Improving Quality is the quality scheme written to be used both as a self assessment tool as well as external assessment. Its focus is on elements that all not for profit organisations need. Although written to target small organisations, it is equally applicable to larger ones.Improving Quality is the only sectoral quality mark that covers the work of charities and other organisations: no other assurance award addresses all the essential areas necessary for the effective management and governance of a charity or other third sector organisation.IQ addresses all the key areas of organisational life in 4 elementsAccountable – Good Governance, Leadership and managementWelcoming – Involving Service users, managing and developing Staff and Volunteers, Equality and Diversity and working with othersEffective – refers to the services that an organisations provides and the planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation that the organisations carries outSustainable – How the organisation manages, risk, money and the resources to make service delivery happen