Small businesses are the bedrock of British industry but the current economic conditions are proving especially difficult for smaller companies. Is quality a luxury they can't afford, or will it be the key to survival? In this month's Qualityworld, the winners and finalists of the London Excellence SME Award explain why quality has been so important for them. We also look at how to find and keep the right peple for your business and how the CQI Small Business Standard has been used in an innovative sustainability scheme.

The CQI is pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Feary as CEO of the Chartered Quality Institute. Long-time Director of the International Register of Certificated Auditors (IRCA), Simon replaces interim CEO John Frame. In addition to his work in developing IRCA into the world's recognised authority on management system auditor competence, Simon has been the pivotal in redefining the CQI's strategy in his role as Operations Director. In addition to his new position as CEO of the CQI, Simon retains his role as IRCA Director.

On 30 September, the CQI gives you the opportunity to review the practice of customer service, the different approaches to it, and what does (and doesn't!) work. Presenters from the CQI and Institute of Customer Service and those actively implementing best practice in customer service share their knowledge and experiences. As well as the expertise brought to you by our speakers, you will also benefit from meeting like-minded quality professionals, aiming (like you) to overcome the challenges customer service presents.

Falling on the second Thursday in November each year, World Quality Day provides an opportunity for every organisation to celebrate business excellence and achievement in the workplace. This year CQI will be helping companies to demonstrate their commitment to quality to their customers, suppliers and stakeholders, with a range of activities through the year culminating with the CQI world Quality Conference.

Resources for the busy quality professional
There is always something new for the quality professional to learn. The CQI Body of Quality Knowledge portal provides simple, yet in-depth, statements of knowledge that can be used and developed by users such as educational and training groups, CQI members and organisations that need to define guidance or competencies for their quality professionals.