The eight principles are taken from the ISO 9000:2000 standard.

Principle 1: Customer focus

Organizations depend on their customers and therefore should understand current and future customer needs. They should meet the customers' requirements and strive to exceed the customers' expectations.

Principle 2: Leadership

Leaders establish unity of purpose and provide direction for the organization. They should create and maintain the internal environment in which people can become fully involved in achieving the organization's objectives.

Principle 3: Involvement of people

People at all levels are the essence of an organization and their full involvement enables their abilities to be used for the organization's benefit.

Principle 4: Process approach

A desired result is achieved more efficiently when activities and related resources are managed as a process.

Principle 5: System approach to management

Identifying, understanding and managing interrelated processes as a system contributes to the organization's effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its objectives.

Principle 6: Continual improvement

Continual improvement of the organization's overall performance should be a permanent objective of the organization.

Principle 7: Factual approach to decision making

Effective decisions are based on the analysis of data and information.

Principle 8: Mutually beneficial supplier relationships

An organization and its suppliers are interdependent and a mutually beneficial relationship enhances the ability for both to create valuable services.