DED honours assessors of 2008 DQA and DHDA

The assessors were presented mementoes in appreciation of their work in assessing the applications for both awards.

"The Dubai Quality Award was launched to benchmark the level of business excellence in Dubai and serves as an authenticated standard against which companies can measure their performance,"

said Mr Ali Ibrahim, Deputy Director General for Executive Affairs.

"The continuous and dedicated efforts of the assessors ensure that standards remain uniformly high year on year, and enable companies to raise the bar of quality each year," he added.

"The reputation of the Dubai Quality Award rests on the strengths and commitment of its assessors. They not only evaluate the applications on the basis of stringent criteria but also consistently convey the message of excellence to their associates and to the companies they evaluate," Mr Ali added.

The objective of the DHDA is not only to guarantee greater participation of the UAE nationals in the private sector but also to create the right environment within organizations for Nationals to develop their skills and move ahead in their career.

The Award model evaluates the submission according to the commitment, process and results of the initiatives taken by the company toward developing national human resources.

Since the inception of the awards, the DED has been training over 60 new DQA and DHDA assessors every year apart from holding refresher courses for senior assessors.

"While winning the award is a true honour for participating companies, the feedback from the assessors serves as a starting point for companies to identify areas for improvement. The training for assessors thus becomes an extremely important aspect of the award process because it ensures uniform standard of assessment and consistency of the evaluation process employed by various teams,"

said Mohammed Bushanain, Executive Director Business Excellence Centre, DED.

Launched in 1994, the Dubai Quality Award enjoys the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who has been instrumental in driving the quality movement across the private and public sectors in the emirate.

The DQA is the single most valuable framework for companies to implement a quality strategy to improve effectiveness by involving all employees to meet their objectives and achieve customer satisfaction at optimal costs.

The Dubai Human Development Award recognises the long-term commitment of the private sector to the development of young Nationals. It offers them the chance to develop and build career paths.