KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Khalifa Al-Ajeel says the Amir’s Award for Distinguished Factories is helping position the country as a promising hub for responsible and high-quality manufacturing. At a press conference Thursday announcing the seventh edition of the award, Al-Ajeel said the initiative is “more than just symbolic recognition.” “It’s a national message affirming that industrial excellence is the path to sustainable development,” he said. “Quality, discipline and adherence to the law are the main pillars of any successful industry.”
Al-Ajeel said joint inspection and monitoring efforts between the Public Authority for Industry and other government agencies have strengthened a culture of compliance across the industrial sector. “The Kuwaiti industry we aspire to build is not only successful and profitable, but also responsible and compliant with environmental, professional and regulatory standards that protect people, the environment and the economy alike,” he said.
He added that the future of Kuwait’s industry depends on skilled and knowledgeable workforce and the ability to “turn data into decisions and ideas into opportunities.” He called on national enterprises to participate “with a positive spirit” that contributes to sustainable development.
Acting Director General of the Public Authority for Industry Shamlan Al-Juhaidli said the award has encouraged continuous improvement in the industrial sector since it was first launched in 2002. He said it is based on “precise international standards inspired by the best global practices in institutional excellence.”
The total prize value is 100,000 Kuwaiti dinars – about $325,000 – divided among three categories: main industrial sectors, incentive awards for digital transformation and sustainability and an entrepreneurship category. Al-Juhaidli said this year’s criteria have been updated to align with the 2023-2024 Baldrige Excellence Framework, which guides global best practices in industrial performance. — KUNA
