Shortlist synopses - Training Initiative of the Year

AJMS Global Consulting

Hayford plays a critical role in compliance training by helping organizations understand regulatory requirements, ethical standards, and internal policies. Through structured programmes, practical case studies, and expert facilitation, Hayford equips employees with the knowledge and skills needed to prevent violations, reduce risk, and promote accountability. Its training strengthens organizational integrity, ensures adherence to legal frameworks, and builds a culture of transparency and responsibility, with internal training programmes. 

By aligning compliance with business objectives, Hayford enables companies to protect their reputation, enhance governance, and sustain long-term operational excellence in increasingly complex regulatory environments today globally.

Al Dahra

To launch Al Dahra’s new Code of Conduct, we introduced "The Fish Tycoon", an interactive board game bridging the gap between Corporate HQ and global field operations. 

Designed for a diverse workforce, the game uses visual storytelling and scenario cards to overcome literacy barriers in remote areas. Players navigate "farm-to-fork" ethical dilemmas—from human rights and facilitation payments to conflict of interest and trade sanctions—as they build an ethical business empire. 

This gamified approach helped us transform abstract concepts into practical, visual decision-making tools, ensuring that every employee, regardless of educational background, can master the company’s core values.

Boehringer Ingelheim

In 2025–26, the IMETA Compliance & Integrity team launched MIND THE GAP, a cross-functional cultural transformation designed to embed integrity into every stage of the employee lifecycle. Through strengthened tone‑from‑the‑top, First Line Managers (FLM) capability building, structured newcomer onboarding, and integration of integrity expectations into HR processes, the initiative enabled employees across IMETA to make grounded, ethical decisions aligned with Boehringer’s values. 

Supported by 90 trained First Line Managers and 83 newcomer integrity welcome calls, the program ensured consistent messaging, enhanced leadership alignment, and reinforced risk-aware decision-making.

e&

e&’s Training Initiative of the Year transformed compliance learning from a mandatory requirement into a high-engagement, behaviour-driven capability programme. Centred on the launch of Code of Conduct 2.0, the initiative combined interactive eLearning, leadership endorsement, data-driven insights and innovative formats to embed ethical decision-making at scale. Record engagement was achieved, with 99% training completion and an average employee NPS of 86. Supported by targeted specialist training and AI-enabled tools, the programme strengthened individual and organisational capability, delivering regulator-grade assurance while reinforcing compliance as a strategic enabler of business growth.

Emirates Flight Catering Co

“Compliance is not a task—it’s a culture” is the core objective behind EKFC’s Integrity 360 Training Initiative, delivered by the Ethics, Compliance and Privacy (ECP) team in FY2025–26. It combined two streams: (1) Code of Conduct (CoC) a dilemma-based e-learning, delivered in two phases and optimized for mobile/QR access; and (2) Privacy Heroes 1.0, a 15-minute, gamified face-to-face cascade building UAE PDPL-aligned privacy habits via champions and on-the-job trainers. Together, the programme reached ~12,000 employees, achieving 100% CoC completion and 85% Privacy Heroes coverage (8,458/10,000 junior employees) with tracking, feedback and reporting—without disrupting 24/7 operations.

HSA Group

HSA Group – Yemen Region operates in a high‑risk environment where sanctions exposure, corruption risk, and governance maturity require consistent, practical guidance for employees and business partners. To address this, Legal & Compliance launched the Compliance Academy as a scalable training initiative designed to embed integrity into daily decisions, strengthen speak‑up culture, and reduce conduct and third‑party risks.

Innovation Star Consultants

Innovation Star has developed and delivered an AI-enhanced AML/CFT training programme designed to address capability gaps across the UAE and GCC, particularly within the DNFBP sector. The initiative combines advanced training methodologies with intelligent, adaptive learning tools to improve engagement, retention, and practical application. By integrating regulatory expectations with real-world business scenarios, the programme enables organisations to strengthen compliance culture and operational effectiveness. It has been deployed across diverse organisations operating in all seven emirates, supporting measurable improvements in awareness, consistency, and regulatory readiness, while contributing to the broader maturity of the regional compliance ecosystem.

National Bank of Egypt

The initiative was to improve and develop  all compliance training programs enterprise-wide compliance and financial crime training transformation, covering more than 25000 employees across multiple business lines and functions within our bank, in driven of a recognition that a strong compliance culture cannot be limited to the second line of defense. Recognizing the evolving AML/CFT risks in the banking sector.

VEON

VEON embarked on a transformative journey to revamp its Code of Conduct training, turning a traditional compliance module into an engaging, human-centred learning experience. The new design blends storytelling, podcast-style learning, and interactive scenarios tailored to real business dilemmas across six OpCos. Delivered through VEON’s LMS in multiple languages, the training fosters connection, reflection, and integrity in action. This initiative redefines compliance learning — from awareness to cultural ownership — empowering 20,000+ employees to see ethics not as instruction, but as part of who we are at VEON: Connecting the world with integrity.