EFQM goes back more than 20 years, when 14 CEOs joined forces in 1988 to develop a Management tool that would increase the competitiveness of European organisations. Supported by the European Commission in the European Quality Promotion Policy, the founding members created the EFQM Excellence Model:

• To stimulate and assist management teams in adopting and applying the principles of organisa

• To improve the competitiveness of European Industry

• To close the gap of competitiveness between European and the USA and Japan

Today, we remain committed to the basis of our founding: to promote higher standards of management through shared learning among peers. This Mission now extends beyond the borders of Europe, to wherever organisations are willing to open their doors, understand and commit to instilling and adhering to the European Values on which on which the EFQM way to Excellence is founded.

The EFQM Founding Members are: AB Electrolux, British Telecommunications plc, Bull, Ciba-Geigy AG, C. Olivetti & C. SpA, Dassault Aviation, Fiat Auto SpA, KLM, Nestlé, Philips, Renault, Robert Bosch, Sulzer AG, Volkswagen.