The inaugural International Quality Awards

The CQI’s International Quality Awards celebrates the achievements of quality professionals who have made exceptional contributions in their organisations. The 22 November awards, which are held in association with our headline partner DNV GL, will help the public understand the role of quality professionals in advancing efficiencies in organisations worldwide.

Each of the six award categories had a three-member panel headed by Estelle Clark, CQI’s executive director of policy. Fifty-four per cent of all entries came from quality professionals working internationally.

“This is the first year and it’s been an extremely successful year,” said Martin Brenig-Jones, managing director at Catalyst, and a judge for the Quality Team of the Year Award. “What we’re doing here is highlighting the art of what is possible, what a team can do. I hope all the applicants for this award feel they got something out of applying.”

The diversity of the applications is what surprised Brenig-Jones the most while judging his category. “I was taken aback by the number of entries. I was surprised by the range of sectors and organisations that had applied, particularly from non-UK companies.” 

Ramanie P. Chandraratne, global training services manager at DNV GL, is a judge for the Quality Professional of the Year award. “The awards will certainly give this profession a ‘face lift’ and hopefully enhance the business value of today’s quality professionals. This is a unique opportunity to communicate about the contributions that these professionals make to their organisations, where otherwise sometimes can be taken for granted.” 

This is a unique opportunity to communicate about the contributions that these professionals make to their organisations, where otherwise sometimes can be taken for granted

Ramanie P. Chandraratne, global training services manager at DNV GL and a judge for the Quality Professional of the Year award

The best lessons Chandraratne gained from the judging experience include: quality professionals do great work regardless of which country they come from, and not to take things for granted without further enquiry. “There were many applicants but to select someone who has the willingness to learn and un-learn with the changing business context, and make a sustainable business impact on the organisation, while setting an example to the others was a tough task.” 

As a judge on the Leadership Award panel, Gary Illingworth, CQP FCQI, and head of quality at Leonardo MW Ltd, found that there were common quality challenges across various sectors such as construction, automotive, medical and defence. “It was interesting that there was this common thing we are all trying to fix and address, although it is being undertaken in different ways. I find a weird comfort that everyone is struggling to address common issues and it’s not just us in the defence industry.”

He said the strongest commonality was on governance and finding ways to make the business management system accessible and useful for everyone in an organisation.

Illingworth would advise those interested in entering next year’s awards not to rush their applications. “If I was putting a submission in, I would definitely take my time and get it peer reviewed.”

Brenig-Jones encourages quality professionals who are thinking of entering next year to go for it. His advice would be to study the shortlisted candidates and the winners to see how their own organisation compares. “Even if you don’t think you’re necessarily going to win the first time around, it’s worth putting an application in because you’ll learn something from that process.”