SDPW receives ISO 20400 for sustainable procurement

The certification demonstrates that SDPW has a long-term plan to make sustainability a part of its operations, especially in procurement, where it balances social, environmental, and economic concerns.

The department asserts the success is an outcome of a defined institutional programme and is part of its larger strategic goal to make sustainability a part of all administrative and technical tasks. SDPW has now added ISO 20400 to a list of six international certifications it already has in areas like customer service, information technology, and quality management.

Hind Nasser, Director of Human Resources and Finance at SDPW, the certification represents a significant step forward for the department. She stated that sustainability is now a primary premise that guides decision-making and project implementation, rather than just an optional step. She also thanked the Finance Department for assisting with the certification procedures.

She stated that collaboration among departments was critical to obtaining this level of institutional effectiveness. She also stated that SDPW has worked hard over the last few years to ensure that its processes and procedures are in accordance with international standards, resulting in improved service quality, efficiency, and transparency.

Sadiqa Al Dhaheri, Head of the Finance Department of SDPW, stated that the certification represented a significant step forward for the department as a whole. She said it demonstrates SDPW's commitment to applying well-known global standards for financial management and procurement while ensuring that purchasing decisions help the department meet its sustainability goals.

According to Al Dhaheri, the Finance Department has been trying to increase openness and efficiency in procurement processes to ensure that resources are spent appropriately. She further stated that the accreditation strengthens SDPW's position as a government body dedicated to sustainable governance.

She also stated that international accreditation fosters trust among partners and stakeholders and contributes to good financial policies that enable the government to complete its initiatives successfully.

It is worth noting that the Department received last year the award for Leading Government Entity in Financial Performance at the sixth edition of the Financial Excellence Performance Award, organised by the Sharjah Finance Department.