Edwards Lifesciences Recognized with Affiliates Choice for Systems Excellence
March 3, 2026 – the Shingo Institute
Edwards Lifesciences Recognized with the Affiliates Choice for Systems Excellence
LOGAN, Utah—March 3, 2026—The Shingo Institute, part of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, is pleased to announce that Edwards Lifesciences in Irvine, California, has been selected to receive the Affiliates Choice for Systems Excellence Recognition. This honor is awarded to affiliate‑nominated organizations that have built and evolved a model system aligned with the Shingo Guiding Principles, with demonstrated, measurable improvement clearly attributable to that system.
Nominated by Michael Martyn of SISU Consulting Group, Edwards Lifesciences is being recognized for its VSM Strategy Deployment system, an enterprise operating model that integrates value stream maps at the network, plant, and functional levels. Supported by A3‑based action plans and a disciplined cadence of review, the system enables every function and site to understand its role within the broader value stream, prioritize work around shared outcomes, and make decisions that reinforce alignment rather than local optimization. Designed around PDCA, the process links principles and performance to future‑state value stream design, with departmental plans cascading from a common blueprint. Standard work for follow‑up, visual management aligned with value stream objectives, and routine gemba‑based reviews ensure disciplined execution and visible, system‑level learning.
“This system has stood the test of time, and it has been implemented in multiple organizations,” said Martyn. “It represents a best practice model that others could learn from and use as a benchmark.”
Over more than 15 years, Edwards Lifesciences has evolved this system from a single plant‑level model into a global operating system spanning multiple countries, divisions, and interconnected value stream segments across R&D, sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery. Continuous feedback loops, including daily huddles, weekly action reviews, and monthly reflections, reveal gaps early and embed learning directly into system design. As leaders have carried the system across roles and sites, capability has deepened, ownership has broadened, and best practices have been deliberately scaled across the network. Today, the system operates as a cohesive, portable, and repeatable model that strengthens alignment, accelerates improvement, and enables sustained, enterprise‑level performance.
“Edwards Lifesciences’ strategy deployment system demonstrates how disciplined system design anchored in value streams and PDCA can transform performance, alignment, and enterprise learning at scale,” said Ken Snyder, Executive Director of the Shingo Institute. “Their long‑term commitment and measurable results make them an outstanding recipient of the Affiliates Choice recognition.”
Edwards Lifesciences will be formally recognized at the Shingo Connect Awards Gala in San Diego, California, on March 19, 2026. Shingo Connect bring professionals from across industries together to learn, connect, and grow with one shared goal: to improve every day. This year’s theme—Accelerating Human-Centered Transformation—explores how true excellence emerges when technology and systems align with people, culture, and principles. To learn more about the event, please visit https://shingo.org/events.
About the Shingo Institute
The Shingo Institute is home to the Shingo Prize, an award recognizing organizations that demonstrate an exceptional culture fostering continuous improvement. Part of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University, the Shingo Institute is named after Japanese industrial engineer and Toyota adviser Shigeo Shingo, one of the world's thought leaders in the Toyota Production System.
Drawing from Dr. Shingo’s teachings and years of experience working with organizations worldwide, the Shingo Institute developed the Shingo Model, the basis for its various educational offerings, including workshops, study tours, and conferences. Workshops are available in multiple languages through the Institute's Licensed Affiliates. For more information on workshops and affiliates or to register to attend an event, please visit https://shingo.org.
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