Qatar Rail receives ISO certification

The ISO/IEC 27001:2005 is the most rigorous global security standard for information security management systems.

To achieve this certification, a company must show a continuous, structured commitment towards managing sensitive company and customer information. The certification demonstrates that the security of Qatar Rail project is in line with world-class standards and meets the needs of the Company’s customers.

The ISO certification is a testament to Qatar Rail’s focus in adopting and implementing global standards and best practices to ensure effectiveness, efficiency, confidentiality and integrity in its day to day operations.  It is one of the many certifications that the company plans to acquire in the days to come. 
By obtaining certification in ISO 27001, Qatar Rail has once again demonstrated its credibility and proved that it is working according to recognized best practices. With this, Qatar Rail can now work with its global partners in a common language, lowering cross-cultural barriers, increasing trust and a positive return on investment and a better tomorrow.
“Everyone at Qatar Rail is proud to have achieved the very significant ISO/IEC 27001:2005 certification for the company,”said Eng. Saad Ahmed Al-Mohannadi, CEO of Qatar Rail. “This global recognition further illustrates our unwavering commitment to delivering the highest possible standards of information security”.
Published in 2005, the ISO 27001:2005 standard provides a robust model for information security risk assessment and security design, implementation, and management. With its comprehensive approach, the standard helps ensure the adoption of appropriate security controls that protect the information of customers and other stakeholders.
Commending Qatar Rail’s effort in getting the ISO certification, Mr. Alistair Burt, UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for the Middle East said, “I am delighted to be here to help mark the occasion of the British Standards Institution awarding Qatar Rail Company with ISO certification for Information Security. I applaud Qatar Rail Company for leading by example with their push to achieve first class global standards across their organization.
The UK supports Qatar’s ambitious and exciting plans for the rail sector and we look forward to broadening and strengthening our relationship and ongoing partnerships with Qatar Rail Company.”
For his part, Mr. Theuns Kotze Regional Managing Director of British Standards Institution (BSI) said, “On Behalf of the Board of Directors and the Chairman of the British Standards Institution Sir David Brown, I would like to say congratulations to Qatar Rail Company on achieving ISO 27001:2005 certification.
We believe Standards are the DNA of Civilization – Without our ability to design and accept Standards we could never have developed into such a complex society. Standards drive learning… Standards make comparison possible… Standards Fuel Creativity… Standards are the code in which human collaboration and discovery is written. Your achievement will make a positive difference in developing the objectives of Qatar Rail Company”.
 
ISO 27001 requires that management: Systematically examine the organization’s information security risks, taking account of the threats, vulnerabilities, and impacts; Design and implement a coherent and comprehensive suite of information security controls and/or other forms of risk treatment (such as risk avoidance or risk transfer) to address those risks that are deemed unacceptable; and Adopt an overarching management process to ensure that the information security controls continue to meet the organization’s information security needs on an ongoing basis.
“We strive to achieve excellence in all of our operations and the ISO certification lays down a strong marker in our effort to deliver our clients the extra-mile levels of service and assurances they have come to expect from Qatar Rail,” concluded Eng. Saad Ahmed Al-Mohannadi.