Mr. M.N.M Nafas, Head of Quality Assurance, & Mr. Aakif A Wahab, Director & CEO of HAC accepting the merit award presented by CNCI

The Halal Accreditation Council (HAC) has received two prestigious awards and a global certification on workplace culture for the year 2021.
The Awards are:

• Merit Award for Service Excellence in the small category awarded by, the Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI)
• Silver Award for services provided to Exporters in the small category awarded by, the National Chamber of Exporters (NCE)
• Certified as a Great Place To Work 2021-2022

The organization won these accolades by meeting and exceeding the adjudication criteria for the industry awards which included, amongst other things, facilitation of export and local industry revenue, value additions, entry into new markets, innovation, Research and Development (R&D), brand building, compliance, and ethical practices.

“We are indeed delighted to have received these accolades, especially during a year with so many unique challenges. The process of independent adjudications reaffirms that our organization incorporates industry best practices, whilst adhering to a high level of transparency, corporate governance, social responsibility together with a well-structured approach that ensures product manufacturers continue to achieve their objectives of catering to the global and local Halal conscious consumer, without any impediments.  

This year the challenge for all businesses is to overcome the economic and energy crisis. Whilst HAC continues to be resilient and continues to innovate to cater to the ever-evolving demand of the market; as a professional certification body, HAC reaffirms its commitment to serving its stakeholders through Halal certification initiatives, which would assist in the much-needed inflow of foreign exchange earnings that would contribute to the economic stability of Sri Lanka.

 I would like to extend my appreciation to HAC’s valued clientele for continuing to place their confidence with the organization and to the regulators, policymakers, and chambers, for their vital support in enabling us to achieve this milestone”. stated Aakif A Wahab, Director / Chief Executive Officer at HAC.

HAC is cognizant of the country’s overall export strategy.  The organization is proud to have issued its certification to a diverse range of 213 clients, which consists of multinationals, and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Given the organization’s international recognition, Sri Lankan products carrying the certification have been able to penetrate new markets globally. The leading export destinations for Sri Lankan Halal certified products, in Non-Muslim majority countries, include; China, Germany, India, Japan, The Netherlands, The Russian Federation, The United Kingdom, and The United States of America.

A recent study conducted, found that that Halal certification has facilitated over 65% of Sri Lanka’s food and beverage exports, valued at US$ 1.6 billion per annum and that it has the future potential to further propel exports into the burgeoning Halal consumer market, valued at US$ 1.17 Trillion globally.

 The disruption in global supply chains, the concern for food safety and the prevalence of food fraud are all factors driving stakeholders including manufacturers as well as end-users to depend on reliable standard product certifications. Regulators are enforcing improvements in food safety, consumer protection, and trading standard legislations, within their jurisdictions, which will have an implication on Sri Lankan food exports.
 In recent times, several countries have spearheaded the development of the Halal food industry. Countries at the forefront of this effort include Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait).

HAC having obtained its accreditation and certification for standards GSO 2055-2:2015, ISO/IEC 17065:2012, ISO 9001 and recognitions from the aforementioned sovereign states, incorporates in its standards, the global requirements, which are evaluated through a meticulous system of audits conducted at its client’s premise. This in turn enables Sri Lankan Halal-certified food manufacturers to comply with relevant standards, whilst enabling them to export their produce, competing in the global market.

The team from HAC accepting the Silver award presented by NCE. From left to right: Mr M.U.M Hussain, Director & Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr Aakif A Wahab, Director & CEO, Mr M.R.M Rushdi, Accountant & Mr. M.N.M Nafas, Head of Quality Assurance