GCL – International Recommends Renewal of the Global Quality Management System Certification ISO 9001:2015 for the Palestinian Islamic Bank for the Next Three Years

SadaNews - GCL-International recommended the renewal of the global quality certification for the Palestinian Islamic Bank based on the global standard ISO 9001:2015 for the next three years, following the completion of a comprehensive external re-audit of the bank’s quality management system, which involved various bank operations, branches, and departments.

This recommendation came after a meeting held at the bank attended by the Assistant General Manager for Banking Operations Hatem Arinat, the Director of the Department of Organization and Work Procedures Mahdi Al-Rifai, the General Director of GCL – Palestine, and the Audit Team Leader Engineer Shirin Al-Sayed, along with the Chief Auditor Engineer Baheih Tabush via video conference.

During the meeting, the results of the re-audit were presented and discussed, showcasing the progress made by the bank in implementing global quality standards across its various operations and activities, which indicated that the bank remains committed to applying all requirements of the ISO 9001:2015 standard in its operations and strategies, in accordance with the best global practices suited to its context, including sections related to climate change, institutional learning, recovery, and sustainability.

The General Director of the Palestinian Islamic Bank, Dr. Imad Al-Sadi, stated that the commitment to the best global quality standards aligns with the bank's strategic objectives aimed at meeting the growing aspirations and needs of customers for Islamic banking services and products of the highest possible quality.

Al-Sadi explained that this new achievement in the field of the quality management system comes despite the difficult circumstances and challenges that have intensified over the past two years due to political and economic conditions, affirming that this achievement is the result of prior planning, ongoing guidance from the Board of Directors, adherence to best practices in good governance and institutional excellence, as well as the outstanding efforts of the bank's employees and the continuous oversight by the Sharia Supervisory Board, which ensures that all the bank's operations comply with the provisions and principles of Islamic law.

He added: "This confirms that the bank is still committed to applying all requirements of the global ISO 9001 standard in all its operations and strategies, according to the best global practices that suit the bank's context, including aspects related to climate change, institutional learning, and recovery. It also paves the way for the bank's efforts to align its quality systems with changes in the global quality standard ISO 9001:2026, which will focus on sustainability commitments, climate change considerations, enhancing leadership, aligning quality policy with strategy, and raising awareness and knowledge while adopting risk-based thinking."

For her part, Engineer Shirin Al-Sayed - Leader of the External Audit Team - and Engineer Baheih Tabush thanked the management of the Palestinian Islamic Bank and all employees for the cooperation, transparency, and support that distinguished the audit work, which allowed the external audit process to be conducted according to the approved plan and contributed to achieving its objectives effectively. They affirmed that the bank's administrative systems and strategic directions are comparable to those of the major banks operating in Arab countries.

During the presentation of the results of the comprehensive re-audit, Al-Sayed stated that the continuous improvement in performance indicators positively reflects the maturity of the quality management system and the efficiency of applying quality practices and digital transformation. The results showed the commitment of senior leadership to instill a quality culture and an increase in employee awareness of the standards and requirements of the system, which led to improved performance and strengthened the path of continuous development despite existing challenges in Palestine.

She added: "The results also confirmed the bank's ability to manage all types of risks—strategic, operational, and financial—with flexibility and effectiveness, in line with the best global practices in the field, along with the integration of its management systems to support achieving strategic objectives and business sustainability, with a recommendation to continue developing key performance indicators and enhancing the institutional governance system to ensure alignment between quality objectives and stakeholder aspirations."

Al-Sayed also emphasized that these qualitative achievements in continuous application and performance improvement are a pillar of resilience for the bank, demonstrating its ability to innovate and respond effectively. The essence of progress lies in enhancing performance indicators and reviewing governance structures to become more mature and comprehensive, thus contributing to business sustainability and maximizing the positive impact of a quality culture internally and among all stakeholders.
The message and vision of the Palestinian Islamic Bank revolve around excellence in providing modern and secure banking and investment solutions in accordance with Islamic law principles. The bank has also established a studied strategy to advance its digital transformation, supported by a cybersecurity strategy that ensures the protection of all customer data, resulting in the launch of pioneering digital services.