Dubai Quality Group is a non-profit organization set up by the Dubai Department of Economic Development under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Guided by the vision of H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai Quality Group was established in 1994 to develop and promote Quality and Business Excellences practices in UAE.
Dubai Quality Group organizes mainly Quality and Business Excellence topics related training programs and events throughout the year with the objective of improving and promoting Quality of Service & Business Excellence in the Region.
All the DQG projects are run with a highly motivated and dedicated staff of just eight employees, led by the very hardworking Deputy Managing Director Salman Viralipurath, along with seven board members under the leadership of Ms. Fatma Buti Al Mheiri the first women chairman in the history of DQG since 1994.
Since inception in February 1994, the DQG has grown to include more than 380 prominent organizations that represent over 3000 individuals from both the public and private sectors. DQG organizes networking opportunities aimed at improving the performance of individuals in the partner organizations. DQG has close links with professional bodies and academic institutes, both locally and internationally. It provides an excellent environment for its partners to meet and exchange ideas, information and expertise. It is a forum where all types of organizations can benefit from each other.
DQG is an institution that funds itself and is financially independent. It caters to 2000 members, organizes more than 50 training programs a year, 38 free seminars & business breakfast and half a dozen big conventions of up to 400 people, including 6 big conferences and awards from the Emirates Women’s Award, Ideas Arabia conference, UAE Ideas Conference, UAE innovation Award for the privet sector. It has tied up with most global majors in quality, excellence and change management fields.
Ms. Fatma Buti says “For the first time in Middle East and North Africa (Mena), DQG will bring the Brussels-based European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Forum. It will be held towards the end of the year.”
Challenges are always there, and the big challenge the team faced was in 2008 during the recession, but DQG team as a family overcomes them.
The values and goals of Dubai Quality Group are as follows:
- Support the Dubai Quality Award programme in all respects.
- Establish strong links with educational authorities and promote & actively support young nationals and other professionals wishing to pursue a career in quality.
- Promote and contribute to the increased awareness of quality management in the region.
- Provide support and advice to establishments, companies and other institutions in connection with improving management competencies.
- Support the aims and objectives of the Dubai’s Strategic Plan in all aspects.
- Encourage a free exchange of knowledge, information and skills within the business community.
- Arrange training courses, seminars, conferences and studies relating to quality
- management issues
- Establish good relationships with other professional groups or societies both existing or yet to be established in the region
- Create and encourage network friendships, contacts and communications between partners.
- Expand the existing management library and research center facilities.
DQG Vision: Innovate to lead
DQG Mission: We empower organizations and professionals to adopt and sustain world-class Business Excellence practices through partnerships, networking and knowledge sharing.
- CERTIFIED TRAINING & WORKSHOPS
Cost-effective and value-added workshops are conducted on a regular basis to provide attendees with knowledge, tools and techniques to implement new and effective management theories within their own organizations.
- IN HOUSE TRAINING: In addition to the public training programs that we offer, we also cater to our members’ unique requirements through in-house training programs such as: Certified Administrator of Suggestion Systems (CASS), EFQM Assessor Training (EAT), Internal Assessor Training (IAT), QMS Internal Auditor Training, QMS Lead Auditor Training.
- FREE SEMINARS/BUSINESS BREAKFAST: Conducted exclusively for DQG member organizations, to provide their employees with an effective platform for networking and knowledge sharing.
- DQG SUBGROUPS: Offer members with a platform to exchange thoughts, ideas and expertise in specific areas. Each subgroup meets regularly and has the freedom to organize seminars, inter-company visits, benchmarking activities, and other social events
- ADVISORY SERVICE: Through its quality network, DQG acts as a facilitator to enable partners to access information, resources and expertise from both local and international bodies. With our associations from international & local bodies, we offer expert quality advice on various topics, including: Implementing Business Excellence (by applying EFQM Model), Implementing ISO Standards, Implementing Suggestion & Rewarding Scheme, Planning & executing internal awards for organizations, Arranging benchmarking visits, Planning & preparing for local / international business excellence awards
- CONFERENCES & AWARDS: DQG Organizes 6 big conferences and awards a year:
- Emirates Women Award: Was launched in 2003, to encourage the country’s women (UAE Nationals & Residents) to play their part in corporate affairs, and to recognize and appreciate the ladies who have been successful in their respective careers/businesses.
- UAE Ideas Conference & Award: Aims at encouraging, empowering & recognizing UAE national talents, their achievements & innovations, as well as promoting UAE culture & identity.
- Ideas Arabia International Conference & Award: Ideas Arabia Subgroup of DQG initiated this conference in 2006, aim to bring to the Middle East, the latest developments in the Suggestion & Rewarding Scheme and how implementing this will benefit an organization, and thus create a platform for people in this region to share their best practices in this area.
- Continual Improvement Symposium & Award: Continual Improvement (CI) Subgroup of DQG initiated this unique annual DQG event to facilitate sharing, recognizing and learning from best practices and actual case studies in continual improvement by organizations from various sectors.
- The Best Practices & Benchmarking Forum: The forum is aimed at showcasing the best practices of winners of DED’s Business Excellence Awards, the Dubai Quality Award (DQA), Dubai Human Development Award (DHDA) and Dubai Service Excellence Scheme (DSES), as well as the International Business Excellence Awards, Gulf Customer Experience Awards and the EBM Benchmarking Program.
- UAE Innovation Award: Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Dubai Quality Group announced the launch of the UAE Innovation Award, targets UAE private sector companies operating across 15 industries and sectors.
- Bench-marking opportunities: Through our international & local associations, we offer various benchmarking opportunities to learn from the best practices of other organizations.
DQG is committed to be a center of Knowledge sharing for all topics relating to Quality and Business Excellence.
Any country cannot achieve any of its goals without the full participation of the whole population in its public and business life. Both women and men are vital to achieving the exciting level of progress that is already underway, which would be restricted without the whole population committing all its abilities to the task. The institutional challenge for today’s women is that historically and socially, they have been seen solely as homemakers. But that is rapidly changing.
Today the female-led small and medium enterprises in the Gulf Cooperation Council manage businesses with assets worth Dh1.4 trillion. The UAE has led the way, but all governments now recognize and encourage the pivotal role of women entrepreneurship for economic growth and development.
Progress has been exceptional as 33% per cent leadership roles in the UAE are now filled by women and the UAE has eight women ministers in the cabinet.
This institutional support for women to play their full role in government or private sector or professions is paying off handsomely. It is a matter of pride & achievement that 47 per cent of the UAE’s labour force comprises women, which compares with 51 per cent in Qatar, 44 per cent in Kuwait, 29 per cent in Oman and 20 per cent in Saudi Arabia.
Women’s empowerment has become a significant topic of discussion in development and economics. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an example of a rapid and successful development story in the region, in terms of both the infrastructure and economy of the country and also the progress of its people. The UAE’s achievement is perhaps best typified in the evolution and growing prominence of Emirati women as partners and contributors in this remarkable nation-building process. Women, who account for 49.3 percent of the national population, according to the census, are today at the forefront of the workforce in the UAE in both the government sector as well as a growing number in the private sector. Aided by the government’s commitment to empower women and provide them with equal opportunities, the status of women within the UAE has flourished in parallel with the country’s growth since the federation was established in 1971. It is evident across the UAE that women today constitute a vital part of the nation’s workforce and actively contribute to the country’s government and economy.
The women of the UAE are truly a success story which is to be celebrated with the “Emirates Women Award”, one of the most important achievements of DQG which highlights the role of women in the UAE society. The award aims at recognizing & appreciating women in the UAE (both Nationals & Expatriates) for their outstanding contribution to the country. It is also a motivator, an inspiration and encouragement to the future generation of women to achieve their true potential by empowering their status in the society.
The empowerment of women has been one of the notable success stories of the UAE. The nation firmly believes that progress on issues relating to women’s rights is essential for building a tolerant and modern society. Government Support throughout the UAE’s history & the leadership of the country has invested heavily in women. The founding father of the UAE, the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, made the cause of women’s empowerment a top priority of the UAE Government. In this respect, every possible effort was and continues to be made, to support the talents of Emirati women and to develop social conditions which encourage women to fully participate in public life.
The UAE Government has successfully delivered on this objective by offering women education, employment and training opportunities. Also by introducing forward-thinking and progressive laws and legislation it has paved a way for women’s empowerment.
The status of women within the UAE has flourished in parallel with the country’s growth since the federation was established in 1971. It is evident that this process will only continue apace and women will remain an ever important cornerstone for not only the UAE’s present, but also its future.
The future of Dubai Quality Group is more in collaboration with local and international bodies who promotes Excellence and innovation. Dubai Quality Group will focus for the next 5 years on Innovation as the country is moving into disruptive innovation, with an aim of being number one in the world in all aspects.
Recognizing innovation as a cornerstone of social and economic development, nations around the world have set about to develop national innovation strategies and frameworks. Innovation is a key to promoting economic growth, increasing competitiveness and providing new job opportunities.
Since its inception in 1971, the United Arab Emirates has constantly been distinguished as an icon for innovation and creativity, enhancing its social and economic status and transforming into a primary destination for talents and businesses in record time.
Believing that innovation is the future of human investment, the UAE Leadership emphasizes its importance across all sectors through the UAE Vision 2021: “Innovation, research, science and technology will form the pillars of a knowledge-based, highly productive and competitive economy, driven by entrepreneurs in a business-friendly environment where public and private sectors form effective partnerships.”
The UAE ranked first among Arab countries and 41st worldwide in global innovation, in terms of overall performance on the index.
