Chartered Quality Institute

The Chartered Quality Institute (CQI), formerly known as The Institute of Quality Assurance (IQA), is the leading professional body for the advancement of quality practices in the UK, was originally founded in 1919 as the Institute of Engineering Inspection. It is a not-for-profit organisation and a respected contributor to policy issues at a national and international level. It has maintained its unique position of independence from commercial or vested interests and embraces all quality models, philosophies and standards that help an organisation improve performance. Not just an important proponent of quality in the UK, the CQI was a founder member of the European Organization for Quality, although it resigned from its membership in 2009. The CQI also owns the International Register of Certificated Auditors the world's first and largest international certification body for auditors of management systems. IRCA certifies some 15,000 auditors in over 150 countries worldwide.