British Quality Foundation
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
British Quality Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- British Quality Foundation
- Legal name
- British Quality Foundation
- Website
- https://bqf.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
British Quality Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Business Excellence & Quality Management Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (813920), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies (EDADACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Institutional Effectiveness & Continuous Improvement Reviews (EDADAGAD)
Keywords
Where British Quality Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
British Quality Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for organizations and individuals providing access to events, training discounts, certifications, and networking opportunities. Tiered packages include Individual, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum membership levels with varying benefits.
- Certifications: Certification fees at multiple levels: Associate (£350), Practitioner (£450), Advanced (£650), Master (£1,000), and Bundle certifications (£1,500). Certification holders receive digital certificates, e-mail badges, and are listed on the certification register.
- Training and Workshops: Revenue from training programmes, workshops, and upskilling courses delivered through training partners. Includes courses on Lean Six Sigma, Root Cause Analysis, Agile, Change Management, and various other business excellence topics.
- Event Tickets and Sponsorship: Revenue from UK Excellence Awards ceremonies, workshops, Excellence Open Hours, and related events. Includes sponsorship opportunities at various tiers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Associate level certification for those with 6 months' relevant experience, playing a role in initiatives with basic tools. |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Practitioner level for owning initiatives, using tools with confidence, delivering sustainable outcomes in small areas. |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Advanced Practitioner level for 2-4 years' experience leading initiatives with multiple complexities. |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Master Practitioner level for 4+ years' experience using knowledge to coach, teach, mentor and support others. |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Bundle certification covering Project Management, Change Management, Lean and Lean Six Sigma. |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Workshop pricing for Individual and Bronze members |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Non-member workshop pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mental health workshop pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
British Quality Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
British Quality Foundation is a not-for-profit membership organisation that provides tiered membership to organisations and individuals, a four-level professional certification programme (Associate through Master Practitioner) across Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Change Management, Project Management, Crisis Management and other disciplines, accredited training delivered through a partner network, and the UK Excellence Awards celebrating business excellence. Its offering centres on connecting quality and continuous improvement professionals through peer networking, industry-recognised certifications, events, and mentoring.
Product overview
British Quality Foundation (BQF) is a not-for-profit membership organization representing excellence and performance improvement in the UK. The organization operates a unified portfolio centered on professional certifications, training programs, and an annual awards ceremony. The core offerings include BQF Certifications at four levels (Associate through Master Practitioner) spanning Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Change Management, Project Management, Crisis Management, and other continuous improvement disciplines; the UK Excellence Awards featuring 18 categories celebrating organizational and individual achievement; BQF Academy delivering training through expert partners including workshops on Agile, Root Cause Analysis, and Leadership; and membership benefits providing access to mentoring, peer introductions, and exclusive events. Key products include EasySPC (a Power BI-based Statistical Process Control visual), Ever-So-Lean Rising Stars (youth development program), and the Patron's Award (for societal contribution). The certification pathway requires proof of implementation alongside knowledge assessment, with licensed partners conducting exams and portfolio reviews.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BQF Academy: Academy offering high-quality training programmes, delivered by expert partners, alongside accredited pathways for individuals and organisations.
Products and services
- BQF Certifications Industry-recognised professional certification programme at four levels — Associate (£350), Practitioner (£450), Advanced (£650), and Master (£1,000) — covering Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Change Management, Project Management, Crisis Management, CX in Context, and Mental Health Support. Certification requires proof of implementation alongside knowledge assessment and is delivered through licensed associates and partners.
- UK Excellence Awards Flagship annual awards programme celebrating organisations and individuals driving innovation, quality, and continuous improvement across industries. The 2026 ceremony is scheduled for Thursday 8 October 2026 at Wembley Stadium, sponsored by Forvis Mazars, with 18 award categories including Agility, Innovation, Customer Experience, Sustainability, and Project Delivery.
- BQF Academy Training High-quality training programmes delivered by expert accredited partners including Catalyst Consulting, PMI, Kaizen Institute, Boomster Consulting, and BCN. Covers Lean Six Sigma, Agile, Root Cause Analysis, Change Management, Customer Experience, Prioritisation, and Mental Health, with workshops priced at £100 + VAT for Individual/Bronze members and £150 + VAT for non-members.
- BQF Membership Tiered membership programme for organisations of all sizes and individual members, with levels from Individual to Platinum. Benefits include an extensive events programme, upskilling options (including free workshops for Silver, Gold and Platinum members), networking opportunities, mentoring, and peer introductions.
- Patron's Award Award recognising individuals and organisations that have dedicated time and effort to helping others and made their mark on society. Free to enter, with a bursary available for finalists.
- Team Continuous Improvement Maturity Review Team-level certification assessment evaluating the maturity of an organisation's continuous improvement capability against established benchmarks, available through BQF's certification pathway.
- Ever-So-Lean Rising Stars Youth training programme introducing children and young people (ages 8+) to leadership, problem-solving, and continuous improvement principles through hands-on workshops and interactive e-learning, delivered in partnership with Ever-So-Lean.
- BQF Mentoring Scheme Cross-industry mentoring scheme supporting professionals on their journey to excellence and success, available to BQF members.
- BQF Introductions Programme enabling members to meet professionals from other member organisations to share best practice and work on joint problems.
Quantifiable outcome
- Training partner network delivering programmes in over 115 countries (via Ever-So-Lean partnership)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use British Quality Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
British Quality Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability3 records
British Quality Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and standard.
- Forvis MazarscoreHeadline sponsor of UK Excellence Awards 2025 and 2026. Forvis Mazars is a leading international audit, tax and advisory firm with over 40,000 professionals. Their UK Management Consulting team offers thought leadership, workshops, and consulting expertise to BQF members. They hosted the Excellence Celebration launch event in November 2025.
- Catalyst ConsultingcorePlatinum Members and BQF's primary recommended partner for Lean, Lean Six Sigma and Agile training. Accredited Delivery Partners of the Agile Business Consortium. Catalyst delivers hands-on consulting and training that drives meaningful change, offering programmes aligned with BQF's bodies of knowledge and certifications up to Master Black Belt.
- Process Management International (PMI)coreTraining partner offering comprehensive range of apprenticeships from Level 3 (Yellow Belt) to Level 6 (Master Black Belt). Parent company of Capella, the Improvement Apprenticeship Specialist. PMI provides podcasts including Leading for Business Excellence and Uncommon Sense, webinars, and SO MUCH MORE through their Knowledge Hub.
- Boomster ConsultingstandardTraining partner providing wide range of change and project management training, coaching, certification and interventions. All training programmes are BQF accredited and align to BQF certification. Known for practical, outcome-focused approach with gamified, hands-on learning experience.
- Arthur Ellis Mental Health FoundationcoreBQF's exclusive partner for mental health training. Award-winning mental health support services delivered virtually and in person across the UK and Europe. Provides Employee Assistance Programme, workshops, coaching packages, and telehealth 1:1 services for children, young people and vulnerable adults.
- BCNstandardDigital transformation specialists helping organisations harness the power of data. Their EasySPC Power BI custom visual makes Statistical Process Control practical at scale. Partnership with Microsoft for leading solutions across the Microsoft stack. Supports healthcare and manufacturing organisations with scalable quality excellence tools.
- Kaizen InstitutestandardPartner specializing in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) consulting and training. Works side-by-side with leaders using 'Hands On' and 'Learning by Doing' approach. Delivers measurable impact across operations, commercial performance, product development, and support functions.
- Ever-So-LeanstandardPodcast partner with global reach in 115+ countries. Expanded to offer CI and Leadership support including partnering with Dr. Jeffrey Liker, Mike Rother, and Dr. Lynn Kelley for affiliate learning programmes. Launched Ever-So-Lean Rising Stars programme for young learners in partnership with BQF.
- Service Brand GlobalstandardPartner focused on brand identity, employee engagement and customer experience. Their SERVICEBRAND approach helps organisations thrive in the 'Values Economy' by designing, implementing and improving values-aligned customer experience delivered by employees.
- MicrosoftstandardBCN maintains a special partnership with Microsoft, providing customers access to leading solutions and services across the Microsoft stack. EasySPC available on Microsoft AppSource.
- Agile Business ConsortiumstandardCatalyst Consulting is an Accredited Delivery Partner of the Agile Business Consortium, combining Agile, Lean Six Sigma, and digital innovation for business transformation.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
British Quality Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- APQC (American Productivity & Quality Center): US-based non-profit membership organization providing benchmarks, best-practice research, and maturity assessments for process improvement and operational excellence — overlapping strongly with BQF's institutional effectiveness focus.
- American Society for Quality (ASQ): Global professional association for quality practitioners offering certifications (CQA, CSSBB, CQE), memberships, training, and conferences; serves the same CI/quality professional segment worldwide with a much larger footprint.
- EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management): European not-for-profit foundation that owns the EFQM Excellence Model which BQF itself uses and trains on; operates Radisson assessments, training, and an awards programme that directly competes with BQF's UK Excellence Awards.
- Chartered Quality Institute (CQI): The UK's chartered body for quality professionals; offers memberships, professional registrations (similar to BQF certifications), and CPD pathways targeting the same UK quality/CI practitioner audience.
Regional players
- Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE): Japanese quality organization administering Deming Prize and certifications, representing the regional equivalent to BQF in the East Asian market — same mission of promoting quality management and CI globally.
Broad incumbents
- British Standards Institution (BSI): UK national standards body with a much broader remit covering ISO standards development, certification, and training across all industries; overlaps with BQF in the quality management training and certification space but is far larger and more diversified.
- Lloyds Register: Global professional services firm specializing in certification, accreditation, and training including ISO management systems; a much larger incumbent operating in adjacent quality/compliance certification.
Emerging players
- International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua): Global membership organization focused on healthcare quality and safety accreditation, with NHS as a member — adjacent vertical peer where BQF has NHS Property Services membership and where healthcare quality overlaps.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
British Quality Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceBritish Quality Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
British Quality Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
British Quality Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
British Quality Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
British Quality Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about British Quality Foundation
What does British Quality Foundation do?
British Quality Foundation is a not-for-profit membership organisation that provides tiered membership to organisations and individuals, a four-level professional certification programme (Associate through Master Practitioner) across Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Change Management, Project Management, Crisis Management and other disciplines, accredited training delivered through a partner network, and the UK Excellence Awards celebrating business excellence. Its offering centres on connecting quality and continuous improvement professionals through peer networking, industry-recognised certifications, events, and mentoring.
Is British Quality Foundation a public or private company?
British Quality Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was British Quality Foundation founded?
British Quality Foundation was founded in 1993. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is British Quality Foundation based?
British Quality Foundation is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does British Quality Foundation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are certifications, training and Workshops and event Tickets and Sponsorship.
Who are British Quality Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are APQC (American Productivity & Quality Center), American Society for Quality (ASQ), EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) and Chartered Quality Institute (CQI). Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are British Standards Institution (BSI) and Lloyds Register. International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) is listed as an emerging player.
Does British Quality Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for British Quality Foundation.
What industry is British Quality Foundation in?
British Quality Foundation's product category is Business Excellence & Quality Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDADACAF, Continuing Education (CE/CPD) & Provider Accreditation Bodies, with a secondary code of EDADAGAD, Institutional Effectiveness & Continuous Improvement Reviews. Its NAICS code is 813920 and its SIC code is 8600.