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Simplified compliance: the hidden value of IFM
The legislative landscape is evolving, heaping pressure on organisations to keep up.
Failure to do so can lead to costly fines and reputational damage.
Mitie’s Director of Enterprise Risk Management, Emma Coomber (pictured), reveals how Integrated Facilities Management can simplify compliance – and bring new benefits to your estate.
In theory, compliance is simple. You merely have to make sure your organisation and estate operates in line with the regulations and guidelines that protect business assets, people and the wider environment.
In doing so, you can be sure of:
- Operational integrity
- Protecting stakeholder interests
- Demonstrating your commitment to legal and ethical standards.
But what’s simple in theory is often not so simple in practice.
The sheer volume of requirements and frequent changes in regulations mean organisations and estate managers are required to update compliance practices, causing a huge drain on resources, time and money.
“Failure to safeguard compliance across your facilities can and will have a detrimental effect.”
Requirements also extend across a broad range of subjects, including data protection and privacy, corporate governance, health and safety, employment law, industry-specific regulations and ESG requirements. This means that compliance initiatives need to be a coordinated effort that combine the in-depth knowledge of processes from across your estate.
The big question everyone is asking: how can we make this easier?
Box ticking or beyond?
Before we examine the how, let’s first look at the why.
Failure to safeguard compliance across your facilities can and will have a detrimental effect on your organisation, from reputational damage to exorbitant remedial costs and fines. Avoiding these consequences and ticking the right boxes are the table stakes for compliance teams. But that doesn’t mean it’s where efforts should end.
There are many hidden benefits in looking at compliance as an opportunity rather than an obligation and going beyond the bare minimum.
Compliance activities and their associated legislation can provide a framework for value-adding initiatives within your organisation. This could be anything from pursuing transformative decarbonisation programmes to establishing a new data strategy.
If you get used to the I.D.E.A. that compliance is an opportunity, you can:
- Improve risk management
- Drive cost savings across your entire estate
- Enhance your brand reputation
- Attract and retain the best talent
Best practices for reducing complexity
There are two broad-stroke approaches to reducing the complexity of compliance. One focuses on processes. The other is about executing effective estate management.
For the former, implementing robust and standardised processes is the most important step. A compliance playbook, which provides best-practice and guidance, may prove helpful to be sure of consistency. Colleagues must also be trained and kept up to date with the latest requirements.
Vitally, the processes you put in place cannot be static. It’s crucial to take account of everything you learn and update your strategy accordingly. And it’s equally important to scan the horizon for impending changes to make sure you stay ahead of the legislative curve.
“In taking a single, centralised approach, you consolidate tasks and services under one management entity – gaining greater visibility and consistency.”
When it comes to estate management, implementing proactive and preventative asset maintenance will keep key systems online and prevent you falling short of requirements. Identifying which assets pose the greatest risk to operations and compliance can help you prioritise those activities.
The true secret to simplified compliance, however, is integration.
How Integrated Facilities Management brings simplified compliance
Integrated Facilities Management (IFM) combines several elements of facilities management under an integration layer. It brings consistency to activities and unlocks opportunities for data sharing and uncovering additional value.
This is the approach Mitie takes, combining services including security, cleaning, engineering, decarbonisation and more, to streamline operations and find incremental gains.
The main advantage of adopting IFM from a compliance standpoint is that you can effectively take a single, centralised approach to the management of your estate. In doing so, you consolidate tasks and services under one management entity – gaining greater visibility and consistency across all operations.
“Turn compliance from a challenge into an opportunity.”
Not only does IFM help give the bird’s-eye view of activities and requirements, a good IFM provider can manage compliance on your behalf. They will bring vast experience, and the tools and methodologies needed to help you stay in line with legislation. This means you don’t have to worry about dedicating limited internal resources to these activities. Instead, you can focus on the things that make your organisation tick.
Embrace the hidden value of IFM
Integrated Facilities Management can help you turn compliance from a challenge into an opportunity.
By combining this approach with the right technology and processes – like horizon scanning, threat intelligence, risk management software and proactive monitoring and maintenance – you can go beyond simply ticking boxes. Instead, you can use legislation as an impetus to drive meaningful and valuable change.
If you’d like to know more about how an integrated approach to facilities management can alleviate the burden of compliance, and add value to your organisation, visit our IFM webpage.
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