Integrated Management Systems Foundation Course (Self-Paced Online)

This self paced online course is your introduction to integrated management systems built on three international standards: ISO 9001:2026 for quality, ISO 45001:2018 for occupational health and safety, and ISO 14001 for the environment. In about a day you will learn what each standard requires, how they are structured, and how the shared high level structure lets an organisation run quality, safety and environment as one integrated system. This is a foundation level course: it builds understanding of the standards themselves, not auditing. As a bonus, it also explains how ISO certification works, so you understand how organisations achieve and maintain certification.

Key concepts covered

• Quality, occupational health and safety, and environmental management and the ISO frameworks that support them
• The high level structure shared across ISO management system standards
• How an integrated management system brings the three standards together
• The process approach and risk based thinking
• Customer focus, worker participation, and protection of the environment
• Context of the organisation and interested parties
• Hazard identification and the hierarchy of controls
• Environmental aspects, impacts and a life cycle perspective
• Continual improvement

An understanding of ISO 9001:2026, ISO 45001:2018 and ISO 14001 is valuable across every part of an organisation. This foundation course enables you to:

• Understand all three standards and speak the language of quality, safety and environmental management with confidence
• See how the three standards align and work together as one integrated management system
• Contribute to your organisation's management systems and their certification readiness
• Build a solid foundation before progressing to Internal Auditor training
• Earn a globally recognised foundation credential

Why learning online works for you

• Learn anytime, anywhere. Study on demand, on site or off site, whenever it suits you
• Self paced. Move at your own speed and spend more time on the areas you want to master
• Cost effective. No travel, accommodation, or time away from the office to fund
• Lifetime access. Return to the materials whenever you need them
• Built to stick. Interactive, multi format lessons keep you engaged and improve retention

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Explain the purpose and benefits of quality, occupational health and safety, and environmental management systems
• Describe the structure of ISO 9001:2026, ISO 45001:2018 and ISO 14001 and how their clauses fit together
• Explain how the shared high level structure allows the three standards to be integrated into one management system
• Explain the key concepts: the process approach, risk based thinking, customer focus, worker participation, hazard identification, environmental aspects and impacts, and continual improvement
• Describe how an organisation uses the three standards to manage quality, protect worker health and safety, and reduce its environmental impact
• Explain what ISO certification is and how organisations achieve and maintain it

As a bonus, this course explains how ISO certification works. You will learn what it means for an organisation to be certified, the role of accredited certification bodies and accreditation, and how organisations achieve and maintain certification.

This course is designed for anyone who wants a working understanding of the three standards, including:

• Anyone new to ISO 9001, ISO 45001, ISO 14001 or integrated management systems
• People who work within or contribute to a quality, safety or environmental management system
• Managers, staff, and consultants who need a working understanding of the standards
• Anyone preparing to progress to Internal Auditor training
• Those supporting their organisation towards ISO 9001, ISO 45001 or ISO 14001 certification

There are no prerequisites for this course. It is suitable for complete beginners.

You will need a computer, laptop, or tablet with a reliable internet connection. The course works in any modern web browser, such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari. For the best experience, keep your browser updated to the latest version.