Dubai Customs has been awarded the ISO 9001:2000 certification, the international quality management standard for businesses, by the Lloyds Register Quality Assurance, for meeting stringent internal quality management requirements.
Ahmed Butti Ahmed, Director General of Dubai Customs, received the certification from Bassem Obaid, Manager, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Lloyds Register in a gala ceremony held at the Dubai Customs main building. The event was attended by a host of dignitaries, including Mohammed Al Murri Executive Director- Customs Operations, Abdul Rehman Saleh, Executive Director-Administration Services and Khalid Khammas, Executive Director- Customs Commitment.
Having already achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification three years ago, Dubai Customs was required to seek fresh certification as a result of the drastic overhaul of processes and procedures at the organization, following the adoption of the Reform and Modernization Program.
Lloyds Register, the foremost business assurance company supplying certification services and training to organizations, carried out regular inspections at Dubai Customs until late 2005, and decided to award the certification upon being convinced of the strict quality management procedures the organization had in place. Following the certification, Lloyds Register will be carrying out inspections at Dubai Customs every six months, to ensure that quality prescriptions are continuously complied with.
Ahmed Butti Ahmed said, “We are proud to be accorded this prestigious certification. Being the foremost Customs department in the region, Dubai Customs felt it important to demonstrate that our internal quality management systems are stringent enough to withstand the scrutiny of a rigorous external review.”
“We had undertaken a major modernization drive to bring the internal systems and processes of Dubai Customs on par with the best in the world. As this program involved restructuring of procedures and addition of new divisions, we were persuaded to seek anew the ISO 9001:2000 certification, which is the highest quality recognition of its kind,” Butti Ahmed added. “Dubai Customs is constantly looking for ways to improve, so that we can carry out our responsibilities more efficiently and consistently.”
ISO 9001:2000 is an international quality management standard and framework for business-to-business dealings, focusing on meeting customer quality and applicable regulatory requirements, enhancing customer satisfaction and continually improving business performance from the initial contracting stage through the delivery of service.
