The innovation management system of the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has earned a new international accreditation, in recognition of it implementing  global best practices and standards that enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of innovation management.

The Authority has been awarded the ISO 56002:2019 certificate, confirming its success in implementing the international standard for innovation management. This achievement coincides with the FTA’s participation in the monthlong UAE Innovates 2024 initiative.

The certification was granted after experts from the certifying body audited the FTA’s system and verified the accuracy of all related procedures. The Authority passed the audits successfully, confirming that its system provides an effective framework for driving innovation. The certificate also demonstrates that the FTA’s performance ratings in terms of innovation have notably improved, ensuring the Authority’s continued support for regulatory reform programmes.

His Excellency Khalid Ali Al Bustani, Director General of the FTA, said: “The ISO certification for the innovation management system provides an added layer of assurance to the Federal Tax Authority’s systems, particularly in relation to the innovation environment and its growth. This also demonstrates the Authority’s commitment to establishing an institutional environment that fosters creativity and innovation, and prioritises the development of skills and talents of innovation management employees.”

“The objective is to encourage the generation of innovative and effective solutions to the challenges and opportunities, while employing innovative tactics to achieve sustainable financial diversification for the UAE for generations to come,” H.E. Al Bustani added. “The FTA strives to continuously improve and streamline procedures, provide high-quality services, and facilitate self-compliance.”

For his part, Jassim Al-Haddad, Head of the FTA’s Innovation Team, said: “Earning this international certificate in the field of institutional innovation is a testament to the Federal Tax Authority’s exceptional structure in the innovation sector, which adheres to the best practices in the field. Implementing the ISO 56002:2019 international standard further confirms that the Authority has successfully developed, implemented, and maintained a secure and effective system for managing innovation, in an effort to enhance its operations and continuously improve the system. This, in turn, helps in creating novel solutions to meet the needs of customers and stakeholders in the tax sector.”

The Federal Tax Authority has been consistently working to adopt international standards for its systems and processes, which includes the ISO 56002:2019 certificate for innovation management, as well as several other international accreditation certificates. The Authority has renewed its accreditation for the international standard for business continuity management system (BCMS) and disaster recovery with an ISO 22301 certification, in addition to earning the ISO 20000 and ISO 27001 accreditation certificates for information technology services management system, and the information security management system.

These efforts form part of the Authority’s comprehensive quality system, which was previously certified with the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System certificate. The purpose of this system is to enhance the performance of the FTA’s business processes in all areas, ensuring compliance with the requirements of an effective quality management system and a continuous commitment to it in all services provided by the Authority.