An anti-bribery standard being introduced in the UAE “will add to the competitiveness of the country”, according to the head of the body that awards it.
Rashid AlHebsi, the chief executive of Tasneef-Riva Business Assurance (Tasneef), said the new standard would also help to increase transparency in the country, making it more attractive to foreign investors
Tasneef awarded the first UAE-issued ISO 37001 certificate for anti-bribery management systems to German car parts maker Bosch at a ceremony on Thursday, with Mr AlHebsi stating that the UAE has been one of the first countries in the region to adopt the standard and to develop methods for testing and inspection following its introduction.
Mr AlHebsi said that the reason for the UAE’s early adoption of the standard was not because “something was wrong” with integrity in the country, but that it ensures business practices are more transparent.
“To fight corruption, we must join forces among all institutions,” he said. “We understand the importance of building a safe environment that aims at enhancing the Arab region economy and we try to play this role.”
He said there were a number of steps that companies need to adopt to attain accreditation, including the creation of a manual with policies and procedures, a clear definition of management roles and responsibilities, the appointment of an internal auditor to supervise implementation and to instigate monitoring processes.
Volker Bischoff, the general manager of Robert Bosch Middle East, said that although his firm “was not new to this issue” of compliance, and took a zero tolerance approach to bribery, the opportunity to have its systems vetted to ensure that they met international standards was appealing.
“There is a neutral and objective body that is looking at our processes,” said Mr Bischoff.
Mr AlHebsi also said that Tasneef has signed a memorandum of understanding with the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority to cooperate on the governance of three sets of ISO certifications it administers – the anti-bribery standard, a business continuity standard and one governing corporate social responsibility systems.
Colin Keeney, a director of forensic services at Deloitte, said a look at the list of countries that participated in developing the ISO 37001 anti-bribery standards “shows how seriously the Middle East and North Africa region has begun to take this topic”.
Writing in the company's most recent Middle East Point of View publication, Mr Keeney said: "Representatives of the standards bodies of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia all joined the process – an outsized delegation for the region. "We hope that their involvement signals a heightened commitment to transparency and accountability originating from authorities at the highest levels within Mena governments."
mfahy@thenational.ae
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The biog
Fatima Al Darmaki is an Emirati widow with three children
She has received 46 certificates of appreciation and excellence throughout her career
She won the 'ideal mother' category at the Minister of Interior Awards for Excellence
Her favourite food is Harees, a slow-cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled wheat berries mixed with chicken
Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
RACECARD
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7.45pm: Jumeirah Classic Trial – Conditions (TB) $150,000 (T) 1,400m
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9.30pm: Dubai Dash – Listed (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,000m
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
