Recently a World Bank study has found that unsafe food cost lower and middle-income economies about US$ 110 billion every year on account of lower productivity and medical expenditure. Only a food safety management system can ensure proper quality of food. In this case, only laws will not solve the problem. People's participation and awareness about food, its quality and hygiene standards are also necessary.
Quality is the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics of an object fulfil requirements. A requirement means degree of excellence of goods and services and its ability to fulfil customer's needs and expectations.
Quality is primarily increased through collaboration, innovation, and work dedicated to improving the output quality at every level of business and manufacturing. Importance of quality in business, especially in export business is very essential.
Government bodies formulate and declare national standards for different types of goods and services of people's daily needs. The International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO) formulates more than 20,500 international standards which touch almost every area of people's modern life. These standards provide requirements specific to individual products, services or systems. These standards help ensure that products and services are developed and function as intended.
International standards provide an essential foundation to help organisation to ensure and improve quality. ISO 9001, for example, sets out the requirements for a quality management system applicable to all types of business, regardless of size and sector.
The World Quality Day was observed across the world on November 8. The theme for this year was "Quality: A question of trust".
On this day every year, events are usually organised by concerned professionals to generate awareness about the importance of quality in most developed and developing countries.
But such events are rare in Bangladesh. This has to change.
Maybe, organisations can play a role in this regard in the years to come.
Individual organisations can promote awareness about quality and focus on the importance of quality within the organisation itself. Qualified management professionals can help an organisation to consistently deliver its promises to customers and stakeholders. They tend to respond to their clients in time and ensure careful and knowledgeable services.
Also, on this day, the best case studies on improvement and innovation from real life can be reviewed at local and multinational organisations. Such events will encourage employees to work more efficiently and promote quality culture in their organisations. These measures can also enhance a company's system of governance, assurance and improvement combined with culture of quality and investment in trust and reputation.
The World Quality Day is an opportunity to promote the importance of quality and the contribution it makes towards business, growth and prosperity of the country. Bangladesh's policymakers, managers from public and private sectors, as well as scientific and professional institutions should focus more on quality culture in their respective fields.
Abu Abdullah,
Former Additional Secretary,
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