The Good Practice Award was granted to the National Institute of Social Security, Brazil, for its contribution to the development of a transnational data exchange system, and to the Mexican Social Security Institute for the introduction of a performance management system.

The international Jury also awarded 24 certificates of merits, seven of which received a special mention, in the second of the regional Good Practice Award competitions organized by the ISSA.

Congratulating the winners, the ISSA Secretary General, Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, said “The diverse submissions to the competition demonstrate the dynamic and innovative approaches of ISSA members in the Americas, which are of particular importance during this period of pressure on social security resulting from the financial and economic crisis.”

The Good Practice Award for the Americas was given to the following entries:

The National Institute of Social Security, Brazil, for its contribution to the development of the International Agreements System (SIACI)  which enables the electronic exchange of information and management of pension claims among social security institutions in the MERCOSUR member states.

The Mexican Social Security Institute for its Model for Evaluation and Strengthening of Executive Skills for Competitiveness , which aims to strengthen executive competencies and improve institutional services and performance.

The Jury gave certificates of merit with special mentions to the following entries:

• Anguilla: Anguilla Social Security Board for Transparency and Accountability: Good governance at the Anguilla Social Security Board .
• Costa Rica: Social Insurance Fund of Costa Rica, for Strategic alliances for change managemen t.
• Ecuador: Ecuadorian Social Security Institute, for Governance and leadership in health-care provision .
• Guatemala: Social Security Institute of Guatemala, for Financial modernization of social security .
• Mexico: State Employees’ Social Security and Social Services Institute, for Global health care for senior citizens .
• Saint Kitts and Nevis: Social Security Board, for A broad-based strategy to the management of the Social Security Board .
• USA: Social Security Administration, for Accessibility Best Practices Portal .

Certificates of merit were also awarded to institutions from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The ISSA Good Practice Award will be presented at the Regional Social Security Forum for the Americas, in Mexico (dates to be confirmed).

The complete competition results, a description of the winning entries of the ISSA Good Practice Awards for the Americas, and access to a database of social security good practices from around the world, are available on the ISSA Web portal: www.issa.int/goodpracticeamericas.

The Good Practice Award programme was launched by the ISSA in 2008 to recognize good practices in the management of social security, and to raise the profile of improvements and innovation in the administration, operations and delivery of social security programmes. The Awards are presented on a regional basis in connection with the ISSA Regional Social Security Forums over a three-year cycle, and will be featured at the World Social Security Forum, in Cape Town, South Africa, in 2010.

Brochure:  ISSA Good Practice Awards - Americas 2009 - Competition results [ 2-RSSF-GPA-brochure-FINAL.pdf 149.26 kB ]