One of the most prestigious corporate awards in Germany was presented this year to Endress+Hauser Conducta. The specialist in liquid analysis received the 2011 Ludwig Erhard award yesterday in Berlin. This award is based on an overall assessment of the way in which companies are managed. Its purpose is to strengthen economic success and competitiveness in a sustainable way by promoting the concepts of excellence, namely customer focus, process optimization and innovation.
The award was initiated by leading business and industrial organizations in Germany and has been presented annually since 1997 under the patronage of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. Endress+Hauser Conducta competed for the first time this year and won the award in the medium-sized business category on the first attempt. “There are few contestants who succeed in doing this,” said Managing Director, Dr. Manfred Jagiella, who is delighted with the achievement. “The Ludwig Erhard award indicates to us how well our company has progressed in recent years.”
The judges ranked the company at the highest level that can be achieved in the competition. “The outcome of the assessment confirms that we're on the right path,” stated Dr. Manfred Jagiella. “In addition, the results highlight our strengths and weaknesses, enabling us to build on these and to work at developing our potential.” The managing director believes that “the Ludwig Erhard award is a great opportunity to develop in a sustainable way the competitive position of Germany as a location for business”.
In the course of a week, the judges carried out their assessment of the company. The evaluation process is based on an excellence model for business. It was developed by the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) and facilitates a holistic view of the company. Organizations are supported on a structural and developmental level using comprehensive management systems. By means of self-assessment, they can establish their strengths and develop their potential for improvement, thereby strengthening their business prospects.
The Ludwig Erhard award is based on the principle that ‘organizations help organizations’. Companies that receive the award serve as role models for other companies, inspiring them to apply holistic quality management concepts and to engage in a process of continuous improvement. The judges involved in the Ludwig Erhard award are usually managers of successful contestants. As honorary assessors, they pass on both their knowledge and skills. When companies participate in the Ludwig Erhard award, they often begin a process spanning several years, during which they adapt to the standards of excellence until they comply fully with the criteria.
The Ludwig Erhard award is part of a tradition of internationally recognized distinctions for comprehensive quality management, such as the US American Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA), the Japanese Deming Prize or the European Quality Award. It is named after the former Chancellor of Germany and Minster of Economics, Ludwig Erhard (1897–1977), who is regarded as the architect of the social market economy and the ‘economic miracle’ following the Second World War.
Endress+Hauser Conducta
