Management Systems as detailed in the plan, monitoring actions, incorporating improvements and rectifying if necessary.
Currently there are many companies that are immersed in the implementation of Integrated Management Systems and that lag behind specialized professionals in the field.