This paper shows the growing importance of the commitment of people and organizations to
continuous personal, institutional and social improvement in order to generate sustainable
value. It analyzes the evolution of the concept of quality in the different development stages of
the organizations and specifies the main systems of recognition of quality and excellence at a
global level, obtaining the results of the recognitions with the systems of the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) and European Foundation Quality Management
(EFQM) both by sectors and by countries in the last years. The progress has been significant
and there is still a long way to go to achieve, as far as possible, the Sustainable Development
Goals proposed by the United Nations for 2030. The proposal for the new EFQM Model will
undoubtedly contribute to achieving the SDGs. Because the model offers a framework and
methodology to help with the changes, transformation and disruption that people and
organizations face every day by measuring where they are on the path to sustainable value
creation.
