Etihad Rail DB, the operator of the UAE’s national railway network, said it has become the first heavy rail operator to get Business Continuity Management System ISO 22301-2012 certification Midde East and North Africa (Mena) region and one of a few transport industry players in the world to be certified.

The company’s certification was awarded by DNV GL Business Assurance Group, one of the world’s largest certification service providers and a trusted leader in testing, inspection and ISO certification.

The certification guarantees a holistic and structured approach to prioritise, prepare and respond to disruption across an organisation. ISO 22301-2012 implementation aims to mitigate the impact of disruptions to a business and better prepares organisations to maintain business momentum in the case of unplanned events,. said a statement from the company.

The certification is a major milestone in the company’s overall mission to create value for its customers by providing safe, reliable and efficient rail-based transport solutions, and validates its commitment to stakeholders towards resilience and service delivery assurance in the event of potential disruption.

"The ISO 22301-2012 certification is a culmination of our team’s hard work and effort and a result of the dedicated co-operation of our stakeholders, namely ADNOC, Etihad Rail, and the General Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police," remarked Saeed Al Suwaidi, A/CEO of Etihad Rail DB.

"Ensuring that Etihad Rail DB has the necessary tools and mechanisms in place to deal with any potential disruption to the business is a major goal for us. It is one we have taken many measures over the past few years to achieve, including participating in numerous emergency and crises exercises with our stakeholders," he said.

"The focus for us at Etihad Rail DB, from day one, was, and remains, ensuring the safety and security of our people, assets and operation," noted Al Suwaidi.

"With our Business Continuity Management processes in place, we strive to make railways not only a more environmentally-friendly, but safer and more resilient mode of transportation," he added.-TradeArabia News Service