Austria: Using Organisational Synergies in Quality Development The lasting value of management nowadays is more current than ever. In this context, speaking about sustainability and quality improvement, we will present you a real story: the story of the sustainable development and improvement of the QUALITY APPROACH in Austria concerning all its various aspects. Similar to most of your countries, as a result of the demand of the market and the need of the development of companies and of their employees, in Austria have been founded organisations dealing with personnel training and certification, management systems and product certifications, and business excellence awards. The Austrian organisations dealing with different QUALITY matters were, until two years ago, as follows: OQA The Austrian Society for the Promotion of Quality, founded in 1946 was awarding the trademarked Austria Quality Seal for products and services OVQ The Austrian Association for Quality Assurance, founded in 1979 was dealing with integrated management systems trainings and personnel certification OQS The Austrian Association for Quality - and Management Systems Certification, founded in 1988 was Austria's leading management systems certification and evaluation organisation AFQM The Austrian Foundation for Quality Management, founded in 1995 was the national organisation conferring the Austrian Quality Award, based on the European Excellence model Each of these four organisations was dealing with „Quality” matters. Each of them was a leader in the Austrian market in its specific field of activity related to the performances of products and services of human resources and of companies as a whole. Each of the four Austrian organisations had at that time their own organisational structure and its management and office staff. Furthermore they performed their training, audit, evaluation and assessment activities for theri customers, co-operated with freelancers, having sound theoretical and practical experience and being active in companies and/or in standardisation structures. Three years ago, the top managers started to develop an organisational change and development project, by applying what they have taught or asked from their customers, the quality management principles: Customer focus Leadership Involvement of people Process approach to management Continuous improvement The decision on founding a new organisation and the development of new projects in the frame of the new organisation are based on facts, coming from the market and their customers. As a result of this project the new umbrella organisation, QUALITY AUSTRIA; was founded in 2004. Finally, after three years of hard work, the new born organisation is ready to deal with the new requirements and needs of the market, to act in a modern and efficient way. Its four divisions OQS, OVQ, OQA and AFQM can guarantee comprehensive capabilities in the fields of quality, environmental and safety management. They have been providing excellent services for many years and can ensure continuity. The collective expertise of Austria's most important quality organisations makes Quality Austria the national market leader and the primary resource for all matters regarding integrated management systems and industry standards. A prominent proponent of the highest quality standards.