Last week, I wrote about why organisations should participate in competitions such as the International Best Practice Competition (IBPC) and highlighted six strategic advantages for participating organisations. In response, I received several queries about the application process, as there is a common perception that it is cumbersome and that achieving a high score is difficult. While the assessment process is indeed rigorous, with some effort and diligent preparation, applicants can effectively present their best practice and achieve a Five-Star or higher recognition from the IBPC Certification Scheme.
In today’s blog, I am sharing a ‘Cheat Sheet’ for upcoming IBPC applicants to help them craft an award-winning application. These insights are based on my experience as a jury member, and I believe they will help participating organisations submit a high-quality application that stands out to both reviewers and the jury.

Introduction:
The International Best Practice Competition (IBPC) is a globally recognised platform that allows organisations to showcase their most effective and innovative practices. Achieving a Five-Star or higher certification from the IBPC Certification Scheme validates an organisation’s commitment to excellence, impact, and continuous improvement. However, crafting a compelling and well-structured application is what sets high-scoring submissions apart.
Having served as an IBPC jury member, I’ve observed key factors that distinguish strong applications from those that fall short. Many applicants struggle with structuring their submissions, providing clear evidence, and aligning with IBPC’s evaluation framework.
To help organisations navigate the process effectively, I have outlined a step-by-step cheat sheet based on the key sections of the IBPC application. This guide will help applicants structure a high-quality submission and maximise their chances of earning a top certification.

Six Steps to Writing a High-Scoring IBPC Application

Your best practice definition is the foundation of your application. A strong response will:
✅ Start with a clear statement: Your first sentence should begin with “Our best practice is…”
✅ Explain why it qualifies as a best practice: What makes it unique, effective, or innovative?
✅ Specify its nature: Is it an operational or managerial practice, a system, an initiative, a service, or a product?
✅ Define the scope and boundaries:

• What is included? What is excluded?
• Where does the process start and end?
• What are its resource requirements and stakeholder engagement levels?
✅ Provide organisational context:
• What does your organisation do?
• What challenge or opportunity does this best practice address?

Our best practice is an AI-powered motorbike inspection system that enhances road safety compliance for delivery services. This practice automates real-time safety checks using AI, significantly reducing manual intervention and improving compliance rates. The initiative applies across all regional delivery hubs but excludes personal vehicle inspections. Our organisation, a leading logistics provider, faced increasing road safety violations, prompting us to develop this solution.”

Your application should clearly outline how the best practice was implemented and scaled across your organisation. High-scoring applications address:
✅ When the practice was designed and implemented (include a timeline of key milestones).
✅ How it was developed (e.g., stakeholder involvement, change management, staff retraining).
✅ Extent of deployment – Has it been:

• Fully rolled out across all targeted areas?
• Partially implemented with ongoing expansion?
• ✅ Adoption and understanding – How well do staff, customers, or suppliers apply and benefit from this practice?

The AI motorbike inspection system was piloted in 2021 and fully deployed in all 12 regional hubs by mid-2023. The rollout included staff training on AI monitoring tools, a phased implementation strategy, and a supplier onboarding program. Currently, 95% of all safety inspections are completed using AI, significantly reducing manual workload.

Innovation is one of the most critical elements of an IBPC application. Your response should:
✅ Explain what makes the practice unique – Is it a new practice, an adaptation, or a gradual improvement?
✅ Showcase how it stands out – Does it increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve safety, or enhance effectiveness?
✅ Describe any technological or procedural breakthroughs.

Unlike traditional manual inspections, our AI system integrates real-time safety analytics, automatically detecting rule violations and alerting drivers before an incident occurs. This proactive approach has led to a 32% reduction in motorbike accidents and set a new industry standard for road safety monitoring

The best applications provide clear, measurable performance data to prove the effectiveness of the practice.
✅ Provide financial and non-financial benefits, such as:

• Cost savings or revenue growth ($ in USD)
• Increased productivity or reduced cycle time
• Higher customer or employee satisfaction
• Reduction in errors, complaints, or compliance violations
• ✅ Show before-and-after performance data – Use graphs, tables, or statistics to demonstrate improvements.
• ✅ Ensure that benefits are directly related to the best practice.

Since implementing AI inspections, compliance violations have dropped from 18% to 4%. Processing time per inspection decreased from 7.5 minutes to under 1 minute, leading to a 65% increase in inspection volume. Cost savings amount to $1.2 million annually.

Judges look for external validation to confirm the credibility and impact of a best practice. Your application should include:
✅ Benchmarking insights – How does your practice compare to industry standards or best-in-class organisations?
✅ recognition received – Awards, external audits, media mentions, or conference presentations.
✅ Adoption by other organisations – Has your best practice been shared, studied, or implemented elsewhere?
✅ Customer/supplier feedback – Favorable comparisons to industry norms.

This best practice was showcased at the Global Transport Safety Summit and later adopted by two international logistics firms. It was praised during an external compliance audit for setting a new standard in AI-driven road safety.

Pro Tip:
✅ Review past IBPC winners – BPIR.com hosts a number of past winners’ applications and presentations. Take advantage of this resource to understand how high-scoring submissions are structured and improve your application accordingly.
Checklist: Quick Review Before Submission
✅ Best practice clearly defined?
✅ Implementation and deployment timeline included?
✅ Innovation clearly articulated?
✅ Strong data and measurable impact provided?
✅ External validation and benchmarking included?
✅ application is well-structured and easy to read?