This paper has identified five key issues and four major questions regardin
g the integration of quality, environmental and occupational health and saf
ety management systems and standards. These issues and questions were teste
d, using four distinct methods, in order to assess their relevance and to d
etermine their importance. One of the major findings is that what organizat
ions mean by integration depends to a great extent on what they want it to
mean. However, if the culture and climate do not match their aims then the
resulting integrated management system is likely to be no more than a mergi
ng of system documentation. The findings have also revealed two approaches
to integration which reflect both the differences in culture and the needs
of organizations. They are a merging of the documentation (the aligned appr
oach), and implementation of an integrated management system (IMS) through
a total quality approach.