Quality is more than a certificate; it’s a way of life.

Today, we celebrate World Quality Day 2024, a global initiative organized by the Chartered Quality Institute, dedicated to championing excellent quality management. This year’s theme is ‘Quality: from compliance to performance’. Here to tell us more is Eugène den Elzen, Quality Manager at Kiwa’s Corporate Services.

What is quality?

For den Elzen, quality is a mindset that your company embodies - or does not. ‘Quality can't be limited to just one or two persons— It's a way of living and working that involves everyone in the organization. It means consistently delivering to the specific standard you've set, and meeting your customers' expectations every time. It's about continuous improvement, always driving forward. It means being open to new initiatives and technologies, embracing fresh ideas from both your workforce and external partners. And finally, it's about transparency and traceability.’

Why is quality invaluable?

'Performing at the highest quality level means efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness gains across your company’, says den Elzen. ‘But quality goes beyond that. Imagine you’re in a supermarket: if you’re looking for milk, you might look for a quality label that guarantees it's safe to drink; for another product, a sustainability label might indicate an eco-friendly supply chain. More people demand this kind of assurance today. Quality is a guarantee of trust: when a company can verify it offers high-quality products or services through thorough inspection and testing, it establishes trust. And that’s invaluable.’

How do you move from compliance to performance?

In line with the theme of World Quality Day, ‘Quality: from compliance to performance’, Den Elzen emphasizes that compliance with quality norms is only the first step. 'Even if you meet a set of standards, the next phase is about improvement—making sure quality is deeply embedded in your company culture.'

This means that everyone in your company should fully embody their role. In an ideal world, each team member knows how to act, what to do, and when to deliver to meet agreed quality standards—always keeping the end user in mind. From the planning stage to when the product reaches the end consumer, every action - from those of production specialists and receptionists to sales to administrative support staff - should focus on ensuring the customer receives the service or product they expect.

Why an external quality partner?

For den Elzen, external quality partners are 'all about keeping you sharp.' He explains, 'By measuring your performance against fixed standards, a third party like Kiwa can reveal the best ways to refine your practices. Whether it’s ensuring sustainability and safety, upgrading external processes, or simply striving to improve profitability and customer satisfaction, working with an objective outsider skilled in applying widely recognized standards, can help you achieve measurable results.

That’s why we do what we do at Kiwa. We aim to contribute to a safer and more sustainable world.'