An Integrated Management System combines two or more ISO management-system standards into one unified set of policies, procedures, and audit processes. Because most current ISO standards share the same Harmonized Structure, integration is now considerably more achievable. Each standard is still individually certified — London Cert conducts the combined audit directly, and each certificate is issued with IAF accreditation.
What IMS Certification Actually Changes — And What It Doesn't
We want to be precise: each management-system standard you pursue still needs to meet its own specific requirements and receives its own individually IAF-accredited certificate. What changes with integration is the process — instead of separate documentation sets and separate audit visits, you build one unified management system addressing shared requirements once.
The more your chosen standards overlap in structure and clause numbering — common across post-2015 ISO standards — the greater your integration efficiency gain. Standards from very different eras or structures integrate less cleanly and may be better run as combined, rather than fully integrated, audits.
Why Indian Businesses Are Increasingly Combining Standards
A clear pattern has emerged: a pharmaceutical packaging manufacturer facing Revised Schedule M scrutiny may need ISO 9001 and ISO 15378 together. A GCC handling sensitive data may need ISO 27001 and ISO 20000-1 together. A bank's IT vendor may need ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 together, given cyberattacks are now the top-ranked disruption risk in RBI's own surveys.
Who Benefits Most From IMS Certification?
- Manufacturers needing ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 together — the most common IMS combination worldwide
- IT service providers and GCCs needing ISO 27001 and ISO 20000-1 together
- Food and pharma businesses needing ISO 9001 alongside sector-specific standards
- Any organisation currently running 2+ separate certifications with significant audit overlap
Only certificates carrying genuine IAF accreditation are internationally recognised — this applies to each individual standard in your integrated system. London Cert conducts your full combined audit directly.
Combine Your Certifications
Free consultation. Tell us which standards you need — we'll map the overlap and quote accordingly.
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Real benefits of integrated certification
Based on outcomes reported by organisations we've helped combine certifications.
Fewer Total Audit Days
One coordinated audit plan, one opening meeting, one closing meeting — instead of fully separate visits per standard.
Reduced Audit TimeLower Overall Cost
Shared documentation and streamlined surveillance audits reduce your total certification spend.
Real Cost SavingsOne Set of Policies, Not Several
Common requirements — document control, internal audit, management review — are addressed once, not duplicated.
Less DuplicationClearer Roles & Objectives
Common objectives across standards reduce ambiguity for staff and make responsibilities easier to define.
Role ClarityMore Coherent Risk View
Quality, security, environmental, and safety risks are considered together rather than in separate silos.
Holistic Risk ViewStreamlined Surveillance
Annual surveillance audits across all your standards become one coordinated visit rather than several.
Simplified RenewalsWhat businesses say about London Cert's IMS approach
Verified reviews from businesses we've certified across multiple standards.
We needed ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001 across two manufacturing sites. London Cert's integrated approach cut our total audit days significantly compared to running them separately.
Combining our ISO 27001 and ISO 20000-1 audits made complete sense for our GCC — the overlap in governance and risk management was substantial.
Our pharma packaging business needed ISO 9001 and ISO 15378 together. London Cert mapped exactly where the requirements overlapped and where they didn't.
