(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The Department of Economic Development, or DED, on Monday honoured several Dubai businesses for their outstanding commitment to pursuing excellence in 2012.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, attended the awards ceremony.
The 18th Business Excellence Awards include the Dubai Quality Award, or DQA, Dubai Human Development Award, or DHDA, and the Dubai Service Excellence Scheme, or DSES.
Addressing the ceremony, Sami Al Qamzi, director-general of the DED, said Shaikh Mohammed has always underlined the importance of excellence and performance evaluation as key to success.
"His Highness said and I quote: 'Regular performance assessment is essential as it improves our vision, develops our efficiency, corrects our mistakes, and gives us a sustained impetus for development.' That argument gives us the motivation to exert more efforts to reach quality and excellence in the various fields," Al Qamzi said.
The winners of the current cycle of DQA were honoured in three categories - the Dubai Quality Gold Award, Dubai Quality Award and the Dubai Quality Appreciation Award, or DQAA.
Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, presented the Dubai Quality Gold Award to Hilton Dubai Jumeirah (tourism sector) and Union National Bank (finance sector), and the Dubai Quality Award to Danube Building Materials (trade), Emirates Gas (manufacturing) and UAE Exchange Centre (finance).
Shaikh Maktoum also presented DQAA awards to Carea Air Conditioning Services, Al Tanmya Services, World Security, Shift Leasing Rent A Car and VFS GCC (services); Enoc Lubricants & Grease Manufacturing Plant and Dubai Refreshments (manufacturing); Aldo Business Concepts by Apparel Group (retail); and RAK Hospital, Prime Healthcare Group and Abu Dhabi Health Services â€" Seha (healthcare).
The Ministry of Education won the Dubai Human Development Appreciation Award, and Dubai Islamic Bank won the Dubai Human Development Award for their focus on developing UAE national talent. The awards were presented by Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
He also honoured 14 leading retailers selected this year as part of the Dubai Service Excellence Scheme, intended to raise the standards of customer service and business ethics and to set new levels of excellence in the UAE's fast-expanding retail sector.
Plug Ins Electronics â€" Dubai Mall (electronics), Dnata Travel Services â€" Bur Juman (travel services), Springfield â€" Safeer Mall Ras Al Khaimah (apparel), Naturalizer â€" Mall of Emirates and Nine West â€" Al Ain Mall (footwear), Grand Stores Digital â€" Mirdif City Centre (general retail), Pure Gold Jewellers (jewellery) and Al Jaber Optical â€" Bawadi Mall (opticals) were named under the Best Service Performance Outlet scheme of the DSES.
The Best Service Performance Brand scheme of the DSES comprised The Face Shop (small business), Grand Stores (medium business), Nine West (large business) and UAE Exchange Centre (special business), along with Pure Gold Jewellers and Al Jaber Optical in the newly-added Outstanding Business' sub-category.
Rizwan Sajan, founder and chairman of the Danube Group, which won the Dubai Quality Gold Award, said the group would endeavour to explore new frontiers and attain greater heights in the coming years.
"Quality has always been at the forefront of our strategy and it is encouraging to see our quest for excellence being recognised. Danube has always been a pioneer in setting high standards which has proven instrumental in the successful growth of our business," said Sajan.
"For the next cycle, the DED has announced a new SME [small and medium enterprise] Award in view of the growing importance of the expanding SME sector to the local economy, especially in integrating excellence as a critical component of economic activity. The new award will be implemented in partnership with Dubai SME, the DED agency mandated to develop the SME sector," said Al Qamzi.
Mohammed Bushanain, executive director of Corporate Quality and Management Excellence at the DED, said: "A code of conduct for shopping malls will also be launched as part of the DSES this year under a DED initiative to enhance the customer experience in the local retail sector. Another addition this year will be the Bareeq Excellence Award jointly instituted by the Business Excellence Department in the DED and the Dubai Municipality to encourage and reinforce best practices in the jewellery sector."
The DHDA will also be expanded with a new Government HR (human resources) Award, the first of its kind in the region, covering all categories employees including UAE nationals. The award criteria will be based on the latest EFQM Excellence Model and the Radar methodology of assessment.
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