MUHARRAQ, BAHRAIN - Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the operator and managing body of Bahrain International Airport (BIA), has upgraded and widened its quality, health, safety and environment (QHSE) standards to cover its entire operations, resulting in three new ISO certifications. The ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and OHSAS 18001:2007 Integrated Management Systems (IMS) certificates will consolidate BAC’s quality assurance strategy to put in place an organisation-wide framework to better assess and manage quality, compliance and risks assessment. The move follows a strategic decision to raise QHSE certification coverage from airside operations only to a more comprehensive organisational level, as BAC continues its efforts toward the ambitious and transformational Airport Modernisation Programme (AMP).
The certificates were presented by certifying body TUV NORD’s Chief Executive Officer, Jamal S. Al-Baeejan to BAC Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah at a ceremony at the BAC’s premises, which was attended by the Executive Management teams of both companies.
BAC Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah said: “Although our airside operations have already been certified to ISO SHE quality standards for some time, the AMP provides us with the opportunity to reflect on our current practices with a view to considering all aspects of our business. This demanded instituting a new framework on a company-wide level to ensure that our operations and services are designed and delivered within a structured and sustainable framework in line with industry best practices. With these systems now in place, we are now more ready than ever to pursue our AMP operational readiness obligations in a more efficient way.”
Al-Baeejan said: “This certificate symbolises a huge commitment and improvement in the daily activities of management and staff. Achieving this certificate is not something to be taken for granted. It should be a reminder to further improve and achieve greater heights in BAC’s day-to-day job requirements.”
BAC prepared for the certifications by conducting gap assessments, providing awareness training to employees, and improving its policies, processes, procedures and manuals to ensure continuous implementation. It also carried out an internal audit and management review to monitor and measure implementation.
SIBI Vice President, Leena Faraj commented: “Integrated management systems allow us to consistently provide services that meet customer needs as well as statutory and regulatory requirements. They also contribute to sustainable development by preventing or mitigating environmental impacts.”
BAC is the authority responsible for enhancing BIA and increasing the airport’s contribution to the local economy in line with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030. In its operational role, BAC is responsible for elevating the airport’s operations, infrastructure and services. This is set to improve BIA’s capabilities and cater to the growing number of passengers as well as the changing demands of stakeholders.
