Who We Are
The Irish Centre for Business Excellence (ICBE) is a non profit organisation established by leading companies based on the island of Ireland.
We are a network of organisations who demonstrate a deep commitment to Continuous Improvement and the pursuit of Business Excellence.
Our success is based on members freely sharing knowledge and actively participating in networking opportunities organised by the centre. Click here for ICBE Benefit Statement.
Our Mission Statement
Our Objectives
To promote continuous and breakthrough improvements in the quality, innovation, creativity and competitiveness of products and services provided by our members. These objectives will be achieved through our core processes by:
- Transforming the leadership, creativity, management skills and capabilities of our members
- Operating as a network to facilitate learning through freely sharing knowledge and best practice
- Supporting the research needs of our members at national and international level
- Partnering with Government agencies for the benefit of our members
Our Core Processes
Call for Support
• Any member at any time can activate a call for support to the centre
• Preliminary research is carried out and it is then circulated to members for commentary
• The topic may be resolved through member to member interaction
• It may however, lead to a Networking Forum to examine the topic in more detail (see below)
• This in turn may lead to a Community of Practice (see below)
Networking Forum
• One-off meeting on a topic of interest to our members driven by member needs
• Usually hosted by a member company
• Involves a speaker or speakers from the host company and plant/office tour
Community of Practice
• A network of members who meet in a confidential environment to address an issue of concern to them
• Members share their experiences as to how they dealt with the issue
• Research is carried out on the topic among the participating network members
• A ‘best practice’ approach is agreed among the participants
• A workbook/CD is produced in the form of a road map/framework that is shared among the membership
Sharing Best Practice
• Formal sharing of industry and member best practices (national and international) through our various core processes
• Informal sharing of best practices through person to person contacts among member organisations
• Company visits at home and abroad: “come, see, hear and tell”
• Informal benchmarking among member organisations in a confidential environment
Training, Education & Development
• Through an enterprise led approach, the training, education & development needs of our members are ascertained
• Collaborative and flexible learning solutions are designed and delivered based on member needs
• By promoting life-long learning, the knowledge, skills and qualifications of our members are enhanced
• Cost-effective training, knowledge sharing and the exchange of best practice is supported by the National Training Fund through Skillnets Ltd. (www.icbe.ie, www.ilsf.ie)
Research
• The research needs of our members are regularly monitored and brought to the attention of the research community
• ICBE is the Irish National Manufuture Technology Platform for Framework Programme 7 and assists our members form
partnerships for participating in FP7 and also actively promotes the National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation
• Formal benchmarking is carried out with members through online surveys and participation in benchmarking exercises
Business Forums/Conferences
• Opportunities are provided to hear leading speakers and allow informed debate on topics relevant to our members
Innovation & Lean/Sigma Federation of Ireland
• The objectives of the Federation are to promote the fundamental ideas of Innovation and Lean/Sigma thinking and support the implementation of Innovation and Lean/Sigma principles among our members
