The Public Pension Agency received the 2021 Smart Government Award for the remote working category in the 16th edition of the award; in appreciation for the agency's digital and operational achievements while working remotely during the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The agency has earned the Smart Government Award after meeting conditions related to amending its internal regulations in a way that accords with the remote work pattern; forming a response team for emergency cases, developing a system for protecting information outside the digital scope of the agency; and adopting daily communication between directors and employees.
This resulted in ensuring the sustainability of work progress at the agency and continuing its works through following a series of policies to offer its services during emergencies; as well as adopting the remote work policy for its members of the board of directors; where the agency developed an accident management plan to deal with comprehensive operational and special risks.
The agency has also been keen on pre-planning and preparation through forming response teams for emergencies; offering the necessary equipment, and preparing human personnel to face any emergency in a flexible and efficient way.
As for developing the system of information protection and client data; the agency launched the "clean office policy" to limit risks of hacking the work environment and increase awareness of information security. It also applied the policy of classifying and protecting data based on the level of their confidentiality; safety and availability and adopted the multi-component identity verification system to enhance data protection and confidentiality.
The agency has also ensured activating communication channels to guarantee work sustainability during the pandemic. It launched the "Mutawajed" (available) service for joint remote work among employees. In addition to holding daily and weekly meetings to discuss tasks and projects during the crisis.
The Smart Government Award targets government institutions in all Arab countries. Besides, it aims at stimulating excellence to reach a smart digital environment for governments, such as smart applications; website designs and electronic pages, where several government bodies have received the award in previous editions.
