Profiles in quality The 2018 International Quality Award winners, finalists and their stories Foreword

he pages of this ebook offer a to inspire and support others to realise rare treat for those of us who that improvement. are interested in how quality Tprofessionals help organisations sustain In this sense these are stories of leadership, and improve their performance. courage and determination at every level. But they are also the stories of individuals, These are the stories of individuals, teams and organisations the world over teams and organisations around the who have understood the importance world who have, through the art and of telling their own quality stories to science of quality management, made demonstrate the unique value that the organisations more resilient, more quality profession brings to the world. competitive and more successful in demanding times. I hope that hearing their stories encourages you to follow in their You will find little of the hard science footsteps by putting forward your own of quality management in these short work for future CQI International pages - but that, I think, is rather the Quality Awards, to stand proud and make point. The true revelation is how our your own contribution to the continuing winners and finalists have brought story of the quality profession. the tools of our trade to bear on the context in which organisations Vincent Desmond operate, to help them improve, and CEO, CQI Foreword

e held the first The awards have grown and Another change in 2018 is CQI International matured in their second year. the much wider breadth of Quality Awards in The number of categories is up sectors that the applicants 2017,W and I’m delighted that from six to nine, giving many worked in, including many they were so popular that more entrants the opportunity from healthcare. they are now a key date in to find a category that suited our annual calendar. them. We were particularly However, the most important pleased to be able to introduce aspect of the 2018 awards The International Quality an award for Quality wasn’t what was different, Awards exist to celebrate Organisation of the Year. but what remained the same. the achievements of quality Entrants continued to take us professionals from all over Also in 2018, some people into the heart of their work the globe. With this ebook, took the opportunity to enter a and make us feel part of it. We we want to share those stories second time, either in the same were, for a short time, able to as widely as we can, in the category or a different one. In walk in the shoes of quality hope that people will learn all these cases we were delighted professionals and understand and be inspired to tell us to see that our second-time what drives them. I hope that their own stories, by entering entrants had implemented this ebook gives you some of future awards for themselves. the suggestions they received that same experience. from the judges last time, and The award entries we in one case (Quality Team of If it encourages you to enter the received in 2018 continued the Year), that has led them to International Quality Awards in to be international, with the victory this time around. 2019, it will have done its job! majority of entries coming 11 from outside the UK. The We were also pleased to Estelle Clark, CQP FCQI winners 11 winners come from welcome some of our 2017 Executive Director of Policy, CQI eight different countries, award winners as judges for and the finalists bring the 2018 - their insights were total number of countries particularly valuable to the 9 represented to 11. judging panel. categories

Words: Katrina Rozal EMERGING TALENT | WINNER

Name: Khar Voen (Carmen) Chin, PCQI Carmen Chin traded a career in finance THE OUTCOME for the quality profession. After earning her THE JOURNEY Masters in Accounting, Carmen became To deal with challenges related to the supply Carmen’s audit work helps to maximise Role: Project Quality Engineer a financial auditor with PwC Malaysia. But chain and internal awareness of quality efficiencies and minimise compliance issues. two years ago, she left to join the quality policies, Carmen focused on training, audits The rollout of an NCR portal led to the team at the Hong Kong office of Alstom, Company: and improvement. She coordinated technical integrated NCR management tool being Alstom Hong Kong Limited which manufactures trains and provides rail training for suppliers, and governance training deployed in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. infrastructure services. for internal teams. Location: Her approach to signalling upgrade work Hong Kong S.A.R., China led to improvements in tools, competences, “This award is a recognition for my work The language barrier was not an issue for purchased products and internal processes. after I made a big career change from finance Carmen as she was able to communicate in to quality,” says Carmen. “I wasn’t sure it English, Cantonese and Mandarin to provide a “Carmen is what this award category is all was the right move, so this award boosts strong interface between management teams, about: a young woman in a male-dominated my confidence, as I feel I have made the workforces and suppliers. industry who is working hard and emerging right choice.” in the quality world,” says category judge and To gain buy-in for audits, Carmen presented 2017 Emerging Talent Award winner Charlotte auditing as an opportunity to improve systems, Laverty, CQP MCQI, Quality and Business THE CHALLENGE such as warehouse stock management. She Continuity Manager at BT Global Services. As Project Quality Engineer, Carmen is also spearheaded improvements in the Hong “Carmen has real talent and a ‘quality’ mindset. responsible for a variety of quality activities Kong office’s non-conformance reporting She will go far!” supporting rail operators in Hong Kong, (NCR) by leading the deployment of a global Taiwan and Singapore. NCR portal for tracking supplier quality issues. Co-judge Laura Fletcher, Commercial and Customer Experience Director for NQA Carmen’s work helps to ensure that contract Identifying improvements in installation Certification Ltd., says: “Not everyone has the quality requirements are met for signalling activities is also under Carmen’s remit. Her courage to change careers after 10 years in. projects, to ensure the reliable operation credibility is often challenged when carrying She has a good attitude and a strong analytical of rail networks that transport millions of out inspections of the installation work of skillset. Carmen is aware of the challenges that passengers daily. This includes equipment teams of up to 100 people, where she is the face her as a woman within a male-oriented fitted in trains, stations, tunnels and control only woman. The group can only work when industry and I encourage her to embrace these centres. Carmen is part of the quality team trains aren’t running, which is generally in the challenges and use them as an opportunity.” that ensures early detection of potential issues early hours of the morning, so to prioritise and leads cross-functional problem-solving areas that require quality checks, she performs teams in root cause analysis exercises using risk assessments before site visits and works 8D and other problem-solving techniques. directly with the installation managers. “Carmen is what this award category is all about” INNOVATION THROUGH QUALITY METHOD | WINNER

Organisation: The Register of Enterprises of the Republic a business,” says Guna Paidere, the register’s The Register of Enterprises THE JOURNEY of the Republic of Latvia of Latvia is the government body responsible Chief State Notary. “UNA is the future for helping entrepreneurs register new ambassador of the public administration.” The register collaborated with technology companies and update company documents. developer Tilde to create a virtual assistant. Innovation: UNA virtual assistant The register has introduced UNA, a virtual Winning an International Quality Award is a The register’s quality management system assistant powered by artificial intelligence (AI), powerful validation of the register’s efforts to was used to create a risk management system to enhance customer service on its online modernise the quality of its customer service Location: which considered factors such as the impact Riga, Latvia platforms. UNA is the first chatbot of its kind management, says Guna. “This award means a of innovative projects on financial risks, and in Latvia’s public services. It is available 24/7 and lot for me and my organisation. It is the first the impact of personnel turnover risks on is able to answer more than 16,000 questions. international award we have received and the quality of customer service. In designing it also provides important recognition for the application, the register prioritised “UNA helps to make Latvia a country in which our work.” the questions asked most frequently everyone can realise their dream of setting up by customers, which related to new registrations, and the progress of registrations THE CHALLENGE and liquidations. After the successful implementation of a pilot project, the register Before UNA, the primary means of launched UNA on its website and on the communication for the register’s customers Facebook Messenger app on 13 June 2018. were face-to-face visits, email, telephone and social media including Facebook and Twitter.

One of the register’s strategic goals is that by 2020, entrepreneurs should be able to remotely and independently register legal entities and update details. Data gathered THE OUTCOME from the quality management system suggests “UNA is the that customers prefer to submit registration As of October 2018, UNA has already responded to more than applications electronically. This feedback 18,000 individual questions from nearly 3,000 unique users, and has consequence spurred the register to pursue AI solutions in helped the register make savings on human resources. of insights earnest in 2015, and make technology more prominent in its key performance indicators. “The team did good work with their technology and in capturing collected in the and analysing information,” says category judge Paul Simpson, QMS. Quality The register decided to use AI as a way CQP FCQI, Chair of the CQI Milton Keynes branch and Principal of providing users with a more efficient Consultant and Owner of s2a2s Ltd. management way to submit documents. For example, one recurring issue was the delay in the “What I particularly like about this entry is that UNA seems to has driven registration of documents as a result of be a direct consequence of the feedback and insights collected in innovation” errors in online submissions. Having a virtual the quality management system via the KPIs that were introduced assistant to address questions 24/7 in real in 2015,” says category judge Dr Bettina von Stamm, founder of time can prevent such issues, and keep the the Innovation Leadership Forum. “Here, quality management has registration process running smoothly. driven innovation.”

Marika Jancenko, Quality Manager, and Guna Paidere, Chief State Notary IRCA CERTIFICATED AUDITOR OF THE YEAR | WINNER

Name: Arlene Ollano-Aguilar, IRCA Lead Auditor Arlene Ollano-Aguilar is an electrical engineer THE OUTCOME by profession, with a background in computer THE CHALLENGE programming and systems analysis. As a Throughout her career, Arlene has been Arlene has gained substantial recognition Role: General Manager management system consultant, she is a trainer, involved in numerous ventures and high- from her clients and auditees, which include Six Sigma professional and IRCA Lead Auditor. profile projects in Qatar, including the Dukhan major contractors, suppliers, subcontractors Her experience stretches across multiple Company: Highway Central project, which involved the and internal teams. Her audit approach has Amaria Training and Consulting sectors including aviation, infrastructure, mixed- construction of a 15km-long dual four-lane helped her clients save time and money. use developments, manufacturing, education expressway, to improve the flow of traffic Currently, Arlene is the General Manager of Location: and oil and gas. She has worked with Doha, Qatar between Doha and the west of Qatar. Amaria Training and Consulting, a member of management consultancies Faithful+Gould, the Amaria Group. Atkins and engineering company Bechtel. She also conducted audits during the development of Hamad International “Arlene sees the big picture,” says Estelle “An excellent auditor does the job right even Airport, which currently receives 30 million Clark, chair of the judges and Executive though no one is looking,” says Arlene. “This passengers and 360,000 flights a year. Director of Policy at the CQI. “She shows award means so much to me. It symbolises the resolve and determination.” very best person I can be.” THE JOURNEY Category judge Richard Green, CQP MCQI, Arlene takes a client-centric and risk-based Managing Director at Kingsford Consultancy approach in all her projects. To embed quality Services Limited, says: “In order to be able to in any project team, she integrates audits as audit effectively in the 21st century, auditors a management tool. Arlene earns the trust must possess a diverse range of knowledge of her auditees by making them feel that she and skills. They must be technically competent, is committed to helping them improve, not must understand how organisations work and to finding blame. When contractors question must be able to leverage their interpersonal her abilities as a female auditor, she remains skills to influence and drive through change. steadfast in her application of a holistic data Arlene was able to evidence all of these “An excellent approach. She applies robust data analytical characteristics in spades, with her central auditor does the job techniques and cost-benefit considerations contribution to the audit programmes of to derive audit evidence. Arlene also goes high-profile construction projects.” right even though beyond the traditional compliance audits no one is looking” by collating her findings and providing the best recommendations that result in value- adding insight. QUALITY PROFESSIONAL IN A NEW PROJECT | WINNER

Name: Richard Hawke, CQP MCQI Richard also spearheaded Amway’s THE CHALLENGE FSVP involvement with the Council for Amway is a direct-selling company that Responsible Nutrition, which works Role: Principal Engineer provides nutrition, beauty and home care directly with the federal government products to independent business owners and the FDA. Amway also reviewed and “Quality professionals Company: Amway Corporation around the world. It operates in more than commented on the FDA’s draft guidance need to have the 100 countries and reported sales of US$8.8 by joining the FSVP Industry Task Force. billion (£6.7 billion) in 2018. One of the confidence to stand tall, Location: Ada, MI, United States challenges facing Amway is the introduction of the new Foreign Supplier Verification stay calm and work THE OUTCOME Program (FSVP) by the US Food and Drug through the issues” Administration (FDA). As an importer of food and dietary supplements, Amway is required to The training programme built a high level of implement the FSVP to ensure that suppliers confidence in achieving FSVP compliance and from outside the United States provide the an understanding of the required processes same level of food safety as domestic suppliers. among Amway’s supply base. In less than a year, the project has reached several milestones because of the data structure THE JOURNEY established by the FSVP team Richard leads. In joining the FSVP Industry Task Force, Amway is required to review and approve Amway has also been able to raise issues and 232 raw materials from 79 global suppliers present industry views on new regulations. Richard Hawke learned his craft on the in 27 countries. Richard determined that the warehouse floor, inspecting goods for a company’s longstanding approval process and The category judges are impressed by major UK department store. Today, he quality management system audit was no Richard’s work. “Richard is clearly a seasoned has more than 30 years of experience in longer fit for purpose under the new FSVP. quality professional using an array of quality implementing quality systems and auditing techniques to plan, manage and deliver the and evaluating consumer goods. Richard has the necessary training and objective of the project,” says Karen Young, experience to be recognised as a Preventive CQP MCQI, who has more than 30 years As Principal Engineer at Michigan-based Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) under of quality management experience. “A good Amway, Richard oversees the governance US food safety legislation. He created relationship with all stakeholders is a very and compliance of food safety regulations an FSVP team with representatives from positive influence to benefit all.” for the company’s suppliers. He is a Amway’s various business groups and set the member of the CQI and the American team’s deliverables and timelines. The team Amanda McKay, CQP FCQI, Quality Society for Quality. established the format for key data points, Director for Major Projects at Balfour document control and storage. Beatty, says: “This was a good submission “It’s important that quality professionals and presentation, which showed an effective bring knowledge and confidence, so that Richard subscribes to the servant leadership approach to a difficult project. The depth when things are falling apart, they stand philosophy. To build a culture of ownership, of knowledge and leadership approach tall, stay calm and work through the Richard established FSVP training for Amway was refreshing and demonstrated an issues,” says Richard. “These awards show quality engineers, regulatory compliance teams understanding of regulatory issues and good that dedication is recognised and valued.” and global trade partners. quality practice.” LEADERSHIP AWARD | WINNER

Name: Howard Cooper, CQP MCQI “Howard is an excellent ambassador for quality” Role: Head of Quality, Aerospace, Technology and Nuclear International Jacobs leads the global professional services THE OUTCOME sector, providing a full spectrum of engineering THE JOURNEY services for the industrial, commercial, Company: Howard incorporated Jacobs’ overall business Howard’s work has injected a clarity of Jacobs government and infrastructure sectors. The management system (BMS) to simplify purpose into the quality management company has a workforce of more than 80,000 and standardise core procedural content community. Senior management provided Location: Cumbria, United Kingdom (including 10,000 in the UK) and turnover across the ATN-I operation. He created a positive feedback on the performance of the of US$15 billion (£11 billion) in 2018. In team of quality leaders and engaged with quality network. The quality strategy increased 2017 it further extended its capabilities with international colleagues to understand their the value of client-approved savings ideas. the acquisition of global engineering and unique business needs and challenges. There has also been a three-fold increase programme management firm CH2M. in audit completion, with smarter outcomes The quality strategy Howard established reflected in audit findings. As Head of Quality, it is Howard Cooper’s and implemented focused on six themes: responsibility to embed quality within the effective management systems, audit The category judges are impressed by company’s Aerospace, Technology and Nuclear assurance and oversight, effective quality Howard’s gravitas and leadership style. International (ATN-I) operation. capability, supply chain quality management, “Howard is an excellent ambassador for culture of improvement and quality quality,” says Paul Vaughan, CQP MCQI, Lead Howard has been with Jacobs for four years, innovation. The quality metrics and targets Quality Manager in Projects for Siemens. and previously spent 30 years at the Sellafield implemented across the business empower “He has a strong commitment to quality and nuclear site. He describes his leadership style as its network of quality professionals to helping others develop.” consultative. “I’ve learned to listen first before drive performance and hold the business I speak. This award shows how organisations accountable for continuous improvement. Paul Phyall, Managing Director UK and are starting to respond to different sets of Ireland at SAI Global, says: “He identified leadership behaviours. I’m really pleased and Howard also used this project as an and quantified the structure and role of the proud to have won the award.” opportunity to help colleagues manage and quality organisation. He has a good approach advance their careers. He designed a quality to developing and communicating the quality career pathway and quality competency strategy across the business, including training.” THE CHALLENGE framework, which is based on the CQI Competency Framework, to provide a clear Jacobs’ ATN-I business has 3,000 employees, route to progress from entry-level projects including 70 quality professionals. The to senior assignments. This includes the operation’s new quality strategy consolidates skillset, competence and experience that quality management arrangements and aligns various job roles require. the business and quality strategies to deliver focused improvement. It is also flexible enough to fit the needs of Jacobs’ teams and clients operating across various geographies, regulatory regimes and industry sectors. QUALITY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR | WINNER

Name: Charlie Versi, CQP MCQI Buildcorp Group is a construction company THE OUTCOME that undertakes a diverse range of projects THE CHALLENGE across Australia, including new build, fit-out In the highly competitive construction market, In 2018, more than half a dozen Buildcorp Role: National Quality Manager and refurbishment, remedial infrastructure Buildcorp recognised that quality is a key projects were handed over defect-free. and architectural joinery. As National Quality source of competitive advantage. But to truly Significantly, there was also 50% overall Manager since 2013, Charlie Versi has Company: deliver high-quality projects, companies must reduction in defects across the whole Buildcorp Group Pty Ltd developed and continually improved Buildcorp’s measure quality. Charlie believes that this is at company compared to the previous year. quality management programme. the heart of why many construction companies Location: Sydney, Australia have been making the same mistakes for Charlie says: “I am overwhelmed and In 2018, Charlie gained the attention of both decades. Instances of poor quality construction surprised. Winning this award not only the Australian construction industry and can be so frequent, that to report, measure recognises the work I have done over several the Chartered Quality Institute when the and manage every issue can seem like a years, but also gives me the opportunity implementation of his quality programme mountain of work, so most contractors resort to establish relationships with people that consistently led to outstanding results. to fire-fighting issues as and when they occur. ordinarily I wouldn’t have the chance to meet.”

“Charlie is very focused on measurement, THE JOURNEY but also on using measurement to analyse Charlie recognised that, in order to understand business strategy and improvement,” says whether his quality programme was truly category judge and 2017 Quality Professional resulting in better client satisfaction and lower of the Year winner John Feltham, CQP FCQI, costs of poor quality, he had to figure out a Systems and Standards Compliance Manager way to measure tangible quality performance. for Portsmouth International Port. “He demonstrates key leadership values.” Onsite™, developed by Charlie and his team “Charlie is focused in July 2015, is a mobile software that allows John’s co-judge Len Robinson, Quality on measurement, anyone to record live quality assurance Director at Costain, says: “Charlie practices and record construction errors, demonstrated good business acumen, which but also on using providing large amounts of accurate data. he applied to all aspects of his role to create measurement to This data represents the true cost of poor a step change in quality management in his quality to stakeholders. Furthermore, when organisation with the potential to influence a analyse business analysed in collaboration with the supply chain, change in the region’s sector.” it empowers them to better understand root strategy and causes and implement much more effective improvement” preventative controls. QUALITY TEAM OF THE YEAR | WINNER

Name: Business Improvement Team Costain provides smart infrastructure They embedded RADAR logic (results, solutions across the UK’s energy, water and THE CHALLENGE approaches, deploy and assess, refine) into transportation networks. The company helps The BIT is responsible for embedding quality the BIA. After analysing all contract data and Company: Costain to safeguard security, increase capacity, improve among Costain’s workforce of 4,000, who finding a mix of leading and lagging indicators, customer service and drive efficiency in clients’ are scattered around the UK. They must they introduced a quality dashboard in 2017 Location: Maidenhead, United Kingdom infrastructure programmes. ask challenging questions, provide insightful to foster data-driven, sustainable improvement. opinions and be seen as quality leaders. The Costain’s business improvement team (BIT) BIT are the designers and custodians of the have made an impressive comeback: after being company’s web-based management system, THE OUTCOME selected as finalists in the 2017 International the Costain Way. They built it five years ago Quality Awards, they used the feedback they and continue to manage the production and The BIT’s work created improvements in the received to spark further improvements in “Costain built on learnings from integration of other management systems Costain Way’s functionality, new mandatory their management system and audits, and this within it. audits across the business, e-learning last year to come back and win. year they have returned victorious. governance training, consultancy and Their enthusiasm is infectious” technology, and review of risk and controls. The “We are really chuffed,” says David Sanders, THE JOURNEY new audit approach contributes to reducing Business Improvement Manager. “It’s a team the risk of auditor inconsistencies, which stood effort, a team award, and I know that everyone The BIT bolstered their team strategy at 3% in 2018. contributed to it. It also gives us the opportunity by refining their approach to risk-based to build on what we’ve done, to spread the governance, consistency-based assurance and “There is a clear linkage of quality strategy to word of quality, not just within Costain but to behaviour-based improvement. They reviewed business strategy with the development of the share it with other organisations as well.” the governance strategy’s effectiveness in key Costain Way,” says category judge Dr Roger risk areas, set out measurable deliverables for Cliffe, CQP FCQI, Associate at Bourton Group. the Costain Way, automation of processes and integration of assurance. The team also “The Business Improvement Team from Costain maintains direct contact with Costain’s top both looks like a team and acts like a team leadership. – their enthusiasm is obvious and infectious,” says category judge Niall Pembery, Quality The BIT wanted to move the business culture and Technical Manager for DNV GL Business from one that relied on audits, to one of self- Assurance. “I found it very impressive that this assessment and self-assurance. They designed year’s submission was clearly built on learnings a three-level structure of assurance measures from being a finalist in 2017.” and weaved them into the Costain Way. The enhanced audits now involve business improvement assessments (BIAs).

The Costain Business Improvement Team. Back, from left to right: Tim Shaw, Tony Blanch, Matthew Taylor, and David Sanders. Front, from left to right: Len Robinson, Victoria Yates, Phil Jones, Nancy Eley, and Marc Van De Velde. Not pictured: Annie Gianini, Systems and Performance Manager QUALITY TEAM OF THE YEAR | WINNER

Name: support healthcare, I believe that the quality Pathology Service, Hull University THE JOURNEY THE OUTCOME Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust of healthcare for everyone in the UK would be compromised,” says Ernesto Jr N. Quider, The team incorporated stringent quality The pathology service is one of the first labs Pathology Quality Manager. control and quality assurance in all aspects Organisation: in the region to receive accreditation from NHS of the lab’s quality management system UKAS in accordance with the ISO 15189:2012 “We are really excited to have won, it is a (QMS). They weaved the Trust’s governance standard for medical labs. Its approach to brilliant recognition for the public sector Location: Kingston upon Hull, United Kingdom framework into their own strategy, and work quality management has increased quality and for a small team. It recognises where we closely with the Trust Governance Directorate. reporting, which led to more timely reviews of came from and where we are going to,” says Corrective action and preventative action CA/PA and quality processes. Improvements Mandy Bryan, Quality Coordinator in the (CA/PA) forms one of the foundations of the were also made in the training culture. As part of the UK’s National Health Service Blood Transfusion Department. team’s QMS. This covers trends and evaluations (NHS), Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS related to all quality issues including equipment Category judge Dr Roger Cliffe, CQP Trust serves around 500,000 people across management, training and competence. FCQI, an Associate at Bourton Group, says: the region. THE CHALLENGE “The team operates in a vital, but often The pathology team has also developed an unrecognised part of the NHS. The judges The pathology team at Hull University The laboratory of the Trust’s pathology service in-house QMS training programme, which were impressed with the development, Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust works in a is managed in line with the highest standards in resulted in improved staff understanding of governance and improvement of their quality highly-regulated environment. It is critical the healthcare sector. The quality team in the QMS processes and engagement. The team management system, which resulted in an that all laboratory services are safe for staff pathology service provides clinical services and collaborates with all departments across the impressive boost in their quality indicators. and that they deliver consistent, accurate and scientific advice based on analytical evidence. hospital to conduct reviews of their QMS to The team is recognised for having created a reliable services. The sector’s ever-changing foster good communication on all aspects of quality culture in the Trust which has made it “I think healthcare is a fundamental human right nature makes it crucial that the team lab services. Their Q-Pulse software maintains a benchmark for the whole NHS Pathology and the foundation of a quality of life. Without consistently drives up the quality of care transparency by empowering all staff to report laboratory service.” ensuring the quality of the services that while delivering efficiencies and productivity. incidents and positive feedback. Innovative ideas are also encouraged to improve the lab’s QMS and associated operational processes.

The team’s collaborative approach also extends to external organisations. They pursue “The team created a partnerships to improve integration between quality culture which has internal and external primary and acute services and social care agencies. Outreach made it a benchmark for to schools, shopping centres and community hubs are part of their initiatives to promote the whole NHS Pathology pathology and careers in healthcare sciences. laboratory service”

The Pathology Service team Quality Links representatives. From left to right: Kay Anderson, Quality link/Chief BMS-Microbiology Dept; Amy Duckles, Quality Link/Acting Chief BMS-Cellular Pathology Dept; Mandy Bryan, Quality Coordinator, Blood Transfusion Department; and Ernesto Jr N. Quider, Pathology Quality Manager CQI HONORARY AWARD | WINNER

Organisation: Dr Nigel Croft, CQP FCQI The CQI Honorary Award is not open to systems and conformity assessment, covering 9001 published in 2015, the 2018 revision entries - it is reserved for individuals who have areas including quality, environmental and health of the ISO 9004 guidelines for achieving moved the quality profession forward over a and safety management. sustained success, and the development of Role: Various key roles in ISO standards number of years. The 2018 award goes to Dr other key standards. development for more than two decades Nigel Croft, for his substantial contribution to The ISO 9000 standards provide the quality the evolution of the ISO 9000 family of quality management principles, requirements and Nigel’s final meeting as Chairman of SC2 was management standards. guidelines for organisations to ensure they in the Azores, Portugal, in November 2018. Organisation: ISO (International Organization not only provide consistent products and He will now head up the ISO Task Force for Standardization) services to their customers, but are also able to to revise “Annex SL” of the ISO directives, THE BACKGROUND continually improve their overall performance. which provides the structure, format, and a Today, more than one million organisations significant part of the text for over 40 ISO Location: ISO’s standards support quality management Geneva, Switzerland across 170 countries are certified to the ISO management system standards, including ISO at millions of organisations around the world. 9001 quality management system standard. 9001, ISO 14001 (environmental), ISO 45001 They range from highly technical product (health and safety), ISO 22000 (food safety), specifications and inspection methods, to more and ISO 37001 (anti-bribery). generally applicable standards for management NIGEL’S STORY Nigel Croft was born and raised in South A WELL-DESERVED HONOUR Yorkshire, and after graduating from Cambridge and Sheffield universities, spent much of his Nigel’s contribution to the advancement of professional career in Brazil. He attributes his the ISO 9000 series has helped promote passion for quality to the lessons he learned in and perpetuate the practice of quality the 1970s as a student apprentice at the British management in all sectors, all over the world. Steel Corporation, as well as the pragmatic “hands-on” approach of his wife and late father- He is keen to acknowledge the contribution of in-law during his career in the Brazilian steel his many professional colleagues at ISO. “I am industry, and later while studying with quality aware that I am getting the award, but it really legends Deming and Juran. needs to be shared with all of those who helped me along this quality journey,” he says. Nigel’s involvement with ISO began in 1995 as a member of the Brazilian delegation to Category judge Ian Mitchell, CQP FCQI, said: “Nigel is one of TC 176, the technical committee responsible “The ISO 9000 family is the world’s most for the ISO 9000 series. He was Task Group popular set of quality management standards. the key architects Leader for the global implementation of ISO Nigel is one of the key architects responsible 9001:2000, and from 2010 to 2018 served as for their evolution. For decades, he has of the world’s Chairman of TC 176’s Subcommittee SC2, provided leadership on standards that give most popular in which over 80 countries and 20 liaison companies the tools to drive improvement organisations (including the CQI) participate. and embed quality across all aspects of set of quality During this period, Nigel provided overall their business.” leadership for the updating of the quality management management principles on which the ISO 9000 standards” standards are based, the major revision of ISO CQI HONORARY AWARD | WINNER

Name: Donald Berwick, MD Donald Berwick has been given the CQI During his career Donald has published more Honorary Award for his work strengthening THE BACKGROUND than 160 articles in professional journals on quality in the healthcare sectors in the US and The structure and workings of healthcare healthcare policy, decision analysis, technology Role: President Emeritus and Senior Fellow the UK. systems vary greatly between countries, but assessment, and healthcare quality management. they all share a need to ensure the highest He has authored or co-authored seven books New Rules: Regulation, Markets, and the Organisation: Institute for Healthcare Donald started his career as a paediatrician levels of quality. The insurance-based system in including and has become a respected leader in driving the United States has undergone major change Quality of American Health Care. Improvement continuous improvement in healthcare delivery in recent years, with the aim of reducing the and policy. He was appointed by former US number of uninsured people. Meanwhile In the UK, Donald has helped design new Location: Boston, MA, United States President Barack Obama as Administrator the United Kingdom’s government-funded care models in various NHS trusts, including of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid National Health Service has also seen several acute care hospitals, multi-specialty groups, Services (CMS), where he served from July rounds of reforms, and has faced high-profile accident and emergency departments, and 2010 to December 2011. In 2013, Donald quality challenges. mental health and nursing homes. He also performed a review of patient safety in the led a report into patient safety in England UK’s National Health Service (NHS) on behalf Amid these changes, efforts to measure following the breakdown of care at Mid of the then Prime Minister David Cameron. and implement quality and improvement in Staffordshire Hospitals. processes and outcomes, aim to make sure Donald is proud to receive the CQI Honorary that users of healthcare services get the best Award. He says: “This recognition is deeply possible care. meaningful to me. I have thought more and more throughout my professional life about A CAREER SPENT PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES the fact that we are one planet, one humanity, DONALD’S JOURNEY and that working together around this globe Donald’s contributions to the field have is crucial to our health and wellbeing of all. So, Donald began as a paediatrician at the helped institutions improve their approach receiving recognition from a non-American Children’s Hospital Medical Center and at the to innovation and delivery of care. In the organisation feels especially gratifying.” Harvard Community Health Plan (HCHP), UK, he was knighted in 2005 for his help becoming HCHP’s first vice president of in developing new models and improving quality-of-care measurement in 1983. In this care in the NHS. He continues to serve as a role he investigated how quality management lecturer in the Department of Health Care methods from industries such as aeronautics Policy at Harvard Medical School. and manufacturing could be applied to healthcare. “Don has been pushing the boundaries of quality in healthcare for decades,” says “Don Berwick has been Between 1987 and 1991, Donald headed the Ian Mitchell, CQP FCQI, category judge National Demonstration Project on Quality and Chair of the CQI Board of Trustees. pushing the boundaries Improvement in Health Care. Out of this work “His leadership has contributed to the grew the Institute for Healthcare Improvement advancement of healthcare in the US and the of quality in healthcare (IHI), which Donald founded to work for better UK. We at the CQI are proud to recognise for decades” healthcare worldwide. Don’s work with the CQI Honorary Award.” QUALITY ORGANISATION OF THE YEAR | WINNER

Name: Quality Team THE JOURNEY THE OUTCOME Company: Hiab AB Hiab analysed its entire value chain to identify Hiab saw a spike in its operating profit while Estelle Clark, chair of the judges, and Executive core, direct and indirect stakeholders. It doubling order intake in some product Director of Policy at the CQI, says: “The created a forum where senior leaders met segments, and hit a 90% customer satisfaction organisation achieved outstanding results with Location: Malmö, Sweden regularly with stakeholder groups face-to-face, score. It almost doubled the speed of short-term wins as well as long-term KPIs. Their to supplement traditional data analysis and customer support and reduced its warranty presentation used data-rich slides, the best of anonymous customer surveys. The outcome claim rate to 30%. Communications about any of the finalists. I liked the clear use of so was a strategic program, ‘Quality for Growth’, the quality strategy resulted in over 200,000 many quality toolsets such as Hoshin, PDCA which ran from 2015-18. social media interactions. Its annual employee (plan-do-check-act), value stream mapping, survey found 84% believe management gives stakeholder analysis and Lean Six Sigma.” The company built strong financial connections people the chance to voice their opinion, between lifetime quality costs, operating resulting in 75% employee engagement index. “Hiab embarked on a pretty sophisticated profit and a solid KPI structure. Through this approach to quality, in my view, very rapidly,” journey Hiab expanded its focus from supplier- “Bottom line: today we have a proven says category judge Martin Brenig-Jones, assembly-delivery to full end-to-end value. approach to turning quality and cultural Managing Director of Catalyst Consulting. Hiab’s story exemplifies what is possible change into sustainable revenue growth. when companies use quality to unlock growth. To secure long-term sustainable stakeholder Quality doesn’t just have top management Established 75 years ago, Hiab is the inventor input, Hiab merged core customer interaction attention, it is central to strategy “Hiab achieved outstanding results, of truck-mounted loader cranes, and has processes: customer care (warranty), customer development and deployment at HIAB,” says become the world’s leading provider of on- product support and product lifetime care. Tobias Bunne, Hiab’s Quality and Product with short-term wins as well as road load handling equipment and services. Its Lean Six Sigma, Advanced Product Quality Support Director. long-term KPIs” annual sales exceed €1 billion and its cranes Planning (APQP) and performance testing division has 1,170 employees. Cranes are were also deployed. assembled in Sweden, Poland, Spain, Italy, Brazil and South Korea, and exported to more than Hiab made fundamental cultural changes by 120 countries. Four years ago, the company leveraging its core leadership dimensions: ‘Lead embarked on a journey to put quality at the with Purpose’, ‘Empower for Performance’ and heart of its business. ‘Collaborate to Win’.

THE CHALLENGE An insight study that the company conducted in 2015 indicated that it needed to strengthen its competitive advantage. Top management recognised quality as a foundation for growth and sustainable performance, and The Hiab team. From left to right: Alberto Ruiz, wanted to go beyond the company’s existing Quality and Environment Manager, Marcel Boxem, reactive approaches to quality. This presented Director Heavy Range, Frameworks and Sales Area challenges, and required a commitment from Support, Adam Brzozowski, Senior Quality Manager, all interested parties. Initially, the most delicate Tobias Bunne, Quality and Product Support Director, challenge was to determine which areas to Nils Gjerstad, Senior Communications Manager, and focus on to get the right resources in place. Fernando Garcia, Area Support Manager EMERGING TALENT | FINALIST

Name: Ashleigh Pritt The determination to improve drives Ashleigh THE OUTCOME Pritt, who returns to the International Quality THE JOURNEY Awards, having been a finalist in 2017. Ashleigh’s Ashleigh is part of an integrated asset care Positive feedback from client, partner and Role: Quality Engineer background is in mechanical engineering and team and has been involved in more than 40 LRQA Certification audits prove that Ashleigh’s construction design. Most of her five years at clean-up and asset care projects. She monitors initiatives have been successful. Ashleigh has global technical and professional services firm Company: the application of the Jacobs value ‘Enhancing helped her team elevate the reputation of Jacobs Jacobs has been focused on project design. Her Processes’ to ensure that risks are effectively quality, change mindsets through company expertise has recently expanded to asset care managed, and that governance, assurance and forums and exercises, and deliver greater value Location: and construction in the nuclear sector. She is Carlisle, United Kingdom corporate requirements are met. To improve for money for Sellafield. also a STEM (science, technology, engineering governance of asset care tasks, Ashleigh worked and maths) ambassador and mentors two with her team’s engineering manager to “Ashleigh has accomplished a lot,” says quality apprentices. create a task delivery workbook. She has also category judge Laura Fletcher, Commercial challenged the method for compiling Lifetime and Customer Experience Director at NQA Records (LTRs) and helped pilot an LTR index. Certification. “She also takes improvement THE CHALLENGE and leadership to the next level in her extra- One of Jacobs’ major clients in the nuclear curricular activities.” clean-up sector is Sellafield Limited. Ashleigh works with Sellafield Ltd., its joint venture “Ashleigh has made strong links of assurance partners and sub-contractors to achieve the at different levels: organisation, client, joint requirements for a licensed nuclear site and for “Ashleigh takes venture and the supply chain. She has a strong key management systems such as ISO 9001, mindset that improvement sits across the ISO 14001 and the new occupational health improvement entire company, not just in the quality team,” and safety standard ISO 45001. says Laura, adding that Ashleigh’s attitude of and leadership challenging existing methods and mindsets to the next level” highlights her drive to change the industry. EMERGING TALENT | FINALIST

Name: Oliver Wadsworth “Oliver has a clear passion for improving quality THE OUTCOME and increasing the performance of the organisation” Role: Quality Engineer Oliver’s work helped improve on-time response rates for external product quality investigations by 45% from January to October Company: Orchid Orthopedic As a Quality Engineer, Oliver Wadsworth is 2018. During a Kaizen investigation, a saving of responsible for safeguarding the manufacturing THE JOURNEY £3,000 was generated by tool and maintenance management. Location: Sheffield, United Kingdom of medical devices at Orchid Orthopedic. He Oliver introduced warning limits to prevent encourages open communication with shop non-conformances from occurring at Orchid floor operators to foster a culture of quality. Orthopedic. He also created a Statistical “Oliver has a good level of experience across Process Control (SPC) chart to allow a variety of quality disciplines including new Oliver was trained in mechanical engineering operators to receive direct feedback in the product introduction, Six Sigma and mass and pursued the quality profession because event of machine component wear. complaint closure,” says category judge he loves finding different ways to solve Laura Fletcher, Commercial and Customer problems. He has worked in quality for five Oliver classifies non-conformances as either Experience Director at NQA Certification. “He years and is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. His internal or external product quality, and is very passionate about improving quality and quality hero is W Edwards Deming. monitors internal product quality by using increasing the performance of the organisation.” trend analysis. He also uses Pareto analysis. “I believe in leading from the front by setting External product quality is handled as “Oliver has an excellent approach to risk- an example to others in the way that we, corrective or preventative action, using tools based thinking and has done some really great as quality professionals, promote quality,” such as the 5 Whys, Process Flow Diagrams, work in his organisation to improve systems,” says Oliver. and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis. In 2018, says category judge and 2017 Emerging Talent Oliver played a key role in designing a new Award winner Charlotte Laverty, CQP MCQI, complaints system to improve response times Quality and Business Continuity Manager at THE CHALLENGE at Orchid Orthopedic. BT Global Services. “He has a clear passion for quality, and his views are refreshing.” Orchid Orthopedic has locations in the US, The company recently implemented assisted the UK, Switzerland and China. Its site in automation. Oliver has helped develop process Sheffield, UK, has 230 staff. It is vital for the controls to monitor data and performance to company to maintain compliance and product ensure shop floor robots are fit for purpose. quality, because failure to do so could have a direct impact on safety and quality of life for end users. Orchid Orthopedic is certified to the medical devices standard ISO 13485:2016, with some product ranges regulated against the code of regulations issued by the US Food and Drug Administration. INNOVATION THROUGH QUALITY METHOD | FINALIST

Company: Turk Otomobil Fabrikasi AS (TOFAS) THE JOURNEY THE OUTCOME “eLUA has opened up To create the eLUA platform, the team new opportunities Innovation: eLUA digital quality platform The platform increased the speed of designed its structure and worked with an problem-solving during production, allowed for innovation and external company to develop the software. reports to be easily recorded in the Location: Bursa, Turkey The new platform was piloted during the company database, improved the facility’s improvement at TOFAS” project phase of the Fiat Tipo. eLUA was problem management capacity and boosted improved and adapted based on lessons teamwork. The production of the Fiat Tipo learned and feedback from the pilot. After has the best KPI record in TOFAS’s history, Turk Otomobil Fabrikasi AS (TOFAS) is a risk-assessment tools were integrated, and eLUA is now considered an example of joint venture between Turkish investment eLUA was expanded for use in the best practice by FCA. company Koç Holding and Italian car maker production of other car models. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). The “It seems that the implementation of this company manufactures and sells passenger eLUA combines data flows in real system has opened up new opportunities and commercial vehicles in Turkey. time, including customer feedback, and for innovation and improvement that would produces a quality assurance (QA) otherwise not have emerged,” says category TOFAS’s quality team developed a digital matrix where digital process risk analysis judge Dr Bettina von Stamm, Founder of quality platform to improve the management can be performed. The QA matrix can the Innovation Leadership Forum. “This of its complex manufacturing process. The be updated daily. The eLUA workflow innovation is the hub around which the platform is called eLUA and is accessible by follows this approach in solving problems: activities of the organisation evolve and everyone involved in product production via detection, diagnosis, solution and approval. where everything is stored and integrated.” PCs, smartphones and tablets.

While the quality management platform presented an opportunity to improve THE CHALLENGE workflows and the quality culture, it took TOFAS aims to provide vehicles that cater time to get everyone on board. to consumers’ mobility needs. A key part of fulfilling this mission is to provide defect-free “It was very hard in the beginning to get products. The company wanted to improve the buy-in from people because it requires flexibility and transparency of its production change and people don’t like change,” processes. The quality team wanted a better says Ali Ali, Quality Method and Planning way to detect defects during production Specialist at TOFAS. “But after a couple of Özcan Çavuşoğlu, Quality Method and and incorporate constructive feedback from months, they saw the benefits of this kind Planning Department Administrator, and Ali customers. The solution was eLUA. of management platform.” Ali, Quality Method and Planning Specialist IRCA CERTIFICATED AUDITOR OF THE YEAR | FINALIST

Name: Aijaz Ali Nasser, IRCA Principal Auditor THE CHALLENGE THE OUTCOME “I’m doing something As an IRCA Principal Auditor, Aijaz performed Role: Supplier Quality Auditor Aijaz’s work provided a level of assurance good not only for an audits of substances used in the production that is challenging to achieve in a relatively of drugs, including drug ingredients as well young and developing pharmaceutical organisation, but for Company: GSK as sterilisation materials and packaging. Aijaz market. For the judges, his passion for the the patient” needed to make sure external suppliers were profession is undeniable. performing the correct testing, validation and Location: Karachi, Pakistan equipment qualification procedures on the “The role Aijaz played in Pakistan and the job products they supplied. he did is absolutely crucial,” says Liz Sandwith, Chief Professional Practice Advisor of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors. THE JOURNEY During his career in the industry, Aijaz “He understands how important this was conducted targeted audits with a strong for the patients of the drugs that GSK emphasis on authenticating evidence and raw sells,” says Estelle Clark, chair of the judges, data. He took a diligent and collaborative and Executive Director of the CQI. “He approach to dealing with situations where understands that he played a key role in Aijaz Ali Nasser, certificated with IRCA as a suppliers had not followed the right processes. making sure that they’re safe. Not all auditors Principal Auditor since 2016, worked with In one instance, he discovered that a see that bigger picture.” GSK Pakistan for 32 years. He received paracetamol supplier, which also manufactures a Bachelor of Science with Honours in active ingredients, had failed to keep legitimate Biochemistry in 1981 and a Master of Science reports of tests, due to conflicts and poor with Honours in Microbiology in 1982. Prior governance in its senior team. As a corrective to his retirement in November 2018, he held measure, the supplier was mandated to various roles in the pharmaceutical company’s provide a total disclosure of gaps in its quality division, during which he displayed a documentation process and was issued a fierce passion for the auditing profession. provisional approval contingent on completing the corrective and preventive actions that “I love my job because of the diversity,” he Aijaz set out. In another case, Aijaz found out says. “I’m doing something good not only for that an external vaccine storage company was an organisation, but for an individual – for the falsifying daily calibration tests. The contract person at the end of the supply chain. The with the provider was terminated and a patient. The consumer.” decision was made to store vaccines internally. QUALITY PROFESSIONAL IN A NEW PROJECT| FINALIST

Name: Taccoorduth Chris Bungshy, PCQI Twenty-one years ago, T. Chris Bungshy THE OUTCOME established QuEnSh Dynamics to empower THE JOURNEY organisations in Mauritius to develop their Chris took a collaborative approach to Retraining of staff and increased leadership Role: Founder and Director Consultant management systems in the areas of quality, helping FHOM achieve sustainable continuous engagement proved to be a breakthrough. environment and health and safety. His improvement. New manuals and check sheets It created a healthier work environment, company has four consultants who each Company: were written to better support staff in each which contributed to a reduction of QuEnSH Dynamics Ltd help five to 10 clients improve their quality department. Retraining was carried out, with reworks in lenses as well as increased systems. QuEnSH’s client base also includes a focus on raising awareness of the quality production and a number of new outlets. Location: organisations in Madagascar, the Seychelles, Quatre Bornes, Mauritius management system and translating it into Chris and his team trained FHOM staff to Tanzania, Kenya, North Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, working language. For example, pictograms perform their own internal audits to enable Morocco, Ghana and India. were incorporated in new instruction them to drive the system forward. manuals for front-line staff who cannot read “When I learned about quality in Mauritius or write. Bonuses and staff eye checks were “Much of the work required was in 20 years ago, I became passionate about it,” also implemented to boost staff motivation. improving the culture through behaviour Chris says. “Our country needs it. The African change in the wider organisation,” says region needs it. It can help Mauritius to grow. category judge Amanda McKay, Quality Quality is a major aspect of any organisation. Director for Major Projects at Balfour Beatty. It can help change the world.” “Chris’s passion is evident in the delivery of this project. He took an interesting approach to a behavioural quality issue.” THE CHALLENGES Farouk Hossen Optical Manufacture Ltd (FHOM) provides lab services for lens glazing, surfacing, assembly and distribution from 22 outlets in Mauritius. Chris became responsible for overseeing the overhaul of the company’s quality culture and management system. “Mauritius needs quality. Critical issues influencing product delivery and safety included leadership engagement, The African region needs it. volume of reworks, staff absences and It can help change the world” workplace safety concerns. QUALITY PROFESSIONAL IN A NEW PROJECT | FINALIST

Name: Sonia Mills, PCQI “I made it my personal responsibility to make THE OUTCOME sure the project succeeds” Role: Quality Specialist Sonia’s work on the required deliverables resulted in on-time completion and positive client feedback. Along with the initiatives Company: Fluor Limited Sonia Mills returns to the International mentioned above, the deliverables for the initial Quality Awards after being selected as a THE CHALLENGE stage of the project include the PQP, a site quality manual, spot check plans and review of Location: Farnborough, United Kingdom Finalist for the 2017 Emerging Talent Award. Sonia’s team is responsible for the construction Sonia began her career in the oil and gas of an oil processing plant in Africa. Respect improvement areas. industry working in administration. Five for the area’s environment and political years later, her forte is quality assurance. She background, and adherence to national and Category judge Amanda McKay, Quality works for the multinational engineering and industry standards, are vital. The project is the Director for Major Projects at Balfour Beatty, construction company Fluor Limited, where first to adopt Fluor’s Zero-Based Execution says Sonia’s work offers valuable solutions and she took on her latest project with gusto. (ZBE) approach. As Quality Specialist, Sonia incorporates a good approach to assurance for oversees the Project Quality Programme a multinational project with complex issues. “It was like my little baby, and I made it my (PQP) for the execution of the Front-End personal responsibility to make sure the Engineering Design, collaborating with various “I especially liked the remote visual inspection project succeeds,” says Sonia. “Anytime teams in the company. approach – very efficient and lean,” says I heard any mention of ‘quality’ either in Amanda. “Sonia really understood the complex meetings or around the project floor, I was nature of the project and the context of the project organisation, especially as it was based on alert because I really didn’t want to miss THE JOURNEY anything that I might need to be involved in.” overseas.” The ZBE approach entails the use of new technologies for conducting remote visual inspections of equipment, managing costs and executing proper technical checks. In setting up the PQP, Sonia incorporated her own additional quality plan, which covers the logistics behind the engineering phase, construction, field operations and supplier and contractor interactions. She facilitated a project activity model to optimise how tasks are shared out between locations and agree responsibilities among various stakeholders, which included training and workshops. She developed the audit and surveillance programmes with Fluor’s Manila and Amsterdam offices, both of which incorporate the use of remote video monitoring and video and audio conferencing to execute activities across multiple time zones. LEADERSHIP AWARD | FINALIST

Name: Rupert Shingleton Rupert contributed to developing the overall THE OUTCOME THE CHALLENGE Costain quality strategy by setting targets and behavioural performance measures for London Bridge is the UK’s fourth busiest Rupert’s efforts to push the quality agenda Role: Project Director various teams. He produced official documents, railway station. Operations for the five-year in his projects have been recognised by brochures and posters to communicate the rebuild project are based on a combination the business and the wider industry. The overall strategy across Costain. Company: Costain Ltd of two management systems: the Costain documentation he produced for the Costain Way and Network Rail standards. Rupert quality strategy is considered best practice for made it his mission to integrate both systems Location: other Costain projects. He was invited to join London, United Kingdom and heighten the level of quality delivered the board of the Get It Right Initiative, which by the team. He wanted to ensure that aims to stem avoidable errors across the Costain’s performance becomes an example construction industry. Rupert also facilitates In his first summer job at Costain, for how the construction industry can adopt Costain’s involvement in projects run under Rupert created and tested concrete test a results-driven approach to quality. the initiative, such as the Construction Industry tubes. Thirty years later, he finds himself Training Board’s quality course for supervisors. overseeing the quality team for the redevelopment of London Bridge Station. THE JOURNEY “Rupert is very driven and passionate about Rupert engaged key stakeholders to getting the results he strives for,” says category The project, a collaboration between develop a business management system judge Paul Vaughan, CQP MCQI, Lead Quality Costain and Network Rail, began in 2013 that catered to the requirements of Costain Manager in Projects for Siemens Mobility. with the purpose of increasing the iconic and Network Rail. He carried out discussion station’s capacity by 40%. It reopened in rounds and debate before implementing Co-judge Paul Phyall, CQP FCQI, Managing May 2018 with some work still ongoing. modifications. Rupert pushed for the use of Director UK and Ireland at SAI Global, agrees: responsibility matrix charts to ensure focus “Rupert is clearly an active player in addressing As Project Director, Rupert is also part of on core outputs. He also used SharePoint quality culture inside and outside the company. the team responsible for developing the to make processes, data and records more He is very dedicated to participating and overall Costain quality strategy. “Working accessible to everyone from the front-line leading in the industry to take it forward.” in quality, we have a moral obligation to staff to management. To foster teamwork, he do things right,” he says. “No business has conducted weekly gatherings that stimulated a right to exist if it’s performing badly.” sharing, support and improvement activities.

“Rupert is passionate about getting the results he strives for” QUALITY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR | FINALIST

Name: Ammara Tasnim, CQP MCQI THE CHALLENGE THE OUTCOME The telecoms sector demands that Role: Head of Customer Experience and Ufone’s integrated QMS produces key metrics companies continuously adapt and reinvent and data points for continuous improvement, Quality Management themselves. The rapid rate of technological which allow the quality function to track advances means that a model or process issues and apply any necessary controls to Company: Ufone PTML (Etisalat Group) launched three years ago quickly becomes maintain optimal performance. Teams are also outdated and unfit for purpose. Ammara’s able to review gaps, increase benchmarks and team need to deliver customer service consistently make improvements. Collectively, Location: Islamabad, Pakistan improvements that contribute to Ufone’s this has brought cost reductions to internal sustained success. She must keep abreast of systems, higher employee retention, greater evolving market needs, identify opportunities transparency, and decreased compliance issues for sustainable improvements, spot gaps, and customer complaints. analyse problems, and develop, test and “I breathe quality, I live quality. refine solutions. These activities must adhere “Ammara’s energy shines through,” says to the requirements set out by the country’s category judge Len Robinson, Quality Director I think quality management is governing body for telecoms operators, the at Costain. “She is committed to ensuring something that I was born with” Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. quality management and processes are fully embedded in the company. She demonstrates success in developing formal quality THE JOURNEY management in a service industry.” In the last decade, the telecoms sector in Ammara began by developing a structured Pakistan has undergone big changes due to quality management system (QMS) and market pressures and government regulations. pursuing strategies in customer relationship Ammara Tasnim has been working in the management. This included transitioning sector for 12 years, and enjoys the challenges from quality management standard ISO and rewards. She works at one of the 9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015, and ensuring country’s leading telecoms operators, Ufone her department are properly trained. PTML (Etisalat Group), where she heads the Ammara supports the business’s shift from quality function responsible for continual a people-oriented mindset to a process- process improvement in customer operations. oriented one. Quality objectives, service quality scorecards, performance evaluation “I breathe quality, I live quality,” she says. “I on KPIs, mystery spot checks, and biannual think quality management is something that I review of processes and systems are among was born with.” the key tools she and her team use. QUALITY PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR | FINALIST

Name: Nikki Thomas, CQP MCQI The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products THE OUTCOME Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible THE JOURNEY for protecting public health by ensuring Nikki wrote the MHRA’s quality, innovation and Nikki’s work has resulted in measurable Role: Head of Quality, Innovation and Engagement that medicines and medical devices are safe engagement strategy to deliver on its business improvements and helps leadership make more and effective. Nikki Thomas has worked in plans. To support the MHRA’s reputation as informed decisions based on better data. In quality for 15 years, and as Head of Quality, Company: a leader among its international counterparts the BEMA assessment, her division achieved a Medicines and Healthcare products Innovation and Engagement at the MHRA, it and share best practice with EU medicines maximum rating of five. Her inclusive approach Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is her mission to ensure that the organisation agencies, she led her division through the to auditing has also helped her colleagues performs at the highest level. She is a Six Benchmarking of European Medicines Agencies internalise its tangible benefits. MHRA staff Sigma Black belt and strives to instil a culture Location: London, United Kingdom (BEMA) assessment. To increase internal buy-in now request audits to improve their work. of improvement and innovation. and ownership of quality systems, Nikki works She trained six internal auditors who conduct with process owners to improve procedures audits confidently and share best practices in “One of my passions is to help people come to manage processes. The internal audit the division and across the agency. This has up with smarter ways of working; to change programme assigns risk levels to the processes. helped to cultivate a team attitude that it’s OK our processes and be creative in how we Internal audit focuses on improvement as to challenge the way things are done. work,” says Nikki. well as compliance, and root cause analysis is applied as necessary. Nikki also spearheaded Category judges Len Robinson, Quality her division’s transition to the latest Director at Costain, and Shirley Parsons, THE CHALLENGE management system standard ISO 9001:2015. CEO and Founder of Shirley Parsons Ltd, are The MHRA is regarded as a world-class impressed by Nikki’s active engagement and medicines regulator. Nikki, who joined the pursuit of improvement. organisation three years ago, works in the inspection, enforcement and standards “The statement that internal audits are being division which focuses on the safe “Staff have begun requested by teams is a testimony to the manufacture and supply of medicines. She to request audits - change in culture achieved by Nikki,” says Len. is responsible for quality management and improvement within the division, managing that’s a testimony to “Nikki’s leadership style is open, communicative matrix teams to constantly find ways to the change in culture and supportive,” says Shirley. “She clearly streamline processes across the division and empowers her team to make decisions and the agency as a whole. Nikki has achieved” carry through the ideas in a productive way.” QUALITY TEAM OF THE YEAR | FINALIST

Name: Quality Team address quality ownership in the wider business. THE OUTCOME Company surveys and audits suggested that there was an opportunity to improve awareness The Quality Team’s efforts resulted in a “This is an exemplary implementation Company: Siemens Mobility about the behaviours and attitudes that heightened awareness of individual roles in of World Quality Day and World contribute to delivering quality. quality project delivery. World Quality Week Quality Week, which contributed Location: London, United Kingdom promoted capturing and reporting of quality to significant improvements in issues and ensured sustained feedback from QMS awareness and updates,” says THE JOURNEY interested parties to drive effective corrective category judge Dr Roger Cliffe, CQP In 2017, the quality team extended World action. There was substantial positive feedback FCQI, Associate at Bourton Group. Siemens Mobility is a major player in the Quality Day into World Quality Week, to regarding the company’s primary broadcast UK’s rail network. The 18 members of its Rail enhance employee understanding of the platform, its social network SSN. Senior Alan Grogan, CQP MCQI, Head Automation Quality Team have more than company’s assurance regime and ensure executives supported the Quality Team’s of Quality at Nuvia, agrees: “I really 220 years of combined experience in quality, flow down of customer and stakeholder use of audit, root cause analysis and lessons enjoyed the dynamics and enthusiasm and 90% of them have completed training as requirements. Governance of delivery is learned from business activities to continue of the team. They organised a great IRCA Lead Auditors for ISO 9001:2015.The performed using the PM@Siemens tool, which to coach colleagues to improve. The team’s event and showed the ‘brighter’ side team’s ethos is grounded in understanding the enables the organisation to understand and approach also impressed top management at of how quality can add value to requirements of its customers. manage customer requirements; all the way Siemens’ headquarters in Germany. the business.” from invitation through to tender, project To sustain a robust quality management completion and after-care support. The system, the team champions the business’s planning for World Quality Week involved in-house governance tool, Project Management an extensive review of the business climate, @ Siemens (PM@Siemens). The team also projects, initiatives and regulatory requirements The Siemens Mobility Quality Team. Back, from left to right: Silvester Baptista, Site Quality Manager; Umair Khan, Quality Manager in Projects advocates the annual celebration of World in rail automation. The quality team led on (QMiP); Lloyd Wood, Audit & Supplier Quality Manager; Becky Worsey, Audit & Supplier; Tim Grant, QMiP; and Paul Vaughan, Lead QMiP. Front, from Quality Day to elevate the quality message the presentation of ‘Celebrating Everyday left to right: Mariann Hay, QMiP; Heather Hitchen, QMiP; Natasha Graham, EHSS&Q Specialist; Ian Mathers, Quality Manager; Mike Helliwell, Head across the business. Leadership’, the central theme for World Quality of Quality; and Georgina Smith, Quality Administrator. Other team members not pictured: Paul Barker, Lead QMiP; Simon Dunkley, Quality Manager; Day 2017. Key elements of World Quality Week Gordon Christie, QMiP; Roy Reid, Site Quality Engineer, Sallyann Howard, Quality Doc Controller; Gary Jackson, Quality Manager; and Jo Cox, QMiP Paul Barker, Lead Quality Manager in Projects, included workshops and short video recordings says of the team’s impact: “There’s now a from top management, which were shared visualisation for the quality function, rather than via the Siemens Social Network (SSN). This just a hidden voice.” engagement with a wide employee population enabled senior executives to reinforce key assurance processes in a more personal way. THE CHALLENGE This level of involvement also ties in with key With more than 135 years in the rail industry, leadership requirements of ISO 9001:2015. Siemens Mobility provides solutions ranging from signalling to communications, power supply systems, delivering new trains and maintaining “This team showed existing fleets. The quality team must enhance the processes involved in the delivery of these the brighter side of services to keep the company at the forefront of the industry. To spread their influence across how quality can add Siemens Mobility, the quality team needed to value to the business” QUALITY TEAM OF THE YEAR | FINALIST

Name: Quality Team Willmott Dixon is a family-run construction THE OUTCOME and interior fit-out group that was THE CHALLENGE established in 1852. The company ended The company felt that the construction The NPT achieved universal buy-in for the Company: Willmott Dixon Construction Limited 2017 with turnover of £1.3 billion. industry responds to change in a reactive way revamped QMS and Building on Better instead of using quality management to prevent strategy, and the promotion of local best Three years ago, Willmott Dixon recognised Location: Hitchin, United Kingdom mistakes and create sustainable improvements. practices across its wider business. The new that it needed to change its approach to Looking inward, there was a consensus across QMS has allowed feedback from Willmott quality management. Integral to this pursuit the business that the company needed to Dixon’s people and customers to drive for improvement is the company’s Building communicate more effectively and openly to improvements and ensure quality processes on Better strategy. Launched in 2016, the its people and customers on all issues related adapt to the industry’s ever-changing strategy puts customers at the heart of to quality. requirements. all its activities and encourages employees to ask ‘why?’ when evaluating their role in As part of this, Willmott Dixon reassessed its Category judge Alan Grogan, CQP MCQI, the business. quality management system (QMS) to align it Head of Quality at Nuvia, says the team with the new ISO 9001:2015 standard before showed “a very impressive progression of “We know we’ve come a long way,” says Tim The Willmott Dixon National Product Team and Supply Chain the September 2018 transition deadline. understanding the situation and becoming Carey, National Product Director at Willmott Partner. From left: John Waterman, Chief Operating Officer, Ashley enlightened”. Devonport, Quality Delivery Manager, Rumana Shaukat, National Quality Dixon. “We haven’t got to where we want to be yet, but we have changed radically in a Improvement Manager, Simon Pearce, National Quality Advisor, Christine THE JOURNEY “The NPT have been instrumental in taking Murray, National Quality Assurance Manager, Tim Carey, National little over a year… We’ve now got the data the business forward,” he added. Product Director and Kerry Parker-Wray, Key Account Manager, IKO to know we’re in a better position.” Willmott Dixon brought together representatives from its six business areas to rewrite the QMS. A National Product Team The project demonstrated “good use of (NPT) was formed to lead the transition technology to move the inspection process to ISO 9001:2015. This team consulted the into the field, away from desks – and changing respective areas to gain quality buy-in from attitudes,” says category judge Niall Pembery, across the business. Quality and Technical Manager for DNV GL Business Assurance. “The 4Life Academy is The NPT designed a new Defect Free a good indication of addressing root cause Handover scheme and to ensure compliance, and quality culture. There is a good link national quality advisors were brought between ‘acknowledging we have a problem’ into the team to carry out independent and senior management. The team showed inspections and assessments. These checks refreshing honesty, openness and enthusiasm.” were performed using tablets, which all stakeholders along the supply chain can access. A new scoring system was implemented.

The company established the Willmott Dixon 4Life Academy in Birmingham to provide “Willmott Dixon’s National Product training to thousands of people a year, as part of its effort to take a proactive approach Team have been instrumental in to quality. taking the business forward” QUALITY ORGANISATION OF THE YEAR | FINALIST

Name: Quality Team Since opening its doors in 2013, Al Zahra THE OUTCOME Hospital Dubai (AZHD) has focused THE JOURNEY on patient-centric care and clinical Quality is embedded across the hospital Surveys suggest that AZHD’s management Organisation: Al Zahra Hospital Dubai outcomes. The private hospital is proud through its stakeholders management plan. system has been successful. In 2017, patient of leading in the areas of gynaecological This sets out the responsibility matrix by satisfaction was at 82% and employee surgery and bariatric and metabolic Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates seeking input from staff, that is then refined satisfaction at 88%. The hospital’s staff surgery. It has 187 beds and more than and validated by leadership. The plan retention rate is 98.4%. The risk management 1,000 staff. itself is also assessed through stakeholder strategies created by leadership reduced and customer satisfaction surveys. The overall risk score by 76% to 260. The hospital’s vision is to become a communications of hospital-wide behavioural regional leader in patient experience and competencies are executed based on the plan. “There’s no argument that they are moving clinical outcomes by building on the trust in the right direction,” says category judge it has earned from stakeholders. For the Performance of the organisation against Mark Braham, CQP FCQI, Head of Business organisation, quality means providing safe, its strategic goals is monitored by monthly Assurance at The Automobile Association effective and timely care for patients. business reviews of physician-led clinical (The AA). “Their leadership support and exercises. The hospital’s KPIs are categorised commitment go a long way.” “Quality is our main strength,” says Dr by four levels: corporate, hospital-wide, Mohaymen Abdelghany, the hospital’s departmental (radiology, operating room, Category judge Martin Brenig-Jones, Chief Executive Officer. “Looking after pharmacy and neonatal intensive care unit) and Managing Director of Catalyst Consulting, our patients is the most important thing. speciality specific units (physician and nursing). was impressed by the hospital’s systems and We provide evidence-based care for Audit results are collated monthly and reported measurements. “A lot of other organisations lasting solutions.” to the quality department, which validates them. could learn from AZHD,” he says. If necessary, action plans to improve compliance are implemented and monitored. THE CHALLENGE To ensure decisions are driven by data AZHD’s top priority is to deliver and evidence, AZHD has clinic-care the highest level of care for patients. informatics specialists who oversee its clinical Embedding a culture of quality is critical information system. to fulfilling this. Quality is one of the hospital’s four strategic areas, which also The hospital also has more than 900 policies include operational and clinical outcomes, along the patient journey to ensure that it staff and patient experience, and growth. meets global accreditation and international The organisation’s quality department standards, such as the Joint Commission “Quality is our has six members who implement quality International Accreditation Standards for and patient safety programmes. Hospitals (JCIA). main strength” QUALITY ORGANISATION OF THE YEAR | FINALIST

Name: Quality Team THE CHALLENGE THE OUTCOME TB+A developed a new three-pillar strategy: Company: Troup Bywaters + Anders Initiatives from the new strategy made In 2017, TB+A was awarded the Platinum growing people, sustainability at heart, and a positive impact, particularly the TQC standard by Investors in People. Training achieving quality and consistency. programme. Within the first two months, opportunities, such as the Trailblazer Location: London, United Kingdom there was an 88% rise in positive client Improvement programme, enabled staff All aspects of the business needed to align feedback. Within six months, the company to explore other business areas. Young with the new strategy. This required changes has seen a 15% decrease in corrective staff saw quality as a natural path towards in best practice, communications and actions related to project plans. becoming a partner at TB+A. sharing of knowledge between generations. Communications and engagement methods Estelle Clark, chair of the judges and “They are focusing on their younger people, “TB+A are investing in - and include national roadshows and workshops, Executive Director of Policy at the CQI, investing in them and learning from them, internal training, meetings, word-of-mouth and says: “TB+A has a good mapping of a which I really like,” says category judge Sally learning from - their young people” guidance notes. traditional approach – well executed. Swingewood, Lead Programme Manager at Their pride shines through.” the British Standards Institution (BSI).

THE JOURNEY Troup Bywaters + Anders’s quality processes are driven by its ‘Context of Organisation’ policy, Troup Bywaters + Anders. Troup Bywaters + Anders (TB+A) is a leading which covers the company’s purpose, stakeholder From left, Michal Koscielniak, Project Associate, Alan Newman, Partner, Robert Robinson, Associate, building services design consultancy. The expectations and measures for sustainability Martin Goswell, Associate, Stephen Wood, Partner, Anna Driscoll, Administrator, Kevin Critchell, Associate, practice has a workforce of approximately 200 and analysis. To form the new strategic direction, Claire Bower, Head of IMS, Gareth Robertson, Electrical Engineer and Mark Houghton, Project Associate people in eight design centres around the UK, a dedicated task team selected by the board and turnover of £16.5 million in 2018. performed a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). This In 2015, new leadership spurred a re-evaluation covered the business’s future sustainability, of TB+A’s business plan. With more than 60 services offered, scope of management systems years in the industry, the company was keen to and how key measurables were monitored. adopt a fresh, robust and sustainable approach TB+A developed a Technical Quality and to quality, centred on leadership, dialogue, Consistency (TQC) programme to help teams engagement, and continuous improvement. sharpen their technical robustness, plan company- wide projects and share knowledge. Terry Canty became a partner in 2000. He says: “After working for the business for such a long TB+A has maintained accreditation to quality time, I’ve seen huge change. There’s far more management system standards, making buy-in from people at all levels. The young the transition from ISO 9001:2008 to ISO people we’re bringing through are certainly 9001:2015 in 2017, and improving the a huge catalyst for sustainable change for the efficiency of its policies, procedures, guidance business as well.” documents and project plans. Be part of the 2019 International Quality Awards

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