Al-Watani Reinforces Its Leadership in Human Capital Management According to the Highest Global Standards

National Bank of Kuwait continues to consolidate its position as one of the leading institutions in human capital management across the region, through an integrated strategy that places human capital at the core of its priorities, considering it the fundamental pillar for achieving sustainable growth and enhancing the Group’s competitiveness. This approach reflects the Bank’s ongoing commitment to developing an integrated work environment that aligns with global best practices, contributes to attracting, empowering, and developing talent, and supports the achievement of its long-term strategic objectives.

Over the past years, the Group’s Human Resources department at National Bank of Kuwait has continued to implement distinctive plans and initiatives encompassing the development of policies and procedures, strengthening a culture of performance and excellence, investing in professional and leadership development programs, and adopting the latest practices in recruitment, talent management, and workforce planning. These efforts have contributed to building an integrated institutional system for human capital management based on governance, efficiency, and sustainability, keeping pace with the changing requirements of the business environment at both local and international levels.

These efforts culminated in National Bank of Kuwait recently receiving four specialized global ISO quality certification standards for human resources. These include ISO 23326:2022 concerning employee engagement, ISO 30414:2025 related to human capital reporting and disclosure, ISO 30405:2023 providing guidance on recruitment, and ISO 10015:2019, which is recognized for managing competencies and training and measuring effectiveness. This achievement demonstrates the level of progress reached by the Group’s human resources system and its success in applying global best practices across all stages of the employee journey. This milestone has positioned “Al-Watani” as the first and only bank in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to successfully obtain this comprehensive suite of specialized international human resources certifications.

On this occasion, Emad Al-Abdali, Head of Human Resources at National Bank of Kuwait Group, stated: “At National Bank of Kuwait, we view human capital as the primary driver of our business success and sustainable growth. Therefore, we are committed to developing an integrated system that enables employees to realize their full professional potential and provides them with a motivating work environment aligned with global best practices. Continuous investment in our human resources has been one of the most important factors contributing to enhancing the Group’s competitiveness and consolidating its pioneering position within the banking sector.”

He added: “We at National Bank of Kuwait are proud to be the first Gulf bank to obtain this comprehensive set of specialized ISO certifications for human resources, which confirms the success of the strategy we have adopted over the past years to develop various aspects of human capital management. More importantly, this achievement reflects the Bank’s ability to transform global best practices into an integrated work system that supports innovation, enhances operational efficiency, and elevates the employee experience, thereby contributing to achieving our long-term institutional objectives.”

He clarified that ISO 23326:2022, which focuses on measuring and enhancing employee engagement, reflects the Bank’s success in building a positive and motivating work environment that strengthens levels of interaction and job belonging, and consolidates an institutional culture based on trust, communication, and empowerment. Employee engagement is one of the key indicators linked to productivity, talent retention, and sustainable performance, which the Bank prioritizes significantly within its human resources strategy.

Al-Abdali noted that ISO 30414:2025, concerning human capital reporting and disclosure, confirms the Bank’s commitment to the highest standards of transparency and governance by adopting global methodologies for measuring, analyzing, and disclosing human capital indicators. He emphasized that these practices contribute to supporting decision-making processes by providing accurate data and indicators that assist in effective workforce planning and talent management.

Regarding talent attraction, Al-Abdali pointed out that ISO 30405:2023, which focuses on recruitment guidelines, serves as evidence of the efficiency of the Bank’s recruitment processes and their alignment with international best practices. This ensures the attraction of top talent and expertise, providing a professional, fair, and transparent recruitment experience that supports the Bank’s plans and future objectives.

Continuing his remarks, Al-Abdali stated: “As for ISO 10015:2019, recognized for managing competencies and training and measuring effectiveness, it embodies the integrated approach the Bank follows in developing human capital, starting from identifying training needs and designing development programs, up to measuring their actual impact on individual and institutional performance. This ensures achieving the highest possible value from investment in learning and development.”

Collectively, these standards cover a wide range of human resources functions, including talent attraction and recruitment, performance management, talent and competency management, learning and development, employee relations, compensation and benefits, human capital reporting and disclosure, as well as human resources governance. This reflects the integration of policies and procedures adopted by the Bank to manage its human resources according to an advanced global system.