Masoud Rahimi said Monday at a conference on administrative integrity in the oil industry that improving governance standards is a difficult but achievable goal. He thanked managers and employees for their participation and said the industry can overcome existing challenges by relying on the capabilities of its workforce.

Rahimi underscored the need to establish modern oversight mechanisms, saying systems based on self-assessment, prevention, accountability, ethical conduct, lower oversight costs, continuous reform and transparency are practical and applicable from a managerial and organizational perspective.

Oil industry must lead on transparency

Citing guidance from Iran’s supreme leader on fighting corruption, Rahimi said prevention is the cornerstone of anti-corruption efforts and that the conditions enabling corruption must be eliminated. He said efforts to improve administrative integrity in the oil industry began in 2013 based on overarching policy documents, noting that more than 62 integrity task force meetings have been held and 12 key risk areas identified.

He said subsidiaries were instructed to prioritize those risk areas and implement measures to reduce and control them. As the engine of the country’s economy, Rahimi said, the oil industry must take the lead in transparency and administrative integrity.

Rahimi also pointed to the oil minister’s approach to inspections, saying oversight has shifted from a traditional, fault-finding model to a specialized, process-oriented, guidance-driven and preventive approach, a change he said has played an effective role in improving administrative health.

Public meeting office launched

Rahimi said that over the past year, new structures have been formed and academic experts in administrative integrity engaged, with strategic objectives defined and more than five specialized sessions held. He said six specialized committees were established across subsidiaries and 19 training packages developed for managers, employees and stakeholders.

He added that coordination with other government bodies has increased, with joint meetings held with more than 10 agencies and information exchanges conducted. Relevant articles, standards and regulations have also been updated by the inspection department and communicated on an ongoing basis.

Rahimi said the oil minister has emphasized strengthening inspection staff, calling for the use of specialized, committed, courageous and ethical personnel. Inspectors, he said, should act as trusted advisers, attentive observers and supporters of managers.

Face-to-face meetings to handle complaints

Rahimi said a public meeting office has been launched at the Oil Ministry’s headquarters, adding that face-to-face meetings have helped boost public trust and streamline complaint handling, producing positive feedback.

He said managers play a central role in achieving administrative integrity, adding that accountability, transparency, protection of citizens’ rights and human capital, increased public trust and improved organizational productivity are among the outcomes of a sound administrative integrity system. He said the ministry expects the effort to continue with strong resolve and broad cooperation across the oil industry.