A new quality mark, aimed at assuring customers and suppliers that Irish businesses meet
the highest standards of service and trust on an ongoing basis, has been launched at Croke
Park.

The All-Ireland Business All-Star accreditation is an independently verified standard mark for
indigenous businesses based on rigorous selection criteria.

It will be overseen by the All-Ireland Business Foundation, whose adjudication panel is
chaired by Dr. Briga Hynes of the Kemmy Business School at the University of Limerick and
Kieran Ring, CEO of the Global Institute of Logistics.

“The Foundation exists to identify and support best-in-class indigenous businesses over a
long-term basis,” said Mr Ring.

“It allows them to attain and, most importantly, maintain the highest verified standards for
the benefit of both businesses and consumers.

“It is about giving peace of mind to the people who mean it when they say that they run
customer-centric businesses.

“We evaluate a company’s background, trustworthiness, and performance, and we speak to
customers, employees, and vendors.

“We also anonymously approach the company as a customer and report back on the
experience.

“The business goes through at least two interviews and is scored on every part of the
process against set metrics.

“Our aim is to develop customer-centric companies and to give honest independent
feedback to businesses to help them maintain that level.”

The accreditation has been launched following the success of the All-Ireland Business All-
Star Awards, which this year attracted 800 entries from businesses nationwide.

The All-Ireland Business Foundation will be responsible for identifying and accrediting best-
in-class Irish businesses, overseeing both the awards and ongoing accreditation and
promoting peer dialogue.

It will also create an active community of progressive businesses and ambitious business
leaders who work together and openly share knowledge.

“We believe that the Business All-Star accreditation is going to be a true quality mark for
indigenous Irish businesses” said David Briody of Briody Beds, who unveiled a range of All-
Star branded mattresses at the launch.

A chance conversation through the All-Stars network between Briody Beds and fellow award
winner homecare provider Comfort Keepers has led to plans to develop a range of dual-use
beds that preserve all the comforts of home with all the features and functions of a hospital
bed.

“As a business, we are very concerned with setting standards, but those standards need to
be constantly measured,” said David Briody.

“We have been looking for something like this – an accreditation process which is tough,
externally verified and allows us to constantly measure our performance.”

Many businesses are already using the All-Ireland Business All-Star brand as a badge of
quality, according to Elaine Carroll of the Foundation.

“Our accreditation is not easy to obtain, and, because we approach companies as
customers, many businesses use it as an external health check,” said Ms. Carroll.

“When we provide a detailed level of feedback to companies they find that it is the small
things that have the biggest impacts on vendors, suppliers, and customers.

“The accreditation process takes a minimum of six weeks from start to finish and applicant
companies must be trading for a minimum of three years.”

Further details available at businessallstars.ie/accreditation

CAPTION: All-Ireland Business All-Star Awards winners Brid Gould from Comfort Keepers and David Briody from Briody Beds with Kieran Ring from the Global Logistics Institute at the launch of the All-Ireland Business All-Star accreditation at Croke Park.