At Emergent, we know that quality is critical to public health, patient trust and long-term business success. Yet across the life sciences industry, quality can often be seen as a cost to control rather than a strategic asset to leverage.
Organizations can shift their thinking to view it not just as an operational necessity, but as a value driver that powers innovation, resilience and growth.
Managing the Cost of Quality
For decades, organizations have evaluated quality in terms of “good” and “bad” costs. Bad quality costs, like product recalls, regulatory findings, or scrap, are the obvious financial and reputational hits when something goes wrong. Good quality costs, such as preventive controls, testing, or quality oversight, are seen as necessary but negotiable investments to avoid the bad.
This model focuses on minimizing spending rather than maximizing value. The farther an organization is from a warning letter or major issue, the harder it becomes to justify ongoing investments in quality. The pain is less immediate, and quality may start to feel optional. But this approach leaves too much room for potential missteps, by de-emphasizing the focus on quality when things are “going well.”
Quality as an Investment
This begs the question, what if quality weren’t just a form of risk management but a strategic investment in long-term performance?
When quality is treated as a value driver, the return on investment becomes clearer: enhanced brand reputation, stronger regulatory standing, more resilient operations and a culture of accountability that empowers employees to solve problems before they become crises.
Investing in quality helps build an organization where everyone feels responsible. This kind of culture is proactive, not reactive, and where the real value lies.
Culture Is the Catalyst
Changing how we view quality starts with culture. It requires leadership buy-in, cross-functional collaboration, and psychological safety, where employees at every level feel confident raising concerns and proposing improvements. That’s why we at Emergent have worked so hard to develop a Speak Up culture.
Metrics and scorecards can help, but they must be thoughtfully designed: don’t stop at simply reporting deviations. Instead, track whether issues are being solved for good. Celebrate improvements, not just compliance.
The Path Forward
Start with an honest assessment. Is quality a standing topic in executive meetings? Is the senior quality leader at the table when business strategy is discussed? Are teams rewarded for engaging with quality, not just avoiding error?
Our commitment to quality underpins everything we do, from protecting public health to delivering critical medical countermeasures. We believe that by investing in quality as a value driver, we create safer, stronger systems and better outcomes for all.