Effectively Integrating Multiple Third-Party Standards for Quality, Safety and Environmental Management

Anthony Hardy, Director of Management Systems Certification, NSF

The manufacturing industry is more competitive than ever, rewarding forward-thinking manufacturers who successfully accomplish quality, safety and environmental responsibility in their operations. Through integrating multiple third-party standards, including IATF 16949: Automotive Quality Management System Certification, ISO 9001: Quality Management Systems (QMS) Certification, ISO 45001: Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) and ISO 14001: Environmental Management System (EMS), manufacturers can elevate their operations.

Organizations can achieve significant gains beyond compliance when cohesively adopting multiple standards. By implementing internationally recognized standards and practices into their processes, organizations can achieve operational resilience and efficiency. This implementation can enhance operations and create a more sustainable company that competes better globally.

Benefits of Integrating Standards

Core standards like IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 45001, and ISO 14001 offer individual benefits to certified organizations. But together, they can elevate an organization's operations and contribute to a greater business impact. Manufacturers who leverage the benefits of multiple standards should manage them collaboratively rather than in a siloed process. A collaborative management approach helps avoid overlapped efforts and increased resource demands. This approach allows the organization to experience the benefits that multiple management systems can have on their processes, customer retention, and bottom line. Additionally, organizations will experience enhanced efficiency, a unified organizational culture, improved compliance and risk management, and cost savings.

Enhanced Efficiency

Part of the management system process includes documentation and reporting requirements, requiring administrative overhead. Coupled with audit and training requirements for each management system a company has, collaborative management helps alleviate administrative workload and allows teams to focus on creating quality products.

Unified Organizational Culture

Each management system reinforces an organization’s commitment to quality, safety and sustainability. Overseeing all management systems together creates a stronger organizational culture that embraces these core values. A top-down management approach further enforces these ideals of compliance and continual improvement to its team members.

Improved Compliance and Risk Management

Multiple management systems require organizations to operate proactively, reducing supply chain and operational risks. This also forces organizations to deal with issues earlier to meet industry and regulatory requirements. An integrated approach gives organizations an overview of all the risks faced across multiple business sectors.

Cost Savings

Each management system certification requires an organizational audit, with the associated documentation and corrective actions. Organizations can eliminate duplicate work through a cohesive management approach, lowering their compliance costs.

Through management integration of multiple standard processes, manufacturers can experience numerous benefits that make compliance easier and more cost-effective. Reducing redundancies also allows manufacturers to focus on creating a culture of safety, quality and sustainability through their operations rather than the administrative work of managing the certifications.

How to Integrate Standards

Incorporating multiple standards doesn’t have to be a complicated process. Organizations can follow the steps below to achieve successful operations with multiple certifications:

1.       Conduct a Gap Analysis

A gap analysis will require organizations to review the requirements of each management system. In this process, identify areas across the different management systems that overlap and where processes can be consolidated.

2.       Create Cross-Functional Teams

Collaboration between quality, environmental and safety teams helps align different policies and processes in an organization and will help break down silos and ensure integration.

3.       Utilize Management Technology

Implement management technology to help reduce certification tasks like documentation and reporting. This can also help increase efficiency when tracking corrective actions needed for the different management systems.

4.       Employee Training

Team members must learn and embody their roles in maintaining a successful management system. Employee training and engagement help organizations implement a culture focused on quality, safety and the environment.

5.       Periodic Evaluations

Organizations must conduct regular audits to maintain certification for their management systems. During these audits, they must demonstrate that their system operates successfully and meets the standard requirements. Tracking organization performance and conducting management reviews help organizations demonstrate they meet requirements and are continuously improving.

Choosing the Right Third-Party Certifier for Integration Support

Selecting the right partner to assist manufacturers during the certification process of their management systems can make a dramatic difference in how seamless the process is. Third-party certifiers like NSF have technical expertise in top management certifications, including IATF 16949, ISO 9001, ISO 45001 and ISO 14001, which help manufacturers integrate multiple systems holistically. Customized guidance helps organizations meet standard requirements and improve their operations, increasing their competitive advantage on a global stage.

Contact NSF today to learn more about how to integrate multiple management standards to increase quality, safety and environment processes. Through operating an integrated system, operational excellence helps organizations earn a strategic advantage while achieving sustainable growth.

For more information on integrated management systems or to discuss certification options, please visit NSF’s website.

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