FAQ: Business Excellence

When did the Business Excellence (BE) initiative formally conclude?

BE Awards
(Singapore Quality Awards (SQA), People Excellence Awards (PEA), Innovation Excellence Awards (IEA) and Service Excellence Awards (SEA), SQA with Special Commendation)

The BE Awards has concluded its 25^th year in 2019, and will no longer be continued from 2020 onwards.

BE Certifications
(Singapore Quality Class (SQC), SQC with People, SQC with Innovation, SQC with Service, SQC Star, SQC Star with People, SQC Star with Innovation and SQC Star with Service)

The BE Certifications were discontinued after 30 September 2020.

Approved certifications will be valid for 3 years for SQC certifications and 4 years for SQC Star certifications.
Why is the BE initiative discontinued?

The BE initiative was introduced in 1994 as a recognition programme to inspire Singapore organisations toward operating at a higher level of performance and strengthening their capabilities through the concept of excellence.

In the last 25 years, BE initiative has impacted over 2,000 organisations through the BE Awards and Certification recognition. These organisations and their management best practices served as exemplary role models for other aspiring organisations. Today, many other organisations and leaders have understood and internalised the concept of business excellence to strengthen their organisational management practices, systems and processes as well. In this respect, the BE initiative, as a recognition programme, has achieved its intended objectives.

With consultation from valuable key stakeholders, including members of the SQA Governing Council (SQA GC) and Management Committee (SQA MC), BE and non-BE organisations and assessors, the BE initiative was concluded in 2020.

Business excellence however is still relevant. There continues to be various programmes, initiatives and awards administered by economic agencies and industry partners that champion the mindset and practice of excellence.
My organisation currently is SQC certified. Do we still need to submit our Mid-Term update report?

No. With the discontinuation of the BE initiative, all SQC certified companies do not need to submit the Mid-Term update report moving forward.
My organisation currently is/was SQC certified. Can we continue to use the SQC logo?

All SQC certified organisations can use the SQC logo within the validity period of 3 years and the SQC Star logo within the validity period of 4 years from when it was obtained.

For more information, please refer to the Identity Guide here.
My organisation is/was a SQA/IEA/PEA/SEA winner. Can we continue to use the respective award logo(s)?

SQA/IEA/PEA/SEA winners can continue to display the logos, which indicate the year the awards were obtained.

For more information, please refer to the Identity Guide here.