The International Quality Awards 2026 are now open for entries.
Apply by 30 January
About the CQI Volunteering Impact Award
This award recognises volunteering activity or activities which have made a demonstrable impact on the CQI, its members and/or the wider profession.
We welcome applications from individuals, groups or committees whose voluntary contributions have supported the CQI in furthering its aims to “advance education in, knowledge of, and the practice of, quality in industry, commerce, the public service, and the voluntary sector”.
Applicants must be an active volunteer or a committee of volunteers for the CQI. They can nominate themselves or be nominated by another volunteer, a CQI/IRCA member, or the CQI executive team.
How to enter
When submitting an entry for this award, you will be asked to:
- Provide a summary of the volunteering activity that you believe deserves recognition.
- Tell us how this volunteering activity was delivered - include key steps or key activities
- Demonstrate what impact this volunteering activity has had on individuals, groups, the CQI or the wider quality profession
Answer the questions in as much detail as possible but be sure not to go over the word count of 1,200 words. There is no interview stage for this award so it is important that you demonstrate the impact of the volunteering activity through the written entry.
There is no fee to apply for the CQI Volunteering Impact award.
The judging process
As well as our esteemed panel from the CQI executive, this category includes a fourth judge - the voice of the membership. This helps to demonstrate the impact that this volunteering impact has had on CQI and IRCA members.
Our panel of internal judges will review and shortlist the written entries using a numerical scoring system. The shortlisted entries will become our finalists.
Finalists entries will then be condensed into a short pen portrait which will be made available to the membership to vote for (finalists will have a chance to approve this).
The membership vote will then be added to the judges scoring to determine a winner.
Case studies and publicity
The CQI may process the personal data of any Applicant who is designated a finalist or a winner in any category of Award – including but not limited to data concerning competence, experience and achievement that were submitted in the relevant application – to create one or more case studies.
If a case study is to be produced, the CQI will provide the Applicant an opportunity to review the Case Study for accuracy of the material before publication. The CQI agrees not to publish personal data of a sensitive nature without the approval of the Applicant or confidential data which could compromise the business activity of the Applicant or their employer. The Applicant agrees to procure from their employers or other third parties implicated in a case study, any necessary approvals for publication.
Footage of the Applicant’s presentation to the judges at interview stage may be featured in case studies. Case studies may take the form of print, video or digital articles and may be shared in Quality World magazine, on the CQI website or via CQI’s digital channels.