Presenting the Global Benchmarking Network
Introduction
Benchmarking is a relentless strategic discovery process. It is a search for identification, understanding, adaptation, and implementation of solutions leading organizations to far superior performance, which is based on best practices. Therewith, it remains one of the most popular and effective tools used for organizational success. For nearly two decades, the Global Benchmarking Network (GBN) has played a key part in raising the awareness and use of benchmarking worldwide. Our alliance of leading benchmarking organizations across the globe has agreed to promote benchmarking as an improvement process on an international level. We thereby focus on facilitating the use of benchmarking and sharing of best practices by helping each other and working together to reach a common vision – to be the global hub for benchmarking.
Core Benefits
- Awareness: Disseminate globally what is benchmarking, the value of benchmarking and approaches and services that encourage benchmarking
- Understanding: Create the premier body of knowledge in benchmarking (its understanding and application)
- Sharing: Share experiences, learn from each other, and assist in the sharing of best practices globally
- Celebrating: Celebrate the contribution of GBN members and organizations that add new knowledge to the field of best practice sharing and benchmarking
History
In 1993, discussions between the UK Benchmarking Centre, the SPI (USA), the SIQ (Sweden), the IZB (Germany), and the Benchmarking Club Italy came together to evaluate the possibility of a co-operative network. Then in 1994, after debate and the agreement, the Global Benchmarking Network (GBN) was officially established by these founding members as a community of legally independent benchmarking centers, with the objective to achieve a consistent understanding of benchmarking as a management method and to promote its worldwide spread and utilization. Dr. Robert C. Camp, from the Best Practice Institute in the USA, who invented the benchmarking method, was appointed the first head of the Network.
The AGM in Madrid, Spain, in June 2001, saw the agreement to change the Officers› structure of the GBN. The position of President was established, with Bob Camp elected as the first President, has been the Chairman since 1994. Also, Peter Heisig, from the Information Centre Benchmarking (ICB) in Berlin, was elected Chairman, having been the Vice-Chairman since 2000. At the 11th AGM in Harrogate, UK in October 2002 Tom Brock announced his retirement. As a result of this decision, both New Zealand and Germany offered to provide the future GBN Secretariat. A vote by GBN Affiliates resulted in the Secretariat moving to ICB in Berlin.
Also during the 2002 Harrogate AGM, the Affiliates agreed to remove from the Memorandum of Understanding the restrictive practice of one centre per country only and to allow as many Centres of Excellence in a country to Affiliate to the GBN, providing the existing Affiliate has no reasonable objections.
Our Presence Around the Globe
With active member representation in nearly 20 Countries – spreading across the European, Asian, and American continents – GBN’s field of actuation is growing. The current membership comprises Research Institutes, Universities, National Quality, Associations, Government Bodies as well as Facilitators. whose expertise spawns through diverse and meticulous perspectives in the Benchmarking field. All together form a unique body of knowledge, which is constantly developed through the exchange of an extraordinary multiformity of ideas and competencies.
Past Events & Achievements
| 12 IBCONS |
| 27 AGMs |
| 2 Roadshows |
| 1 Study Mission |
| 1 Innovation Summit |
GBN Events through the Years
Read the entire GBNewsletter No. 30