Company: GSTC - Riyadh - Saudi Arabia
Company Description: Governmental Institution - The General Secretariat is an independent body that provides integrated support at the organizational, technical, accounting and administrative levels to the Zakat, Tax and Customs Committees to help enable them to perform their tasks with high efficiency and professionalism.
Nomination Category: Publication Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Award for Innovation in Government Publications
 Nomination Title: Instant Publication of Committee Decisions
- Provide the date on which this nominated publication was first publicly distributed:
- Optionally, you may list creative and production credits for your work - a list of the people and organizations that contributed to its development:
- Provide an essay of up to 625 words describing the publication and the innovative aspect of the publication that you are nominating. In the essay, describe the genesis of the innovation, how it was developed and executed, and the results of the innovation to date.
Total 452 words used.
The "Instant Publication of Committee Decisions" initiative, launched by the General
Secretariat of Zakat, Tax, and Customs Committees (GSTC), marks a significant
transformation in enhancing transparency, eEiciency, and customer experience in Saudi
Arabia's judicial system. This initiative was introduced to address delays in accessing
judicial decisions and to improve stakeholder trust by providing immediate access to final
rulings, thereby promoting transparency and credibility.
Background and Purpose
Before this initiative, stakeholders faced substantial delays in accessing judicial decisions,
often relying on outdated annual publications. This lack of timely information hindered
their ability to make informed legal decisions. Recognizing this challenge, GSTC aimed to
create a system that would allow for the immediate publication of decisions, making them
accessible to all relevant parties in real-time.
This initiative aligns with GSTC's strategic goals of "Building Trust and Enhancing Credibility
through Awareness and Transparency." By enabling the instant publication of committee
decisions, GSTC sought to empower stakeholders with timely, accurate information,
enhancing their understanding of the legal landscape and enabling better case
preparation.
Planning and Implementation
The planning phase involved collaboration between key GSTC departments, including the
Decision Drafting, Classification and Tabulation, and Customer Experience departments. A
Service Level Agreement (SLA) was established to define departmental roles and
responsibilities, and clear performance indicators (KPIs) were set to monitor progress.
Implementation followed an Agile methodology, allowing for flexibility and continuous
improvement. Key steps included:
1. Digital Documentation and Notification: Decisions are digitally signed, stored
securely, and stakeholders are notified immediately via email or SMS.
2. Decision Processing: Decisions are edited to remove identifying information,
classified by case type (zakat, tax, customs), and published online.
3. Instant Access: Decisions are published within two days of issuance, ensuring
quick and easy access for stakeholders.
This streamlined process ensures that decisions are promptly available while maintaining
confidentiality and privacy.
Innovation and Impact
This initiative is a pioneering eEort in the Kingdom, setting a new standard for judicial
transparency. GSTC’s consistent and reliable system for instant publication distinguishes it
from other judicial bodies, significantly reducing the time required to access judicial
decisions and increasing stakeholder confidence in GSTC’s impartiality.
Key impacts include:
• Increased Access and Awareness: Since March 2023, the instant publication page
has received over 206,200 visits, reflecting its success in enhancing transparency.
• Operational E>iciency: The average time to publish decisions has been reduced to
1.7 days, exceeding the two-day target.
• Improved Stakeholder Trust: A noticeable decline in complaints about GSTC’s
impartiality indicates the initiative’s success in building trust and credibility.
In summary, the "Instant Publication of Committee Decisions" initiative is a model of
eEective business change, meeting GSTC’s strategic goals and setting a new benchmark
for judicial transparency and eEiciency in Saudi Arabia.
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