Upon the request of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA), the World Customs Organization (WCO) conducted a diagnostic review of the current Human Capital Management (HCM) system, leveraging the WCO Framework of Principles and Practices on Customs Professionalism and the WCO Guide to implementing Competency-Based HRM system in a Customs Environment to support the enhancement and effective implementation of a modern and world-class HCM system. The mission was conducted from 29 January to 05 February 2023 in Riyadh – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In 2021, the ZATCA underwent a huge transformation by merging into one entity, two big organization in the kingdom, namely the Saudi Customs Authority and the General Authority of Zakat and Tax, which has profoundly impacted the whole HCM system. This mission aimed at assessing the current HCM structure, practices, policies and needs of ZATCA, benchmarking with the WCO standards and international best practices, and identifying recommendations to strengthen the ongoing HCM transformation.
The diagnostic mission was facilitated by gathering documents, tools, and information from the ZATCA HCM deputyship prior to the mission through the WCO People Development Diagnostic tool (PDDT). This first step was followed by on-site discussions with senior management, middle management and field officers in Customs, zakat, tax and support departments. The WCO team greatly appreciated the relevance of the existing modern HCM structure, documents and tools, and the well-developed HCM system. Based on the detailed discussions and analysis, the WCO diagnostic team recommended a set of measures that ZATCA could potentially undertake to further enhance the HCM practices and become an organization with a world-class HCM system.
The ZATCA expressed appreciation for the successful and constructive mission and welcomed and committed to the action plan for future implementation. The WCO looks forward to continuing its collaboration with ZATCA to design and implement a modern HCM system.
For more information on this mission and the WCO's people development agenda, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.