GCL-International renews its recommendation for PIB to remain ISO 9001: 2015 certified
GCL-International renewed its recommendation for Palestine Islamic Bank to remain ISO-certified. As a result, upon successfully passing the first inspection audit round covering all of its operations and branches, PIB will keep its ISO 9001: 2015 certification.
GCL-International, as the UKAS globally accredited external auditing body, has issued its recommendation after the meeting held at PIB’s general headquarters. The meeting was attended by Dr. Imad Al-Sadi, PIB General Manager, as well as the Bank’s executive management, and Eng. Shereen Al-Sayed, GCL-Palestine General Manager. It discussed the auditing’s deliverables and results.
Al-Sadi stated that the recommendation to remain ISO-certified has been granted thanks to the achievements and advancements of PIB in its quality management system. It further reiterates the Bank’s ability to meet its customers’ aspirations and offer Islamic banking services and products in line with their changing needs.
Furthermore, Al-Sadi confirmed that the Bank’s implementation of a worldclass quality management system contributes to ensuring public satisfaction with the Bank’s services, and its continuous development of products and services. In fact, such achievement would serve as a motivation for the Bank to preserve its human cadre and maintain its excellence.
Al-Sadi also added: “This achievement wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the Board of Directors’ instructions, constant support, and adoption of the best good governance practices and institutional excellence principles. It has also been achieved thanks to the excellent efforts of the Bank’s employees, under the oversight of the Sharia Supervisory Board that is keen on maintaining the Bank’s compliance to Sharia principles and rules.”
Eng. Shereen Al-Sayed, External Auditing Team Leader, extended her gratitude to PIB’s management and employees, thanking them for the cooperation, transparency, and support they have offered in ensuring the success of the auditing process that was smoothly carried out as planned. She presented the audit results and covered areas that can be further improved including, among others, raising awareness and compliance in terms of quality management at all administrative levels. Al-Sayed has also noted the significant improvement of the system’s performance indicators. She applauded the Bank’s automation of various quality management processes, as well as the consistency and relevance of PIB’s objectives to the strategic direction of the Bank, namely through adopting many strategic pillars, elaborating action plans, determining performance indicators at all administrative levels, and ensuring they are subject to the controls imposed upon completing the Bank’s risk assessment. She stressed that such improvement represents the fruits of the Bank’s upper management efforts and compliance, where the General manager and all managers have been keen on ensuring the system’s continuous monitoring and improvement.
Al-Sayed also praised PIB’s unique achievements in ensuring constant enhancement of their performance, where such accomplishments have long been deemed an essential element for achieving business sustainability and positive impact in terms of fostering the culture of quality among all relevant parties, including the Bank itself.
PIB was granted the ISO 9001: 2015 certification in 2022, upon meeting all the relevant requirements, namely in terms of adopting an advanced quality management system aligned with the ISO 9001:2015 criteria. The Bank also adopted the standard’s principles, putting customers at the center, ensuring the continuous improvement of the business aspects and operations based on a risk management approach, adopting a leadership approach, ensuring employee engagement and skills development, and promoting relationships and partnerships with all relevant entities.