Luka Koper has again made it to the finals of the European Business Excellence Award. The fourteen finalists – selected by the EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) competition commission – encompass some well known and pre-eminent companies and institutions from all over Europe. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Brussels on 28th September. 

The initiation of business excellence at Luka Koper – in accordance with the highest European standards, which are fully comprised in the EFQM Business Excellence Model – commenced in 1998, the year after the company received ISO 9002 quality management certification. The efforts invested, including the constant promotion of quality standards at all levels of the company, have borne fruit; indeed, year-after-year they are reflected in excellent results: increasing levels of productivity and profitability and, perhaps most crucially of all, satisfied employees and customers.

The Republic of Slovenia Business Excellence Award which Luka Koper received in 2003 corroborated the fact that the company was on the right track, and in 2005 it was recognised for excellence by the EFQM; ultimate proof came in 2006 when the company was chosen as a finalist in the European Business Excellence Award.

In May this year, Luka Koper was visited by a team of six assessors from various countries who came to Koper to see and verify all the processes of the company’s operation. The assessment criteria are defined under nine chapters: Leadership, Policy and Strategy, People, Partnerships and Resources, Processes, Customer Results, People Results, Society Results, and Key Performance Results. In the oral report, delivered by the assessors on the last day of their visit, major praise was given to the implementation of the principle of social responsibility.

For over twenty years now the EFQM has provided a forum for the exchange of knowledge and experience between its member organisations, thus helping them to improve their operations and strategies. The EFQM achievement award given to companies and institutions is arguably the most prestigious European accolade for organisational excellence.