Farnek, a leading UAE-based total facilities management (FM) company, said it has received the ISO 55001:2014 from international external auditor Bureau Veritas after the successful completion of the certification assessment for its asset management system.

The certification provides a framework for an asset management system that will help Farnek to pro-actively manage the lifecycle of its assets, from initial acquisition to retirement, said a statement from the FM company.

The system will also reduce the risks and the costs associated with owning assets, in a structured and efficient way, that will sustain continual improvement and create further value moving forward, it stated.

On its achievement, CEO Markus Oberlin said: "This will provide us with a structured, best practice approach to managing the lifecycle of our assets. It will also help to reduce the risks associated with owning assets - anything from unnecessary maintenance costs and inefficiency to accident prevention - which will undoubtedly improve our health and safety performance."

"Our customers will also benefit from the enhanced quality assurance of the services we deliver. Indeed, ISO 55001 will also help to improve our existing and new business acquisition and retention, as stakeholders can clearly take confidence from the fact that they know we have a defined strategy in place, to make sure that assets meet the necessary safety and performance requirements," noted Oberlin.

“Moreover, it clearly demonstrates that we are meeting the requirements of an internationally recognised asset management system,” he added.

Bureau Veritas, a global leader in certification, guided the Emirati FM company through the certification process and conducted the final assessment.

‘Farnek has been recommended for registration and issuance of the corresponding certificate. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the team for this achievement,’ said its spokesman.

Babar Hussein, Farnek’s HSEQ (health, safety, environment and quality) manager, said: "Our operations and IT departments in particular have worked tirelessly, to make this external audit successful. When it comes to HSEQ, we always adhere to the highest standards and operate to international best practice. Now that it is official, it is very gratifying to be globally recognised for this."

The ISO achievement comes only weeks after Farnek announced that it would build a new staff accommodation centre, close to Al Maktoum International Airport-Dubai World Central, at a cost of Dh150 million ($41 million).

On completion, this 100,000-sq-ft facility will house 8,000 employees of the company.-TradeArabia News Service