Dubai Customs won Farouk El-Baz Award for Excellence in Organizational Sustainability of the Public Sector category. The Award was launched by Hamdan Bin Mohammed E-University in 2011 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and University President. It was developed for the purpose of encouraging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in organizations and driving excellence in different parts of the world across different operations by instilling the belief that CSR at all levels has a positive impact on the sustained competitiveness keeping pace with the growing demands of the 21st century.

 

Mrs. Feryal Tawakul, Executive Director of Community Affairs and Government Partnership division was handed the award by H.E. Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander-in Chief of Dubai Police and Chairman of the University’s Board of Governors during a private ceremony recently organized by Hamdan Bin Mohammed E-University at its headquarters. The ceremony took place on the sidelines of the University’s Annual Congress which was held under the main theme; “Innovation Based Competitiveness: How to redefine excellence” and was attended by a number of government official personnel in Dubai and prominent scientists and researchers specialized in knowledge and education in the UAE and overseas.

 

H.E. Ahmed Butti Ahmed, Executive Chairman of Ports, Custom and Free Zone Corporation, Dubai Customs Director General expressed his satisfaction for winning this prestigious award which crowns Dubai Customs’ efforts in CSR and reflects its commitment to excellence standard in corporate sustainability in theory, practice and performance. He stressed as well that CSR is considered a priority in Dubai Customs’ strategies, so high that it was transferred to an added-value element instead of being a burden.

 

H.E. Ahmed Butti noted that in the recent years Dubai Customs launched dozens of community initiatives which are stemmed from four main pillars; the environment, community, clients and the employees. Numerous sustainable community projects were adopted in this field; all of which contributed directly to bagging high level awards such as earning twice the CSR Arabia Award- Public Sector Category; which is an award granted by Arabia CSR Network, and the consecutive awarding of Ideas UK Platinum Accreditation for the Department’s suggestion system efficiency. The latter award is regarded as an unprecedented achievement in the Arab world, not to forget that Dubai Customs was the first government department to ever receive this accreditation worldwide.

 

Mrs. Feryal Tawakul said that winning El-Baz Award is an outcome of the extensive care the CSR team gives to this aspect, in addition to launching several initiatives that fostered CSR and rendered it into an integrative part of Dubai Government strategy, the ultimate key behind this success. "In the recent years, Dubai Customs has given much interest to employees and clients’ rights and transparency; something that was embodied through the Client Charter and the Department’s keenness to the different society segments especially the people of special needs. Furthermore, we have launched many environmental initiatives as well as awareness campaigns about customs economic and security roles, besides other initiatives which target and serve women such as the formation of ALRAEDA Women’s Committee, launching Best Working Mother Award, inaugurating the Child Care Center at Dubai Customs and cultivating volunteerism and charity culture among the employees” she added.

 

She pointed out as well that Dubai Customs considers its keenness to social responsibility a major part of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organization Conventions. She highlighted the Department’s eco-friendly endeavours which encourage rationalization of resources and protection of the environment by encouraging its staff, clients and partners to take on positive practices which help put a stop to the dangers of pollution and footprint and carbon emissions, as well as supporting recycling and saving energy and green buildings with low voltage electricity bulbs and a smart water plumbing system which uses less water. “ Achieving this noble objective, we rely largely on the Quality Management system implemented at the Department which fulfils the requirements of ISO standard 14001:2004 and Social Accountability standard SA 8000:2008.” She further noted.

Commenting on Dubai Customs earning of the Award, Prof El Baz, who currently is the Research Professor and Director of the Center for Remote Sensing at Boston University in the USA, expressed his satisfaction for the Department’s winning of this unique award which aims to encourage the distinguished organizations to achieve sustainability. Prof El Baz extended his greetings to Dubai Customs’ upper management as well as its staff for receiving the Award, “ It gives me great pleasure that a leading government department such as Dubai Customs is acknowledged for its efforts by this Award.”

 

Hamdan Bin Mohammed E-University launched Farouk El-Baz Award during its Annual congress 2011 as per the directions of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum in a bid to recognize the academic distinction of Prof Farouk El Baz and his significant contributions to humanity. El Baz worked as a scientist at NASA as Supervisor of Lunar Science Planning, he was also the Chairman of the Astronaut Training Group.