A vast history of improvement
Recognizes sustained dedication to CI principles over years, not short-term projects or individual results
Kaizen Institute’s Highest Recognition
The Masaaki Imai Distinction
The pinnacle of achievement in Continuous Improvement
The Masaaki Imai Distinction is Kaizen Institute’s highest recognition. It honors organizations that have gone beyond implementing tools and techniques to embed Continuous Improvement as a permanent part of their culture, their leadership, and their way of working.
Conferred annually at an exclusive ceremony, this recognition is not granted for a single project or a short-term result. It belongs to organizations that have sustained a journey of
The Distinction
More than an award, a legacy recognition
KAIZEN™ means improvement. Moreover, it means continuing improvement in personal life, home life, social life, and working life.
The Founder
Who was Masaaki Imai?
Masaaki Imai was a Japanese organizational theorist and management consultant who introduced the concept of KAIZEN™ to the Western world. Born in Tokyo in 1930, he spent decades studying the management practices behind Japan’s post-war economic miracle and distilled them into a philosophy that would reshape manufacturing and business globally.
His 1986 book Kaizen: The Key to Japan’s Competitive Success became a landmark in modern management. In 1985, he founded Kaizen Institute in Switzerland, which today operates in over 60 countries as the world’s leading CI consulting firm.
His 1986 book Kaizen: The Key to Japan’s Competitive Success became a landmark in modern management. In 1985, he founded Kaizen Institute in Switzerland, which today operates in over 60 countries as the world’s leading CI consulting firm.
PHOTO GALLERY
Inside the Masaaki Imai Distinction
FAQs
Still have questions about the Masaaki Imai Distinction?
No. The Masaaki Imai Distinction is an invitation-only recognition. Organizations cannot submit applications or nominate themselves for consideration.
Kaizen Institute identifies organizations whose Continuous Improvement journey demonstrates exceptional results, long-term commitment, and serves as a global benchmark.
Named after Masaaki Imai, the man who brought KAIZEN™ to the world, this distinction carries the full weight of Kaizen Institute’s global legacy and reputation.
The recipient’s story becomes part of Kaizen Institute’s global record, shared and cited by organizations worldwide as a benchmark of excellence.