AKABA, S.A.’s quality policy is based on the commitment to achieve the maximum application of the following basic principles that constitute the basis of all efficient management and brings the consecution of competitive advantages along the time, based on the quality or excellence in management:

• Orientation along results. The continuous success depends on the balance and the satisfaction of the expectations of all groups of interest taking part in the organisation: clients, suppliers, employees, shareholders and the society in general.
  
  
• Orientation along the client. The whole organisation must work on the search for client’s satisfaction, which depends on the value given to the product or service, and its relation with the expectations it had.
  
  
• Leadership and constancy on the objectives. The leaders of the organisation must inspire clarity and unit on the objectives, and behave as suppliers of the necessary means, so that the organisation and the people involved can reach the excellence.
  
  
• Management through process and data. The traditional management through fonctions or departments should be complemented with the management through process in order to adaptbetter to the needs of the clients and improve competitiveness. The process managementmust be based on the information and reliable data, not on opinions.
  
  
• Development and involvement of the people. In order to achieve the success of the organisation it is essential the full development of the people’s potential and their involvement in the business project, setting up mechanismsof communication and participation that stimulate the trust and the assumption of responsibilities.
  
  
• Learning, innovation and continuous improvement. The continuous improvement can be defined as a cycle of four PDCA phases (Plan, Do, Check, Act). If we apply this cycle to all the activities of the organisation, the results will improve substantially.
  
  
• Development of alliances. Links and relations based on the trust have to be established with suppliers and other collaborators, negotiating and meeting mutual requirements, to win with it improvements on the service given to clients.
  
  
• Social responsibility.The organisation and its employees should behave according to an ethic, making efforts to pass the rules and legal requirements and participate in the social initiatives developed in the community.

In order to achieve it, the AKABA’s management teamis committed to promote the use of tools and a methodology of management, working as it is established by the standard ISO 9.001/2000 and following the model of excellence EFQM, as well as, to explain to all the organisation the quality policy through the Managing Direction and the Responsible of Departments.

Lasarte, June 2003

Josean Diez Mintegui Managing Director

Roberto Alfonso Quality Manager