COMPLIANCE & DUE DILIGENCE SERVICES

Sometimes it seems like there are endless hoops to jump through, whether it’s because of government regulations or an organization’s own internal procedures.

Navigating the particularly dizzying and often contradictory requirements of the state institutions mired in Yemen’s conflict can create life-threatening delays for the vulnerable populations that humanitarian actors aim to reach. Meanwhile, carrying out effective due diligence when you’re operating in a new field can feel overwhelming, if not impossible. However, these processes are all important to ensure the legality, transparency, and responsible stewardship of your operations. Taking shortcuts can be risky. Fortunately, you’re not alone!

The SMC team is ready to step in with experience and established social rapport to assist you with the requirements of conducting procurement, hiring staff, monitoring and evaluating programs, and assessing partners. We’ll free you up to devote more of your precious time, energy, and resources to the vulnerable Yemenis who need it most—with your mind at ease that you’ve taken care to protect the integrity of your operations.

The SMC Compliance & Due Diligence team specializes in the following services:

INGO REGISTRATION & GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

The SMC team draws on decades of experience in the formation and management of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Yemen to support you through the various legal processes of establishing and maintaining your operations in the country.

SMC works with experienced representatives all over Yemen, who will assist to form and maintain your links to government offices and local authorities, putting our social capital and legal acumen at your disposal across Yemen's provinces and cities.

The SMC team will be there throughout your operations to liaise with government agencies and local authorities, ensure your compliance with shifting regulations, and strengthen coordination with other actors in the field. SMC is always working to optimize your organization’s image within government offices and among local stakeholders, as we support you to complete the following processes and procedures:

  • Registering the organization
  • Obtaining a publicity certificate for the organization
  • Renewing the principal agreement between the NGO and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC)
  • Signing project agreements
  • Requesting customs exemptions at MoPIC, including exemptions for NGO offices, projects, management experts, gifts, and donations
  • Preparing and processing contracts
  • Obtaining driver’s licenses for foreigners
  • Releasing medical shipments from the Ministry of Public Health and Population
  • Complying with Tax Authority regulations, including procedures for obtaining a tax number
  • Recruiting an expert volunteer or foreign employee for the first time
  • Obtaining, renewing, and extending work and residency permits
  • Requesting replacement of a missing or damaged permit
  • Obtaining entry visas for INGO / NGO visitors (visitor’s visas)
  • Obtaining and renewing exit and re-entry visas
  • Obtaining and renewing entry visas for family members
  • Obtaining final exit visas and canceling residency permits
  • Requesting data transfer to a new passport
  • Obtaining travel permits for foreign experts, staff, or volunteers to visit other governorates
  • Obtaining permits for delivering relief supplies to other governorates

COMMERCIAL ENTITY REGISTRATION

Although Yemen has many barriers to foreign investment, people all over the world are interested in doing business here. If you’re ready to explore the opportunities, let SMC walk you through the process of launching a startup or registering your business in Yemen. 
We’ll help you get a good grasp on the required legal procedures, Yemeni laws and regulations, and the amount of capital you need to invest. We’ll also help you assess the cultural, social, and political variables that will influence the launch and growth of your business. 

SMC offers the following commercial entity registration services: 

  • Company Name Registration
  • Commercial License Registration
  • Acknowledgment & Approval of the Articles of Association
  • Income Tax Registration 
  • Chamber of Commerce Membership Application
  • Municipality License
  • Registration of Employees for Social Security

HUMAN RESOURCES VETTING

When you’re under pressure to deliver and hiring in a hurry, it’s easy to miss important red flags or onboard someone who has falsified their experience or even their identity. Shortcuts in the hiring process can result in damaging your organization’s reputation and hindering your efficiency. That’s why SMC is driven to assist our clients to hire the optimal employees to accomplish their mission and expand their reach in Yemen. Our success is not complete until each client is operating with an effective team, achieving their deliverables on time and in alignment with their values.
With SMC’s advanced background check services, you can meet qualified candidates with confidence that they fulfill your hiring criteria and that you have a clear picture of their history, experience, and performance. Our goal is to make sure you have the best information available as a basis for making great decisions while you hire employees with a proven track record who will make valuable contributions to your organization's productivity, efficiency, and impact.

What’s included in SMC’s advanced background checks?

The SMC team won’t ignore the smallest detail as we carry out a complete screening to give you the most accurate reports in the shortest possible time. Our advanced background checks involve a thorough investigation of the following information:

Identity 

We make it a priority to validate every single piece of identification provided by the candidate. This includes verifying passports, driver’s licenses, birth certificates, and any other identity document provided to confirm whether it’s genuine, valid, and up-to-date.

Biometric Authentication

SMC verifies fingerprints and faces for biometric authentication of identity.

Address Verification

SMC checks all current and permanent addresses provided by the employee to make sure they are authentic. Each address must be independently confirmed to complete the address verification process. This is important so that in the event of any fraudulent activities, the employee can be located.

Education 

SMC verifies candidate qualifications, to see whether or not they are suitable for the relevant position. We confirm the validity of all degrees, diplomas, and certificates by contacting the schools, colleges, universities, or institutions that issued them to make sure that the documents are genuine.

Employment History

SMC verifies your candidate’s experience and past job performance. We confirm the authenticity and veracity of all prior employment records by contacting the employers listed to make sure that the candidate worked in the position described. We also verify any reference letters provided and conduct reference checks upon request.

Criminal History

Checking a candidate’s criminal record ensures that the person you’re hiring is safe to introduce to your team. Unknowingly hiring a person with a history of fraudulent or criminal activities can have far reaching consequences that your organization may spend years dealing with. Our criminal history checks protect your time, money, efficiency, and, most importantly, your organization's safe-working environment and reputation.

Other Document Verification

It’s important to make sure that all documents provided by applicants are real and not forged. SMC takes care of the analysis and does the leg work to verify each document submitted with the relevant parties.

TAX LAW, LABOR LAW & OTHER LEGAL COUNSEL

SMC provides high-quality, professional legal services as a clearinghouse for all your legal needs in Yemen. Upon request, the team offers legal perceptions and legal opinions on the decisions taken by our clients, in addition to providing continuous advice relevant to developing their operations in Yemen. We seek to establish long-term relationships with clients as we provide the best solutions for their legal needs. Our legal advisors will assist to establish the legal structure of your organization and answer all your inquiries related to Yemen’s tax and labor laws, while providing the services described below:

  • Obtaining wage permits from the General Corporation for Social Security
  • Preparing the monthly payroll sheet, including computation of social security and salary taxes, and any other calculations related to overtime or deductions
  • Preparing income tax and social security declarations and other related documents for the contracted period
  • Submitting a copy of the monthly tax declarations and obtaining an official receipt of the same from the concerned governmental authorities
  • Filing the organization’s annual tax return at the Tax Department and representing the organization during the Department’s examination of salary and wage tax returns for a given financial year 
  • Assisting local management in resolving matters with the labor office and tax department
  • Drafting internal labor policies and procedures according to the latest regulations of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor
  • Proposing improvements to the current management, internal controls, and reporting procedures related to human resource matters
  • Mediating disputes between parties to a contract or agreement
  • Taking care of other legal affairs that concern the activity of the organization, including those related to landlords, employees, and contractors 

CUSTOMS CLEARANCE (SHIPPING CONTAINERS)

SMC is a leader in the field of customs clearance (shipping containers) and facilitates both local and international shipping, transportation, and delivery to ensure your materials reach their destination. Whether your shipments are arriving by sea, air, or land, we keep pace with shifting regulations to make sure your goods are imported as efficiently as possible. The SMC team is ready to carry out or guide you through the following processes:

  • Preparing customs documents
  • Providing advice on customs tariffs
  • Classification of goods
  • Customs clearance of shipping containers for import, including high-value goods 
  • Withdrawing the policy from shipping agents
  • Storage, warehousing, and free zone
  • Shipping, transportation, and delivery

THIRD-PARTY MONITORING & EVALUATION 

Establishing transparent accountability mechanisms through thoughtful monitoring and evaluation helps to build trust with stakeholders. Whether as a third-party monitor or evaluator or as an implementing partner at your side, SMC can help to ensure accountability and oversight.
The SMC team works to increase the value, impact, and sustainability of our clients’ programming by measuring the performance and progress of field activities. Once the data is collected and analyzed, SMC supports clients to use this evidence from actual program delivery to learn and improve, and to make better-informed decisions on projects, programs, and policies. 

SMC delivers Monitoring, Evaluation, And Learning support through:

  • Qualitative data collection and analysis (e.g. key informant interviews or focus group discussions)
  • Quantitative data collection and analysis
  • Impact, process, and portfolio evaluations
  • Third-party monitoring (spot checks and performance verification)
  • Theory of Change and Results Framework analysis
  • Participatory methods, including outcomes harvesting
  • Case studies
  • Learning Solutions

VEHICLE PURCHASE, REGISTRATION, & OWNERSHIP

Looking to purchase a vehicle? Let SMC take the stress out of the buying experience. With our vehicle purchase service, we’ll find the car you want, whether it’s new or used, and you’ll feel confident as we take care of the inspections, negotiations, contract, title transfer, and other requirements to ensure you’re getting the best value for your money.
Whether we were involved in the purchase process or not, SMC can also assist with the completion of all vehicle registration and ownership requirements, including private cars, minibuses, trailers, etc. Services include:

  • Completing the vehicle registration paperwork 
  • Transferring the title
  • Changing / renewing the vehicle plates as required by law 
  • Driver’s license renewal
  • Completing procedures required to permit use of the vehicle in other cities

TRANSLATION (ENGLISH TO ARABIC / ARABIC TO ENGLISH)

At SMC, we provide high-quality, time-sensitive translation for your organization, with a team specializing in translating English to Arabic as well as certified translation from Arabic to English. Our Arabic-to-English and English-to-Arabic translation team consists of linguists and certified translators who have a strong professional background in official translation, including translation of work plans, manuals, policies, contracts, reports, and other documents.

We’re here to help!

We want to know your specific needs so that we can provide the best solutions. Let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll get to work on it!

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