UBQ - União Brasileira para a Qualidade

What UBQ - União Brasileira para a Qualidade does

UBQ – União Brasileira para a Qualidade is a Brazilian non-profit civil association (associação civil sem fins lucrativos) founded in 1982 and headquartered in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The organization promotes and disseminates quality management practices — including Lean, CCQ, 5S, GMC (Grupos de Melhoria Contínua), ISO 9001/14001/45001, PDCA/MASP, and Agile methods — to public, private, and civil-society organizations across Brazil, with particular depth in Minas Gerais.

Its core products are community- and event-driven rather than technology-driven: the annual O Grande Encontro gathering (700+ professionals in 2023, expanded to 1,000-participant capacity by 2025) which evaluates improvement projects; the Prêmio Melhores em Gestão Minas Gerais (PMG-MG) launched in 2024 in partnership with Fundação Nacional da Qualidade and aligned with the Modelo de Excelência da Gestão (MEG); a training and lectures catalog covering ISO, Lean, and quality tools; the Núcleos de Estudos collaborative study groups; the Hub de Soluções resource platform; the Revista Pratique publication; the UBCast podcast on Spotify; and a postgraduate program with FUCAPE. No proprietary software, APIs, or apps are developed.

The business model combines recurring membership fees from associate organizations (with multi-year tenure tiers from 10 to over 43 years), event registration fees, paid training courses, and award-related services. Member organizations include major Brazilian corporates such as VALE, CEMIG, Gerdau, USIMINAS, Petrobras, AngloGold Ashanti, Cenibra, Energisa Minas Rio, and Santa Casa BH. UBQ has 36 employees, is governed by an elected Board and Fiscal Council (with Dr. Ricardo Guimarães re-elected president for 2025–2026), and operates with no external investment, parent company, or public listing.

Name

UBQ - União Brasileira para a Qualidade

Legal name

União Brasileira para a Qualidade

Website

https://ubq.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UBQ is a Brazilian non-profit quality management association, founded in 1982 and based in Belo Horizonte, serving organizations through events, awards, training, study groups, and publications on Lean, ISO, and continuous-improvement methodologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Quality Management Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Training Course Marketplaces (B2B Content Libraries) (EDAFAIAH)

Keywords

• Quality management association
• Continuous improvement training
• Lean methodology programs
• ISO standards training
• Management excellence awards

Headquarters

HQ city

Belo Horizonte

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Organizations join as associates (associados), paying recurring membership fees that fund UBQ's operations and programs. The association recognizes members at different tenure tiers (over 43 years, 35 years, 30+ years, 20+ years, 15+ years, 10+ years).
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from paid event registrations. For O Grande Encontro 2025, registration was R$ 480 for members and R$ 690 for non-members. Additional training workshops and courses generate fee-based revenue.
3. Training and Courses: UBQ offers paid courses including RH Estratégico e Inovador and specialized training programs. Courses cover quality tools, ISO standards, Lean thinking, process mapping, and continuous improvement methodologies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UBQ is a non-profit quality management association that promotes and disseminates quality concepts and practices across Brazil through annual events (O Grande Encontro), the Prêmio Melhores em Gestão Minas Gerais (PMG-MG) award program aligned with FNQ's Modelo de Excelência da Gestão, paid training courses on Lean, ISO standards and quality tools, study groups (Núcleos de Estudos), publications (Revista Pratique), a podcast (UBCast), and a postgraduate partnership with FUCAPE. Revenue is generated primarily through corporate associate membership fees, event registrations, and paid training/course fees.

Product overview

UBQ is a quality management organization offering a portfolio of services including events (O Grande Encontro), award programs (Prêmio Melhores em Gestão), training courses, publications (Revista Pratique), podcasts (UBCast), study groups, and educational partnerships. The organization focuses on promoting and disseminating quality concepts and practices in Brazil, operating since 1982.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Associação (Corporate Membership) Recurring corporate membership program for organizations of all sizes (public, private, civil society) across Brazil, with recognized tenure tiers from 10 to over 43 years. Members gain access to events, study groups, training, awards, and UBQ's professional network.
• O Grande Encontro – Equipes de Alta Performance Annual flagship event recognizing and awarding high-performance teams for management practices using methodologies such as 5S, CCQ, GMC, Lean, and Agile Methods. Features presentations, roundtables, and cultural activities; 700+ professionals attended in 2023 and capacity scaled to 1,000 in 2025.
• Prêmio Melhores em Gestão Minas Gerais (PMG-MG) Award program recognizing organizations of all sizes that demonstrate excellence in management practices aligned with FNQ's Modelo de Excelência da Gestão (MEG). Inaugural 2024 cycle recognized Energisa Minas Rio and Santa Casa BH as winners, with Cenibra as finalist.
• Palestras e Treinamentos (Lectures and Training Courses) Paid lectures and training courses on Quality Tools, NBR ISO 9001:2015, 14001:2015, 45001:2018 (interpretation and application), Lean Thinking, Process Mapping, PDCA problem solving, Indicators/Performance Measurement Systems, and 5S methodology.
• Revista Pratique Professional magazine focused on quality management practices and business excellence, distributed to members and the broader Brazilian quality community.
• UBCast Podcast Podcast series available on Spotify covering quality management, continuous improvement, and business excellence topics.
• Jornada da Melhoria Contínua (E-book) Free digital guide introducing fundamental concepts and essential tools for those starting continuous improvement projects, covering change management, PDCA/MASP cycle, indicator analysis, and quality tools.
• Núcleos de Estudos (Study Groups) Collaborative study groups focused on topics like Integrated Management Systems (SGI), promoting continuous learning and networking among quality professionals and member organizations.
• Hub de Soluções (Solutions Hub) Resource platform connecting organizations with solutions, opportunities, and resources related to quality management and business excellence.
• Programa Avançado em Qualidade Estratégica e Excelência Operacional Advanced postgraduate program offered in partnership with FUCAPE (Fundação Carmichael Arantes) covering strategic quality management and operational excellence.
• Semana da Qualidade Annual awareness campaign promoting consciousness about quality management practices across Brazilian organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 700+ professionals engaged at single event (GE23)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Rede Metrológica de Minas GeraiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2025UBQ and Rede Metrológica de Minas Gerais signed a cooperation agreement to collaborate on quality initiatives in Minas Gerais. The partnership aims to strengthen metrology and quality practices across organizations in the state.
• FIEMG - Federação das Indústrias do Estado de Minas GeraisflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2024FIEMG hosts the Prêmio Melhores em Gestão Minas Gerais ceremony at its headquarters in Belo Horizonte. The partnership provides institutional legitimacy and venue access for UBQ's flagship award event, with FIEMG president and representatives participating in ceremonies.
• FNQ - Fundação Nacional da QualidadecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024UBQ partnered with FNQ to launch the Prêmio Melhores em Gestão Minas Gerais starting in 2024. FNQ provides the Modelo de Excelência da Gestão (MEG) framework and methodology. UBQ coordinates the regional operation and evaluation of the award in Minas Gerais, aligning organizations with internationally recognized quality management standards.
• FUCAPE - Fundação Carmichael ArantesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFUCAPE offers the Programa Avançado em Qualidade Estratégica e Excelência Operacional (postgraduate program) in partnership with UBQ, providing advanced education in quality management and operational excellence.
• CCQSC - Círculo de Círculos de Controle da QualidademinorOthersCCQSC appears as a partner organization, suggesting collaboration between Brazilian quality associations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Society for Quality (ASQ): The largest global quality management professional association. Comparable in offering certifications, training, conferences, and publications to quality professionals — though at significantly larger scale and US/global reach.
• Chartered Quality Institute (CQI): UK-based chartered body for quality professionals. Offers comparable certifications, training courses, member resources, and recognition events across the quality management profession.
• Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE): Japan's quality management association and steward of the Deming Prize. Comparable as a national-level association promoting quality methodologies, training, and recognition programs.
• European Organization for Quality (EOQ): Pan-European quality federation coordinating national quality bodies. Comparable in operating as an umbrella quality organization offering recognition programs, training, and cross-border professional development.
• Fundação Nacional da Qualidade (FNQ): Brazil's national quality foundation and the framework owner of MEG. Direct peer in promoting quality management excellence in Brazil, though also UBQ's strategic partner for the PMG-MG award program.

Regional players

• ABRAMAN (Associação Brasileira de Manutenção): Brazilian maintenance management association. Comparable as a Brazilian professional association running events, training, and recognition programs targeting industrial operational excellence — adjacent to UBQ's quality scope.
• ABPMP Brasil (Association of Business Process Management Professionals): Brazilian chapter of the global BPM professional association. Comparable as a Brazilian professional body offering training, certification, events, and member networking in process management — an adjacent discipline to quality management.

Broad incumbents

• SGS SA: Global testing, inspection, and certification giant. Operates broadly across quality-related services including ISO certification, training, and compliance — overlapping with UBQ's training and standards-promotion activities.
• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC (testing, inspection, certification) major. Overlaps with UBQ's quality standards promotion and training through its certification and corporate training services portfolio.
• QMI-SAI Global: Management systems certification and training business (now part of SAI Global). Comparable through ISO standards training, certification programs, and corporate quality management services — overlapping with UBQ's training and ISO interpretation courses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ubqbrasil
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ubq

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UBQ - União Brasileira para a Qualidade