Should You Get One ISO Standard First or Implement an Integrated Management System?
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
One of the first decisions businesses face is surprisingly difficult.
Should you certify to one ISO standard now and add others later?
Or should you implement an Integrated Management System (IMS) that combines multiple standards from the start?
If you're aiming for ISO certification to support growth, win contracts or improve your management systems, it's an important decision.
Choosing the right approach can save time, reduce duplication and make certification easier to maintain in the future.
The short answer to ISO Standards
There isn't a single answer that suits every business.
For some organisations, starting with one standard is the most practical approach.
For others, implementing multiple standards together is more efficient and delivers better long-term value.
The right option depends on your business objectives, your customers and the type of work you're planning to pursue.
What is an Integrated Management System?
An Integrated Management System combines two or more ISO standards into a single management system.
Rather than operating separate systems for quality, environmental management and health and safety, the business manages them together.
For example, many organisations combine:
ISO 9001 (Quality Management)
ISO 14001 (Environmental Management)
ISO 45001 (Health & Safety Management)
Instead of running three separate document control processes, internal audit programmes or management reviews, one integrated system covers them all.
This reduces duplication and makes the system easier to manage.
When one standard makes sense
For many businesses, certification starts with a single standard.
This is often the right approach if:
customers are only asking for one standard
you're entering ISO certification for the first time
the business is relatively small
budgets need to be spread over time
For example, a growing consultancy may only need ISO 9001 to satisfy customer requirements.
A technology company may prioritise ISO 27001 because information security is the key concern.
Starting with one standard allows the organisation to build confidence before expanding later if needed.
When an Integrated Management System makes more sense
For businesses operating in higher-risk sectors, implementing several standards together can often be more efficient.
Construction is a good example.
Many contractors are expected to demonstrate:
quality management
environmental management
health and safety management
Implementing these separately often creates unnecessary duplication because many of the requirements overlap.
An integrated approach allows common processes such as:
document control
internal audits
corrective actions
management reviews
risk management
to support all standards at the same time.
The commercial benefits of integrating
Beyond reducing paperwork, an integrated system can also make commercial sense.
It often provides:
greater consistency across the business
simpler maintenance
fewer duplicated procedures
more efficient audits
lower administration over time
As organisations grow, these efficiencies become increasingly valuable.
The mistake many businesses make
A common mistake is implementing one standard without considering future plans.
Six months later, a new customer requests another ISO standard.
The business then finds itself creating additional documentation that could have been designed into the system from the beginning.
This doesn't mean everyone should implement three or four standards immediately.
It simply means it's worth considering where the business is heading over the next few years before making a decision.
Think about tomorrow's contracts, not just today's
One of the best questions to ask is:
What type of work do we want to win over the next two or three years?
If you're targeting:
public sector contracts
framework agreements
larger contractors
regulated industries
there's a good chance additional standards will become relevant.
Planning for that growth early often makes future certification simpler and more cost-effective.
Which approach is right for you?
There isn't a universal answer.
Some businesses gain real value by focusing on one standard first.
Others save considerable time and effort by implementing an Integrated Management System from day one.
The decision should be driven by your business strategy, not simply by whichever certification happens to be requested first.
Not sure which route is best?
Every organisation has different priorities.
If you're unsure whether you should implement one standard or build an integrated management system, our free ISO readiness check can help you understand:
which standards are most relevant to your business
whether an integrated approach would make sense
what your most practical next step is
Final thought
ISO certification shouldn't just solve today's problem.
It should support tomorrow's opportunities.
Whether that means implementing one standard or building an integrated management system depends on where your business is heading - but making that decision with your future plans in mind will almost always deliver the best long-term value.
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