MUSCAT: Oman Society of Contractors has signed a partnership agreement with Bureau Veritas Middle East Co LLC, to provide verification and inspection services for the Companies’ Classification Programme, which Oman Society of Contractors (OSC) will be launching in early 2019.
The Classification will address critical issues such as hidden trade, unfair competition and support for SME’s. It will also create a competitive level playing field in the sector. The Classification programme includes 10 Criteria, 34 Elements and 5 Levels.
The classification programme is an evolutionary programme will grow with the growth of companies and capacities to achieve continuous development and sustainability of this vital sector
“The Classification is a scientific approach to regulate and elevate the sector’s ability to perform, compete, grow and improve”, said Shahswar al Balushi, CEO of OSC.
OSC is working with Government agencies such as the Ministry of Manpower and Tender Board in adopting the Classification as a self-regulating system initiated by the sector.
Oman’s construction sector is the largest and employs approximately 686,000 persons out of which 57,500 are Omanis and this is 25 per cent of the number of national workforce who work in the private sector.
“Therefore, it is necessary to regulate this sector, maintain it, improve its performance and its contribution to the national economy”, Al Balushi added.
Oman Society of Contractors was established in 2007 with the vision of being the single most facilitating body that represents the interest of companies working in the sector. OSC’s objectives are to improve the working conditions and best practices of the construction sector in the Sultanate of Oman, work on organising the construction profession and raise its competitiveness and labour standards to compete locally, regionally and internationally, and contribute to the development of the national workforce in the construction sector, in addition to coordinating with local, regional and international bodies to elevate sectoral standards.
Bureau Veritas is a world leader in laboratory testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services. Created in 1828, the Group has around 74,000 employees located in 1,400 offices and laboratories around the globe. Bureau Veritas helps its clients improve their performance by offering services and innovative solutions in order to ensure that their assets, products, infrastructure and processes meet standards and regulations in terms of quality, health and safety, environmental protection and social responsibility.
Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris and belongs to the Next 20 index.
“We are delighted to be part of this collaboration and to support OSC in their vision and mission of streamlining the new company classification activities in Sultanate of Oman through our professional excellence”, Marcel Hochar, Sr Vice President, CIF Middle East Region, Bureau Veritas said.
Bureau Veritas operating in Sultanate of Oman since 1997 as Bureau Veritas Oman and evolved as Bureau Veritas Middle East Company from branch office into Limited Liability Company (LLC) with Omani collaboration from 2014.
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