When organisations scale, management systems often scale separately: quality is handled one way, information security another, IT services yet another, and so on. Each framework adds its own policies, documentation and audit cycles, until the overhead becomes a problem of its own.

That’s why Maven Mule chose a different and smarter approach to this challenge.

In the past year, Maven Mule expanded beyond a single-framework setup and implemented ISO 22301 (Business Continuity), ISO/IEC 20000-1 (IT Service Management), ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and ISO 50001 (Energy Management), alongside with existing ISO 9001 (Quality Management) and ISO 27001 (Information Security) frameworks.

Rather than running six separate systems, Maven Mule built an Integrated Management System (IMS) - one cohesive structure that supports multiple standards through shared processes, shared evidence and a shared operating rhythm.

Our objective was different: to create an Integrated Management System that supports business continuity, information security, IT service delivery, cybersecurity, environmental responsibility and energy efficiency as a single operating model.

This is where our collaboration with MindMint Solutions began.

What is a management system?

A management system is the structured way an organisation ensures that important activities are planned, carried out consistently, monitored, improved, and clearly owned.

It’s not just “documentation” and it’s not a software platform.

In simple terms, a management system is how a company answers questions like:

- Who is responsible for security/quality/continuity/service delivery?

- How do we define policies, objectives, and responsibilities?

- How do we manage risks and decide what controls to apply?

- How do we ensure staff are trained and processes are followed?

- How do we track performance, detect issues, and improve?

- How do we prove all of the above during audits and customer reviews?

That’s why ISO standards talk about governance, risk management, internal audits, management reviews and continual improvement, as  the goal isn’t paperwork; it’s repeatable, measurable, accountable operations.

What is an Integrated Management System (IMS)?

An Integrated Management System is a single, unified set of processes that meets the requirements of multiple management standards at once.

Instead of maintaining separate “mini systems” for quality, security, continuity, service management, environment, and energy, an IMS consolidates overlapping requirements into a single structure based on:

- One integrated top level policy, with topic specific policy hierarchy

- One set of governance and roles

- A common risk management approach

- Unified document control

- A single internal audit programme

- One management review cycle

- A shared continual improvement process

Most modern ISO management system standards (MSS) are built on the same foundation (often called the “High-Level Structure”, HLS, or Annex SL), which makes them designed to integrate.

This HLS consists of 10 core clauses, shared with all management system standards:

1. Scope

2. Normative references

3. Terms and definitions

4. Context of the organization

5. Leadership

6. Planning

7. Support

8. Operation

9. Performance evaluation

10. Improvement

Although all clauses are present in every standard, each management system introduces its own specific concepts and additional requirements, particularly within Clause 8, which governs operational activities. Despite these variations, the shared structure provides a strong and practical foundation for an integrated approach.

Why Maven Mule chose the IMS approach

Implementing multiple standards can create a real risk of “compliance sprawl”, where each standard adds new requirements, new documents, and new tools, but not necessarily better outcomes.

Maven Mule’s goal was different: embed day-to-day practices that improve operations, while ensuring compliance to the standards in a sustainable way.

An IMS supports exactly that. It shifts the focus from “passing audits” to operating a consistent, repeatable system that improves over time, ensuring strengthened operation across the entire organization.

Where standards overlap more than most teams expect?

A big reason IMS works is that standards like ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 22301, ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 share common DNA (the HLS).

Across these frameworks, you repeatedly see requirements for:

- Leadership commitment and accountability

- Documented policies and objectives

- Risk assessment and control measures

- Competence, awareness and training

- Operational planning and control

- Incident management and corrective actions

- Monitoring, measurement and reporting

- Internal audits and management reviews

- Continual improvement

In an IMS, these aren’t recreated six times but rather they are implemented once and  mapped to each framework.

The practical benefits of an IMS

1) One governance model, clearer ownership

With multiple standalone systems, responsibilities can blur: who owns risk? Who owns audits? Who owns control effectiveness?

An IMS creates a single governance layer that makes accountability clear and reduces operational gaps. This is especially true in areas where responsibilities cross departments (e.g., R&D + Security + Product).

2) Less paperwork, more usable processes

One of the biggest misconceptions is that “more standards = more documentation.”

In practice, an IMS reduces documentation as shared procedures (document control, incident management, training, risk management, supplier management, corrective actions) are shared between standards and don’t need to be duplicated.

The result is leaner documentation that people actually follow.

3) One audit rhythm instead of constant audit fatigue

Running multiple independent audit programmes leads to constant preparation cycles.

An IMS allows:

- a single integrated internal audit programme

- coordinated external audit planning

- shared evidence and shared sampling

This reduces disruption while improving audit quality, as the system is reviewed as a whole, not in isolated silos.

4) Stronger risk management and better decision-making

ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 22301, ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 all require structured thinking around risks and impacts.

An IMS supports a unified risk management approach, enabling Maven Mule to make better decisions based on a complete picture:

- business continuity risks

- information security risks

- service delivery risks

- quality risks

- environmental and energy risks

Rather than treating these as separate compliance checklists, they become part of a single decision-making process.

5) Easier scaling and onboarding

A well-designed IMS becomes a “company operating system”:

- it standardises how work is done

- it improves handovers and responsibilities

- it makes onboarding easier

- it creates repeatable controls

That’s especially important when organisations grow teams, services, suppliers, and customer requirements.

6) Real operational improvements, not just certificates

The most valuable IMS outcome isn’t the certificate on the wall, but rather what changes in daily operations.

For Maven Mule, aligning IT service management (ISO/IEC 20000-1), continuity (ISO 22301), and security (ISO 27001) alongside quality and sustainability standards drives operational outcomes like:

- clearer service ownership

- stronger incident and problem management

- more reliable continuity planning and testing

- better measurement and management reporting

- a more systematic improvement cycle.

Future-proofing: Why an IMS makes new framework implementation easier

An IMS is also a strategic investment in future requirements.

Standards and frameworks evolve, customers add compliance expectations, and market requirements shift. With an IMS in place, adopting something new becomes a mapping exercise, not a total rebuild.

How does this help with other similar standards and frameworks?

Many of related information and cybersecurity frameworks requirements overlap heavily with what ISO 27001 and an IMS already establish, especially around:

- policy and governance;

- risk management;

- access control and change management;

- incident response;

- monitoring and measurement;

- vendor/supplier oversight;

- audit evidence and management review.

When an organisation already runs an IMS, the process to ensure compliance with other frameworks becomes simplified and more predictable because:

- controls are already embedded in operations;

- evidence is already collected through existing processes;

- responsibilities and reporting lines already exist;

- improvements are managed through corrective actions and continual improvement;

In simple terms: an IMS turns “new frameworks” into “new mappings.”

What made the IMS implementation successful at Maven Mule

IMS projects succeed when they’re implemented as a practical operating model, not as a documentation exercise.

Key success factors in this kind of programme typically include:

- executive support and clear ownership

- a lean documentation approach

- aligning processes to how teams actually work

- integrating tools and evidence sources already in use

- consistent internal audit and management review routines

- creating habits around continual improvement

To support Maven Mule through this process, from design through implementation to certification readiness, MindMint Solutions worked closely with the team to structure the IMS, align overlapping requirements across standards, and prepare for successful certification audits. 

The focus throughout was to keep the system practical: Built around real operations, not theoretical templates.

The bottom line

For organisations managing multiple certifications, an Integrated Management System is often the difference between:

- running compliance as a burden, and 

- running compliance as a business advantage

Maven Mule’s IMS provides a unified foundation across quality, security, continuity, IT service management, and sustainability, resulting in reducing duplication, increasing clarity, and strengthening operational resilience.

And as compliance expectations continue to grow (whether through customer requirements, new regulations, or frameworks), IMS helps ensure future readiness without future chaos.

About the implementation partner

Maven Mule’s Integrated Management System was implemented with the support of MindMint Solutions, guiding the organisation across multiple standards and aligning them into one practical, audit-ready operating system.