Riyadh, (8th March): AMAALA, the ultra-luxury development located along Saudi Arabia’s north-western Red Sea coast, has been awarded two ISO certifications covering Risk Management and Business Continuity Management Systems – the highest level of certification available by the awarding body.
AMAALA was audited by the British Standards Institution BSI, the business improvement and standards company that enables organizations to turn standards of best practice into habits of excellence.
AMAALA’s ISO31000:2018 certification is a result of the implementation of a rigorous process towards risk identification, analysis, evaluation, and treatment that adhere to the destination’s business objectives. The audit successfully recognized the efficiencies of AMAALA’s risk management strategy, which guaranteed confident risk reporting, successful decision making, and accountability across the organization.
For the ISO 22301:2019 certification, BSI conducted an audit on the current operations of the organization, analyzing the strategic direction of the management system and comparing the current resilience controls and arrangements that have been put in place against the overall strategic goals of the organization and its risk appetite. BSI found AMAALA’s approach to Resilience and its components of Crisis Management and Business Continuity to be compliant with the standard. This competence will continue to be re-assessed annually to ensure the highest levels of implementation are maintained.
“Holding ourselves to the highest standards is at the heart of our work at AMAALA,” said John Pagano, CEO of AMAALA and TRSDC. “Both certifications are a reward for our consistent approach to managing risk and resilience in an organized and process-driven manner. AMAALA now joins The Red Sea Development Company in being recognized as a regional leader in terms of Resilience and Business Continuity and Risk Management, and I am delighted that the project is being delivered in line with globally recognized standards”, he added.
The successful implementation of AMAALA’s operations have been demonstrated through its response to COVID-19 and the organization was commended for maintaining its critical business activities during the pandemic. The audit also assessed the manner in which AMAALA analyzed and mitigated continuity risks in its supply chain, evaluating critical suppliers and its own resilience capability, all of which were praised by the assigned auditor.
BSI also commended the strategic support and commitment that AMAALA clearly has towards Resilience, as well as the collaboration between all teams who have a role in managing and responding to disruptive incidents. BSI noted AMAALA’s excellence in identifying risks and escalating its response where required, to minimize the impact on the whole organization.
“BSI is committed to helping organizations become more agile, sustainable and resilient in today’s world. AMAALA’s adoption and compliance to the ISO 22301:2019 and ISO31000:2018 standards demonstrate its commitment to increase its resilience and manage incidents effectively. This certification also demonstrates AMAALA’s preparedness for disruptive incidents due to its tested plans. I’d like to congratulate AMAALA on behalf of BSI for this achievement,” said Theuns Kotze, Managing Director of BSI, IMETA region.
AMAALA is a core component of the Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy by enabling rapid growth in the tourism sector. The project is expected to create upwards of 50,000 new direct, indirect, and induced jobs for Saudis, as well as upwards of 3 billion riyals to the country’s GDP once fully operational.
AMAALA has awarded more than 250 contracts worth in excess of 5.1 billion riyals, 78 percent of which were awarded to Saudi companies. Work is well underway on-site to deliver the first phase of the project including eight hotels offering 1,400 keys, as well as a world class yachting marina, golf course and other amenities. Approximately 2,500 construction workers are already on site. Multiple contracts are expected to go to market in 2022 as activity ramps up and an RFP for the Utilities PPP has already been tendered. This is in line with The Rea Sea Development Company’s sustainability approach and commitment towards developing its destinations to be off grid, powered solely by renewable energy.
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ABOUT AMAALA
Set in the Prince Mohammad bin Salman Natural Reserve along Saudi Arabia’s northwestern coast and spanning 4,155 sq. km, the year-round destination features a pristine landscape and diverse natural ecosystems, coupled with a unique and intriguing heritage and local culture.
Designed to evolve and elevate the very best in travel, AMAALA is an ultra-luxury destination and the first global integrated family wellness destination, set to curate transformative personal journeys inspired by arts, wellness, and the purity of the Red Sea. State-of-the-art facilities and an attractive year-long events calendar will ensure AMAALA is a distinctive wellness destination worldwide.
Phase One of Triple Bay is well underway and set to be complete in 2024. It will consist of eight resorts offering upwards of 1,200 hotel keys. Over 250 contracts have been awarded to date worth in excess of 5 billion riyals.
Once complete, AMAALA will be home to more than 3,000 hotel rooms across 25 hotels, and approximately 900 luxury residential villas, apartments, and estate homes, alongside high-end retail establishments, fine dining, wellness, and recreational facilities.
Sustainability is a cornerstone of AMAALA, which will be powered by 100% renewable energy for which the resulting saving in CO2 emissions to the atmosphere is equivalent to nearly half a million tons each year. The destination will operate with a zero-carbon footprint once fully operational. A Public Investment Fund company and a key contributor to Vision 2030, AMAALA will establish new standards in luxury and wellness.
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