ECEI Silver Label

The ECEI SILVER Label “Dedicated to Cluster Excellence” confirms the successful implementation of improvement processes that were initiated following a previous Bronze Label benchmarking. Cluster management organisations that are able to demonstrate improvements in the course of an audit conducted by an impartial ESCA cluster expert will be awarded the SILVER Label.

The Silver Label audit is based on four steps:

1. Cluster organisations subject themselves to a second Bronze Label benchmarking after 1.5 to 2 years of the first benchmarking and
2. Indicate three areas with regard to the quality indicators of the European Cluster Excellence Initiative in which they have improved. For this purpose ESCA will provide a form. Each area of improvement has to be described in a meaningful manner. The cluster organisation is expected to describe how each of the selected improvements effected the overall development of the cluster.
3. The audit will then be continued by an on-site visit by an auditor to validate the indicated areas of improvement. The criteria of the GOLD Label of the European Cluster Excellence Initiative relevant to the identified areas of improvement will be used as a validation benchmark. In this context it will be also checked whether the cluster organisation meets the minimum requirements of the “Cluster Management Excellence Label GOLD”. These requirements are described the document “European Cluster Excellence Baseline - Minimum Requirements for Cluster Organisations”, which you can download here. If a cluster organisation does not meet one of these criteria the Silver Label cannot be awarded.
4. The auditor will elaborate a report that details the results and includes customised recommendations for improvements.

When a cluster organisation obtains the ECEI SILVER label for the first time, it is valid for two years from the month in which the assessment was conducted. Up to one year after a valid SILVER label expires, it can be renewed by repeating the same process. The validity of the label is then seamlessly extended by three years from the previous validity period.

Please contact ESCA for application and any further information. For information regarding the prices of labelling procedures click here.