Juggling product quality and workplace safety can be quite a balancing act. That’s why so many EHSQ professionals have turned to Quality Management Software (QMS) and Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) software. Yet despite the overlap between them—both focus on compliance, reducing risks, and improving processes—these tools have traditionally operated in silos.

Now there’s a growing recognition that you can make your operations even more efficient and effective by integrating them. So, let’s explore the common ground between EHS and quality management and why incorporating them into a single system makes so much sense.

First up, definitions!

What is Quality Management software?

Quality Management Software (QMS) is a digital tool that helps you centralize, standardize, and streamline your quality management processes. It ensures consistent workflows, data management, and reporting, so your products and services consistently meet customer requirements and comply with industry standards and regulations.

What is EHS software?

EHS software applications enable you to collect, analyze, and report data across all your environmental, health, and safety business processes. They help you manage risks and improve performance, ensuring a safe and compliant workplace.

Common ground between EHS and Quality Management

EHS and quality management software have a lot in common. Both aim to manage compliance, reduce risks, and optimize processes. Here’s how they work together:

• Streamlined data management: Both tools make it easy to collect, analyze, and report data, helping your organization meet industry and regional standards.
• Shared capabilities: They include similar modules like incident management, audits, and document control, all focused on continuous improvement.
• Comprehensive worker safety: Initiatives like total worker health and a sustainable workforce show that engaged workers are workers who feel safe. Simply put—an engaged workforce leads to better quality outcomes.

When it comes to EHS and quality management, there are five core modules that share functionality and benefit from integration:

• Audits: Centralize all audit activities and regulatory tracking in one place. This makes documents, schedules, and findings easily accessible, streamlining the entire audit process.
• CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Actions): Use extensive data to evaluate incident causes and establish preventative actions. This helps different business units respond to issues effectively and collaborate on root cause analysis.
• Document Control: Keep all compliance documents consistent and accessible with a single source of truth. This reduces duplication, controls access permissions better, and ensures everyone has the latest information.
• Risk Management: Coordinate high-priority risks with a unified risk registry and shared tools like risk matrices. This makes risk management a collaborative, organization-wide effort.
• Training and Competence Management: Consistently administer and track training across both EHS and quality domains. Link training to employee data, track progress easily and avoid overlap between programs.

Key gains from combining EHS and quality management systems

Knowing how EHS and quality management overlap shows why integrating them makes sense. Here are five key benefits of bringing these systems together:

1. Consolidated view of compliance

With an integrated EHSQ system, all your compliance data is in one spot, available in real time. You can generate reports with a click, making audits and regulatory checks easy. You’ll always be prepared.

2. Improved operational efficiency

Automating compliance tasks shared by EHS and Quality—such as data entry, incident reporting, and scheduling audits cuts down on errors and frees up your team for bigger projects, driving innovation and efficiency.

3. Coordinated risk management

Risk management works best when it’s a team effort. A unified EHSQ platform helps EHS and quality teams share information and collaborate. This way, all risks are managed together, making your workplace safer.

4. Better decision making

An integrated EHS and QMS system breaks down data silos, giving executives clear business insights. Access to combined data on safety and quality helps leaders make informed decisions, plan better, and manage risks effectively, keeping your organization agile and competitive.

5. ISO compliance

Achieving ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 standards becomes more straightforward with an integrated system. These standards share objectives around process management, documentation, and continuous improvement, so they fit perfectly within one platform.

The industry shift toward integration

Beyond the shared functionalities and benefits of streamlined data management and improved worker safety, the industry is moving towards integrating EHS and quality management.

The Verdantix Global Corporate Survey¹ highlights that EHSQ professionals increasingly recognize the value of integrating EHS and quality management. Of the 301 EHSQ professionals in the survey:

• 33% see consolidating enterprise software systems as a high priority.
• 43% consider it a moderate priority.
• 21% plan to use EHS software for quality management across their operations in 2024. For highly regulated industries, this number jumps to 30%.

So, by adopting an integrated approach you’ll be in good company! The data clearly shows a strong industry trend toward consolidation. This forward-thinking strategy will help you stay competitive and position your company amongst the leaders in your industry.

See it in action

At TenForce, we’re here to help you seamlessly integrate quality and EHS management, making your operations more efficient and effective. Want to learn more about how we support EHS and quality management?

Join our upcoming webinar: Taking Quality Management from Compliance to Competitive Edge

You’ll learn how the TenForce Quality Management Suite can help you:

• Stay ahead of changing global standards and regulations.
• Gain a holistic view of quality metrics across your entire operation.
• Identify and mitigate risks before they become costly issues.
• Drive operational excellence and product quality.

Plus, the expert-led demo will show you six core EHS and QMS modules in action:

• Audits & Inspections
• CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Actions)
• Document Control
• Incident Management
• Competence Management
• Management of Change

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to stay ahead in the industry. Secure your free spot today.

[1] Global Corporate Survey: EHS Budgets, Priorities and Tech Preferences 2023