The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) organized a forum entitled “Best Practices in the integrated management system,” in cooperation with the American Society for Quality in the Middle East and Africa (ASQ MEA).

The forum was organized with the aim of exchanging knowledge and expertise between the chamber and the society, as well as reviewing avenues of cooperation between the two sides, in order to help support the business community in Sharjah and strengthen their commitment and adherence to international standards of quality, environmental responsibility, and occupational health and safety.

The activities of the forum were hosted at the SCCI’s headquarters on Wednesday, in the presence of HE Mohamed Ahmed Amin, Acting Director-General of the SCCI; Mona Abdul Karim Al Yafei, Director of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services; Mariam Saif Al Shamsi, Assistant Director-General for the Support Services Sector at the SCCI; Abdulaziz Shattaf, Assistant Director-General for Members Services at the SCCI; Mariam Ahmad Al Ali, Senior Executive of Institutional Excellence at the SCCI; and Kavitha Prabhu, General Manager of ASQ MEA; in addition to a number of officials from government departments and large companies and institutions in Sharjah. The forum was also attended by a number of experts from the American Society for Quality (ASQ), as well as a large variety of experts that specialize in the field of quality management.

HE Mohamed Ahmed Amin, Acting Director-General of the SCCI, stated that working with quality systems and applying best practices is considered a farsighted business strategy for those who seek development and leadership in their projects and investments, in order to achieve success and excellence.

Amin remarked that the chamber’s ambitions and efforts do not only extend to applying the best systems and standards, but that it has also previously launched a variety of initiatives in this field. He noted that one of the most prominent initiatives was the launch of the first excellence award for the private sector in 1991, which was then re-developed in 2002 into the “Sharjah Economic Excellence Network Award,” whose various categories were based on the EFQM excellence model. He then thanked the American Society for Quality (ASQ) for cooperating with the chamber to organize this event, which aims to both promote a culture of quality and apply the best practices in the private sector in Sharjah.

Kavitha Prabhu, General Manager of ASQ MEA, stressed the importance of learning continuously in the field of integrated management systems, regardless of the level of institutional skills and expertise. She stated that adopting standards of quality and excellence in areas of leadership and management are key elements that help in overcoming the challenges of any institution or enterprise that seeks to achieve excellence.

Mariam Ahmad Al Ali, Senior Executive of Institutional Excellence at the SCCI, stated that the forum was organized with the aim of providing an opportunity to the emirate’s business community to review the best practices in the field of integrated management systems for quality, environment, and occupational health and safety. She stressed that the chamber is keen to create an ideal environment for learning and exchanging knowledge to the private sector, which will be achieved by opening doors for mutual cooperation with global leaders in the field of institutional quality and excellence, and by encouraging the sector to take advantage of the latest integrated management systems that help enhance the performance of their companies and their services.

Shibu Davies, General Manager of TUV Middle East, gave a presentation on the Integrated Management System and Risk Management Certification, where he highlighted TUV’s expertise and best practices in the field of quality management. The presentation was followed by a panel discussion that reviewed the application of the Integrated Management System (IMS) under the slogan “Challenges and Best Practices.” The panel discussion was led by Nancy Nouaimeh, Chair of ASQ UAE Local Member Community Committee and Assistant Vice President of Quality, Safety and Performance Excellence at Abela and Co. The discussion also included the participation of Sathish Kumar Narayanan, Manager of Internal Audit (IMS & Regulatory Compliance) at Borouge; Abdulaziz Shattaf, Assistant Director-General for Members Services at the SCCI; and Murtada Alzaylaie, Excellence Advisor at Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA).

The forum also included a roundtable discussion on the best practices and solutions to help overcome the challenges of an integrated management system, which was followed by a group activity on quality management. The forum ended by honouring the speakers and participants at the forum, which included the exchange of commemorative shields between the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and the American Society for Quality in the Middle East and Africa (ASQ MEA).