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Baldrige Award Criteria

The Baldrige Award is based on an analysis of what makes for an effective organization. These have been identified as leadership, a people focus, a customer focus, a supplier focus, planning for improvement, process optimization and organizational performance.

The Baldrige Award examines the quality of an organization’s activities in seven categories:

• Leadership
• Information and Analysis
• Strategic Planning
• Human Resource Development and Management
• Process Management
• Business Results
• Customer Focus and Satisfaction

These seven criteria categories are Examination Items and Areas to Address. Examination Items consist of sets of Areas to Address. There are 24 Examination Items.

Although developed with the private sector in mind, the approach of the Baldrige Award is applicable to the public sector.

The Canada Awards for Excellence use the Baldrige Awards approach.

For more information: http://www.quality.nist.gov/

Related Article:
A Comparison of the Criteria and Strategies of Different Awards by Larry Taylor

Source: Canada Awards for Excellence, 1997 Entry Guide

Updated August 22, 2000