25 years of the EFQM excellence model

In this book we like to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our EFQM Excellence Model, a model that has reached the status of a Global Icon for Excellence.


For us now it is good to understand the history of the development of this famous EFQM Model, because this shows how advanced the original concept was: focusing on satisfying all stakeholders, linking cause and effect through enablers versus results, connecting the strategy with all aspects of the business all designed by an expert team in 1990-91. I had the opportunity at that time to be personally involved in developing this EFQM Model; it was a challenging process which makes me still passionatly connected to the EFQM Model, remembering on how we had to bring in the state-of-the art knowledge on organisational development and how we could work with all the different experts of the EFQM Founding Fathers together as one team.


You will find a bit of historical reflection on that early period when EFQM was founded and the EFQM Excellence Model was born at the start of this book.


Dr. Christian Forstner, leading Business Development within our EFQM team delivers an important contribution in this book about “the value of the EFQM Model in the future”.


Most of this book is giving space to all our partners who have been so important for the deployment of the EFQM Excellence Model, connected to their National Recognition Programmes and for our partners to share their learning about the impact the EFQM Model has on the movement for Excellence each of them has been driving within their own country.


Gianluca Mulè provides a special welcome in this book to all our partners from the extensive network for excellence he is leading within EFQM.


I hope this book will also be an inspiration for working together in the future: EFQM and our partners effectively connected, together creating this European and

even global Platform for Excellence: thus this network will act in the future as the leading Competence Centre for Excellence, all under the guidance of EFQM, Leading Excellence.


Finally for all our EFQM Members: this book will show that wherever you are in the world, actively driving your business aiming for Excellence, the EFQM Model is your (holistic) business concept and EFQM together with our entire partners’ network, we are your supportive Competence Centre for Excellence all around the globe.


Léon Tossaint, CEO, EFQM