All Blog Posts Tagged 'Jordan' - CSR Middle East2024-03-29T15:56:26Zhttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profiles/blog/feed?tag=Jordan&xn_auth=noNEOM employees volunteer to support local charitiestag:csrmiddleeast.org,2021-05-20:6384023:BlogPost:1824342021-05-20T05:29:38.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>As part of a comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, NEOM launched a volunteer initiative to support local families during Ramadan, in collaboration with Al Bir Charity and Haqal Charity, both in Tabuk.</p>
<p>NEOM employees also volunteered to support the two charities, by packing and distributing food baskets containing all the necessities local families require during Ramadan.</p>
<p>Meshari Al-Motairi, government relations executive director at NEOM, said: “NEOM is…</p>
<p>As part of a comprehensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, NEOM launched a volunteer initiative to support local families during Ramadan, in collaboration with Al Bir Charity and Haqal Charity, both in Tabuk.</p>
<p>NEOM employees also volunteered to support the two charities, by packing and distributing food baskets containing all the necessities local families require during Ramadan.</p>
<p>Meshari Al-Motairi, government relations executive director at NEOM, said: “NEOM is embarking on a series of volunteering initiatives designed to assist our neighbouring communities. Our goal is to advocate, support and empower local communities through educational programs, social engagement activities and the creation of employment opportunities.”</p>
<p>He said NEOM was committed to supporting local communities.</p>
<p>NEOM recently launched an initiative to provide employment opportunities for local residents. Between 2020 and 2025, NEOM aims to provide training and upskilling programs to at least 7,000 people from the surrounding area to enhance their employment prospects.</p>
<p>Since 2020, NEOM has also provided English language and information technology courses for more than 1,000 residents from the surrounding area.</p>
<p>NEOM’s CSR Department has also organized a series of workshops in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Think Tech to spread digital literacy and increase digital awareness.</p>18 Companies Awarded Dubai Chamber CSR Label for H1-2018tag:csrmiddleeast.org,2018-10-22:6384023:BlogPost:880122018-10-22T20:30:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry honoured 18 companies for their corporate social responsibility and sustainability efforts during a recognition ceremony held at its premises today.</p>
<p>The Dubai Chamber CSR Label was presented to Emirates Gas for the eighth time; Alpen Capital ME for the seventh time; Union Coop, Six Construct, Canon Middle East for the sixth time; Horeca Trade for the fifth time; TIME Hotels for the fourth time; ABB, ASGC, Centena Group, and Dulsco for the…</p>
<p>The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry honoured 18 companies for their corporate social responsibility and sustainability efforts during a recognition ceremony held at its premises today.</p>
<p>The Dubai Chamber CSR Label was presented to Emirates Gas for the eighth time; Alpen Capital ME for the seventh time; Union Coop, Six Construct, Canon Middle East for the sixth time; Horeca Trade for the fifth time; TIME Hotels for the fourth time; ABB, ASGC, Centena Group, and Dulsco for the third time; Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank for the second time; and Dubai World Trade Centre, NMC Specialty Hospital - Al Ain, British Orchard Nursery, IBMC International, and DXB Entertainments PJSC for the first time.</p>
<p>In addition, Majid Al Futtaim Properties was recognised as the first company to receive the advanced version of the Dubai Chamber CSR Label.</p>
<p>Congratulating the honourees for their achievements, H.E. Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chamber, encouraged the awarded companies to build on their progress and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.</p>
<p>Dubai Chamber’s Chairman explained that the Label is a clear and voluntary standard for CSR implementation in UAE and the GCC which recognises companies who adopt best business practices and conform with international CSR standards and guidelines, adding that it also serves as a development tool for companies that enables them to evaluate their CSR strategies, gain recognition for their efforts, and improve their reputation</p>
<p>“Over the years, the response to the CSR label and its overall significance has grown significantly. Companies that receive the label are not just gaining recognition, they are also setting an example for the rest of the business community in Dubai” said H.E. Al Ghurair.</p>
<p>On their part, the honourees thanked Dubai Chamber for its valuable support in providing a framework for companies to benchmark and enhance their CSR performance, as well as the opportunity to promote their activities and enhance their reputation.</p>
<p>Since its launch, the Dubai Chamber CSR Label has served as a diagnostic framework and management tool for the participating companies to gauge their approach to CSR and sustainability best practices, and asses their organisational impact on the environment and community.</p>
<p>The CSR Label is open to all organisations, private or public, regardless of their size, sector, or operations, and can make a major difference to a company’s reputation, efficiency and productivity. The success of participating companies depends on how CSR objectives are set and communicated to all of their stakeholders.</p>UAE’s march towards sustainability continues unabatedtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2018-07-15:6384023:BlogPost:877012018-07-15T04:13:46.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>In 2015, countries around the globe adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with 169 underlying targets that tackle major challenges faced by the global community. When 193 governments agree to take on the most pressing global concerns, as was the case with signing up to the SDGs, you know that people are motivated by a genuine desire for progression. From ending poverty and hunger, to protecting the only home we know — Planet Earth — to ensuring the prosperity and well-being of all…</p>
<p>In 2015, countries around the globe adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with 169 underlying targets that tackle major challenges faced by the global community. When 193 governments agree to take on the most pressing global concerns, as was the case with signing up to the SDGs, you know that people are motivated by a genuine desire for progression. From ending poverty and hunger, to protecting the only home we know — Planet Earth — to ensuring the prosperity and well-being of all forms of life on earth, the sustainability goals are driving the transformation in global policymaking.</p>
<p>The UAE’s commitment to sustainability has always been solid. The founding father of the UAE, late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan adopted this concept and instilled it as a way of life in the hearts of all Emiratis, long before it had gained global uptake. Shaikh Zayed’s holistic approach to nature conservation has been a major contributor to the sustainable management of natural resources in the country. His legacy continues as generation after generation follows his footsteps in protecting and preserving the environment.</p>
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<p>The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has been playing a leading role in implementing the SDGs, many of which fall under its direct mandate. For example, the ministry has been promoting sustainable agriculture to increase crop productivity without depleting the finite groundwater resources, in line with SDG 2 on food security and sustainable agriculture. Innovative farming techniques such as hydroponics are key to overcome the challenges posed by the country’s limited water and arable land and the high summer temperatures.</p>
<p>As for promoting responsible consumption and production to meet SDG 12, MOCCAE has been conducting several public awareness campaigns to encourage more sustainable production and consumption patterns across the country. Food waste is a major concern in this area. That is why the ministry organises awareness campaigns prior to Ramadan, as food wastage tends to increase during the month.</p>
<p>Pertaining to SDG 13 on climate change, MOCCAE launched the National Climate Change Plan 2017-2050 last year as UAE’s comprehensive framework to address the causes and impacts of climate change and prepare for the transition into a climate resilient green economy. Our priority is to foster effective climate action. To this end, MOCCAE launched the “Climate Innovation Exchange Forum” (CLIX) during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2018, which connects entrepreneurs and innovators with investors to help drive sustainable climate change, mitigating and adaptation solutions. Also, at the World Government Summit 2018, the ministry launched ‘The Climate Project’, aimed at delivering climate initiatives that will touch the lives of 10 million people by 2020.</p>
<p>To ensure that the future generation can adequately address climate change, MOCCAE and the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi, launched the ‘Our Generation’ initiative, to develop school curricula to raise environmental and natural conservation awareness in schools and encourage taking measures to reduce environmental footprints.</p>
<p>With regard to sustaining life below water and achieving SDG 14, MOCCAE has been taking active measures to address overfishing and protect marine ecosystems through policies and regulations as well as several initiatives to rehabilitate coral reefs and marine habitats. The ministry launched the Marine Environment Research Centre, which developed the UAE Sustainable Fisheries programme to ensure sustainable fishing. Moreover, a Coastal Oil Spill Cleanup Guide was developed to help decision-makers, field teams and volunteers respond quickly and swiftly to incidents of beach pollution.</p>
<p>To maintain and improve terrestrial life as specified in SDG 15, MOCCAE has launched many initiatives, most notably are the UAE Smart Map of Natural Capital, the National Programme of Sustainable Wildlife, identifying the invasive species within the country and updating the National Red List, among others.</p>
<p>The ministry has also carried out a number of campaigns in recent years to make the public aware of the issue of illicit wildlife trade. The ‘Beautiful in The Wild’ campaign was started in 2015, to raise awareness of the importance of keeping wild animals in their natural habitats and the effects of invasive species on local biodiversity.</p>
<p>Remarkably, the UAE has a total of 43 protected areas, of which, seven have officially been designated as Wetlands of International Importance. As such, the UAE will be hosting the 13th Meeting of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands later this October, which will facilitate discussions on the role of wetlands in sustaining our environment.</p>
<p>Despite the many initiatives that the government has launched — and will launch — one fact stands out: Governments alone cannot undertake the challenging task of implementing the SDGs. The circle of action must be broadened to include the private sector, academia and others as well.</p>
<p>More businesses in the UAE need to recognise the relevance of the SDGs to their activities and make them part of their core business strategy, moving away from a business-as-usual approach in the way they create and offer their products and services.</p>
<p>MOCCAE has established two platforms to foster partnerships among the public and private sectors as well as academia. The ‘Environment and Business Majlis’ was established in 2016, aiming to boost contribution of the private sector and guide private companies to be aligned with the government’s environmental strategies. The Sustainability Research Committee, on the other hand, seeks to bring together the country’s leading experts from government and academia to pursue research on climate change and environmental sustainability issues.</p>
<p>Youth is another driving force that we need to leverage to accelerate the UAE’s efforts towards realising the SDGs by 2030. Realising this, the UAE has kicked off many youth-centric initiatives to encourage youth empowerment and engagement across all sectors of government. Most notably, these include the Emirates Youth Council, the UAE Youth Ambassador Programme, and the Youth for Sustainability Programme. Each of these initiatives is set to bridge the gap between the young generation and policymakers to make sure their voices are heard while shaping the future of this nation.</p>
<p>2030 is only 12 years away, but with some planning and collective effort, by the UAE public and private sectors along with academia, youth and all interested parties working in tandem, we will successfully meet the SDGs.</p>
<p>GULF NEWS</p>Dewa contest for most eco-sustainable home openstag:csrmiddleeast.org,2018-07-08:6384023:BlogPost:872182018-07-08T20:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>An eco contest open to residents who want to make their villas the most environmentally friendly in Dubai has saved roughly Dh1.1 million in energy and water costs since its first round in 2016, Dubai’s utility agency has said.</p>
<p>Dubbed the ‘Ideal Home’ initiative, now in its third round, the contest has saved 901,000 kWh of electricity, conserved more than 18,256,000 gallons of water and slashed 848 tonnes of carbon emissions, said Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) in a…</p>
<p>An eco contest open to residents who want to make their villas the most environmentally friendly in Dubai has saved roughly Dh1.1 million in energy and water costs since its first round in 2016, Dubai’s utility agency has said.</p>
<p>Dubbed the ‘Ideal Home’ initiative, now in its third round, the contest has saved 901,000 kWh of electricity, conserved more than 18,256,000 gallons of water and slashed 848 tonnes of carbon emissions, said Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) in a press release on Thursday.</p>
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<p>In February, winners of the second round were recognised.</p>
<p>The first place winner received an electric car, the second place winner Dh20,000, and the third winner Dh15,000. Winners from the fourth to the tenth place received Dh10,000 each.</p>
<p>Additionally, photovoltaic solar systems will be installed on the rooftops of the 10 winners’ homes.</p>
<p>The effort is front and centre of Dewa’s efforts to establish sustainability in Dubai and the UAE, and make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world.</p>
<p>“We are keen to launch leading initiatives to support sustainability, raise community awareness about best practices, and enhance Dubai’s position on the map of smart cities globally,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dewa, in a statement on Thursday.</p>
<p>Dewa also helps “support economic growth without harming the environment and its resources”, Al Tayer said.</p>
<p>“In our third Ideal Home initiative, we continue our efforts to raise awareness about the best practices in homes, to promote the ideal home culture, achieve the highest standards of sustainable living, improve energy efficiency and enhance partnership opportunities to provide comprehensive and innovative government services and achieve society’s happiness,” Al Tayer said.</p>
<p>“Dewa aims to encourage consumers to conserve electricity and water, to support the Demand Side Management Strategy 2030 to reduce energy and water consumption by 30 per cent by 2030,” he said.</p>
<p>To help customers enrol in the Ideal Home initiative, Dewa has organised a free e-training course through the authority’s website.</p>
<p>The course includes short films on the criteria of the initiative’s partners and how customers can transform their homes into an ideal home.</p>
<p>Upon completion of all the course requirements, and passing the final exam successfully with a result of 90 per cent or more, the customer will receive a certificate from Dewa and acceptance into the programme.</p>
<p>Participants who reach greatest levels of eco savings and are chosen winners are presented prizes.</p>
<p>“The winners will receive cash prizes and the free installation of solar panels to enable them to generate electricity from solar power. This is part of Dewa’s Shams Dubai initiative to promote reliance on clean energy and support sustainability efforts in Dubai,” the authority said.</p>
<p>GULF NEWS</p>Dubai Chamber International Offices Organise CSR Activities for Year of Zayedtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2018-07-07:6384023:BlogPost:874112018-07-07T18:17:44.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s representative offices in China and Azerbaijan recently organised a host of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities as part of the organisation’s efforts to support the UAE’s Year of Zayed initiative.The Chamber’s office in China donated medical equipment to the Shanghai Red Cross, which included patient beds, walking sticks and other materials and supplies that are being used to train volunteers who care for the elderly in…</p>
<p>The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s representative offices in China and Azerbaijan recently organised a host of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities as part of the organisation’s efforts to support the UAE’s Year of Zayed initiative.The Chamber’s office in China donated medical equipment to the Shanghai Red Cross, which included patient beds, walking sticks and other materials and supplies that are being used to train volunteers who care for the elderly in Shanghai.</p>
<p>The Chamber’s Azerbaijan office launched a new programme offering part-time and paid internship opportunities to young people of determination in Baku. The initiative aims to create career development paths for students with physical disabilities and strong intellectual capabilities.</p>
<p>Omar Khan, Dubai Chamber’s Director of International Offices, stressed the important role that the Chamber’s international offices play in promoting humanitarian values that the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan embodied and instilled in his people. He pointed out that the recent initiatives follow other charitable and community-focused activities that were organised by the Chamber’s offices in Africa and Eurasia for the Year of Giving and Year of Reading in 2017 and 2016, respectively.</p>
<p>"These activities support the Chamber's objective of boosting its social impact in the countries and communities where it operates. By scaling up our CSR efforts abroad, we hope to strengthen the UAE’s reputation as a global humanitarian leader,” Khan added.</p>
<p>Last year, H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, declared 2018 as the Year of Zayed in the UAE, marking 100 years since the birth of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Throughout the year, a wide range of activities, events and initiatives are being organised across the UAE which express his vision and values.</p>Dubai Chamber International Offices Organise CSR Activities for Year of Zayedtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2018-07-07:6384023:BlogPost:874102018-07-07T18:16:55.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s representative offices in China and Azerbaijan recently organised a host of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities as part of the organisation’s efforts to support the UAE’s Year of Zayed initiative.The Chamber’s office in China donated medical equipment to the Shanghai Red Cross, which included patient beds, walking sticks and other materials and supplies that are being used to train volunteers who care for the elderly in…</p>
<p>The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s representative offices in China and Azerbaijan recently organised a host of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities as part of the organisation’s efforts to support the UAE’s Year of Zayed initiative.The Chamber’s office in China donated medical equipment to the Shanghai Red Cross, which included patient beds, walking sticks and other materials and supplies that are being used to train volunteers who care for the elderly in Shanghai.</p>
<p>The Chamber’s Azerbaijan office launched a new programme offering part-time and paid internship opportunities to young people of determination in Baku. The initiative aims to create career development paths for students with physical disabilities and strong intellectual capabilities.</p>
<p>Omar Khan, Dubai Chamber’s Director of International Offices, stressed the important role that the Chamber’s international offices play in promoting humanitarian values that the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan embodied and instilled in his people. He pointed out that the recent initiatives follow other charitable and community-focused activities that were organised by the Chamber’s offices in Africa and Eurasia for the Year of Giving and Year of Reading in 2017 and 2016, respectively.</p>
<p>"These activities support the Chamber's objective of boosting its social impact in the countries and communities where it operates. By scaling up our CSR efforts abroad, we hope to strengthen the UAE’s reputation as a global humanitarian leader,” Khan added.</p>
<p>Last year, H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, declared 2018 as the Year of Zayed in the UAE, marking 100 years since the birth of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Throughout the year, a wide range of activities, events and initiatives are being organised across the UAE which express his vision and values.</p>Emirates Environmental Group Hosts 3rd of Its Series of Panel Discussions for the Year 2018tag:csrmiddleeast.org,2018-07-01:6384023:BlogPost:874162018-07-01T18:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) organised a Panel Discussion on the topic of “Zero Waste: Food for Thought?”, held on the 27<sup>th</sup><span> </span>of June at the Modul University, Dubai. The event was conducted in association with the Arabia CSR Network, Emirates Green Building Council, Clean Energy Business Council and with strategic support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).…</p>
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<p>The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) organised a Panel Discussion on the topic of “Zero Waste: Food for Thought?”, held on the 27<sup>th</sup><span> </span>of June at the Modul University, Dubai. The event was conducted in association with the Arabia CSR Network, Emirates Green Building Council, Clean Energy Business Council and with strategic support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).</p>
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<p>Reflecting on the virtues of the Holy month of Ramadan, the meaningful panel discussion addressed the importance of sustainable sourcing, production and consumption of food. The event welcomed food expert panelists, who shared unique best practices and challenges within wide-ranging disciplines in promoting sustainability along the food value chain, from farm to fork. As a partner of the 10YFP Sustainable Food Systems Programme of UNEP, EEG hosted the impactful discussion to strengthen the information platform on sustainable food systems for the open conversation and knowledge sharing amongst producers, consumers and other key stakeholders linked to the food industry.</p>
<p>“It is imperative for EEG, as a civil society organisation to facilitate the connection between the food and agriculture sector with science, media and education”, said Mrs. Habiba Mara’ashi, Chairperson of the EEG and President and CEO of Arabia CSR Network. She continued, “Our organisation encourages and supports inclusive multi-stakeholder dialogue to help inform interconnected policy-making towards sustainable food systems at local, regional and international levels”.</p>
<p>For the first time in the UAE, the critical topic of sustainable production and consumption of food was strategically covered in full scope, bringing together a diverse panel of speakers, representing government, waste management, hospitality, supermarket retail, and food catering.</p>
<p>Mr. Abdul Aziz Al Midfa, Vice Chair of EEG, moderated the discussion wherein significant questions were raised, such as how overconsumption of food is being tackled through innovative strategies? How have food awareness initiatives influenced the existing policies and regulations? And how have the local entities in the food sector ensured that their food is locally and seasonally sourced?</p>
<p>Eng. Naji Radhi, Waste Management and Treatment Expert in Dubai Municipality, emphasised on priority activities and challenges in the reduction of food loss and organic waste, facing the planet. The global estimated cost of discarding food waste annually has reached a staggering AED1.5 trillion. Representing the government sector, Eng. Radhi called for decision-makers globally to raise awareness on the lack of landfill space and financial implications of high tipping fees from waste disposal and urged for more support from commercial establishments and corporate entities in source segregation.</p>
<p>Ms. Noura Al Shamsi, Head of Permits and Applied Nutrition Section, Food Safety Department in Dubai Municipality, highlighted on the role of the UAE in achieving the global Sustainable Development Goal 2, which aims to achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. She raised awareness about the UAE Food Bank initiative, which was established in 2017, under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives. Addressing the nexus between philanthropy and food waste minimisation, the first of its kind Food Bank in the country, aims to create a comprehensive ecosystem, which efficiently stores, packages and distributes excess fresh food from hotels, restaurants and supermarkets to those in need.</p>
<p>Drawing attention on the implications of irresponsible food consumption practices and the unique social and cultural food habits that exist in every household, Ms. Fatima Ahmad Al Harmoudi, Senior Public Awareness Officer at the Centre of Waste Management – Abu Dhabi (Tadweer) shared the awareness campaigns conducted by the Centre to educate the youth on the existing pressure on food resources and change the well-established habits that elevate the irresponsible consumption of food. Lack of knowledge on the critical issue leads to food loss at every stage of the food supply chain: production, processing, retailing and consumption, causing significant economic losses, as production continues to grow, while the scarce food resources decline.</p>
<p>Expert panelists from the supermarket retail, hospitality and catering services, Mr. Huzefa Rupawala, Regional Manager ofLulu Group International, Eng. Abdul Quddus Sheikh, Director of Engineering, Armani Hotel Dubai, and Ms. Nancy Nouaimeh – Quality, Safety and Performance, Abela & Co, shared their best practices in line with the promotion of sustainable food systems. Amongst the solutions discussed, was the importance of transparent and reliable communication of food product information throughout the supply chain, implementation of compost technologies, use of local grown products and the need for capacity development and awareness sessions for the employees.</p>
<p>The attendees comprised of government and private sector representatives, supermarket retailers, hospitality, academia and waste management companies across the UAE. The successful event provided a valuable networking opportunity to leverage the local knowledge and resources towards the mutual goal of promoting, enhancing and facilitating the global shift towards more sustainable food systems.</p>#Halawani_Al-Khair campaign spreads goodness in Saudi Arabiatag:csrmiddleeast.org,2018-06-14:6384023:BlogPost:874142018-06-14T18:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>Halawani Brothers, a leading food manufacturing company in the Kingdom, has launched the second edition of the #Halawani_Al-Khair campaign. The initiative is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) and aims to promote volunteering and extend philanthropy, reflecting the company’s commitment toward Saudi citizens and residents.</p>
<p>This year, the #Halawani_Al-Khair initiative has added more development and philanthropy activities. Over 500,000 meals for iftar are being…</p>
<p>Halawani Brothers, a leading food manufacturing company in the Kingdom, has launched the second edition of the #Halawani_Al-Khair campaign. The initiative is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) and aims to promote volunteering and extend philanthropy, reflecting the company’s commitment toward Saudi citizens and residents.</p>
<p>This year, the #Halawani_Al-Khair initiative has added more development and philanthropy activities. Over 500,000 meals for iftar are being distributed all over the Kingdom. The campaign includes the “Employees Volunteering Program” in cooperation with the “Khadoom” program. </p>
<p>“Iftar Al-Khair” at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport included the distribution of more than 800 Ramadan baskets, in addition to supporting about 10,000 families in cooperation with the Nama Charity and Development Association.</p>
<p>Saleh Ahmed Hefni, CEO and managing director of Halawani Bros, said the #Halawani_Al-Khair campaign has achieved many successes in its second year through initiatives targeting diverse segments of society.</p>
<p>He said the campaign has also achieved its objective of promoting the community and empowering individuals to be effective and productive members of society.</p>
<p>“Successes energize Halawani Bros. to develop the initiative and include several new activities and sectors, which has encouraged many associations and charities to become partners in these activities,” Hefni added.</p>
<p>The #Halawani_Al-Khair initiative in its first year achieved remarkable successes in volunteering and charitable work. This Ramadan, it is expected to reach wider segments of society with the gold sponsorship of the “Ramadan Aman 7” campaign in the Kingdom, which aims to reduce traffic accidents and excess speed.</p>
<p>Around 14,000 volunteers from different segments of society are involved in the distribution of light iftar meals to drivers before the Maghreb prayer at vital traffic junctions and crowded sites in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan and Bosnia. Over 360,000 meals will be distributed in 17 cities in the Kingdom.</p>
<p>Arab News</p>
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<p>The company’s executives, employees and their families are participating in the initiative with the objective of interacting with the community in spreading goodness and serving the people of the Kingdom.</p>Dewa first UAE govt utility to join UNGC sustainability initiativetag:csrmiddleeast.org,2018-01-06:6384023:BlogPost:864362018-01-06T19:48:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) - the world's biggest corporate sustainability initiative - becoming the first UAE government utility to join the initiative and adopt its 10 basic principles in the fields of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption.</p>
<p>Dewa said the move is in line with its keenness to support global sustainability initiatives and programmes, and to enhance its leading position among…</p>
<p>The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) - the world's biggest corporate sustainability initiative - becoming the first UAE government utility to join the initiative and adopt its 10 basic principles in the fields of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption.</p>
<p>Dewa said the move is in line with its keenness to support global sustainability initiatives and programmes, and to enhance its leading position among sustainable organisations worldwide, to achieve its vision to become a sustainable innovative world-class utility. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dewa, said the initiative comes in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to achieve integrated sustainable development in Dubai, and the UAE. It will also support the objectives of the UAE Centennial Plan 2071, the UAE Vision 2021, and the Dubai Plan 2021. "We have adopted sustainability as an essential part of our vision and at the heart of our business strategy," Al Tayer said. "(Sustainability) is included in everything we do and in the projects we implement. We manage our projects while taking into consideration the three dimensions of sustainability, including economic, environmental, and social dimensions. "We are also committed to issuing the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI G4) Sustainability Report.</p>
<p>It aims to introduce stakeholders to Dewa's performance and its administrative practices regarding sustainability, in the fields of economy, environment, society, and governance. This indicates the high level that Dewa has reached in the field of global sustainability reporting. The programme was launched by the GRI in 2016," added Al Tayer.</p>
<p>The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) is a voluntary initiative aiming to encourage companies and organisations worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially-responsible policies and is considered to be the world's largest organisational corporate sustainability initiative. It includes around 13,000 organisations from over 160 countries worldwide.</p>Firm’s employees wrap up Year of Givingtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2018-01-03:6384023:BlogPost:863482018-01-03T15:11:12.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><span>Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, wrapped up the Year of Giving after a host of corporate social responsibility initiatives that aimed to support community development and deliver social and environmental impact. Over the year, EGA employees recorded 2,790 hours of volunteer work whilst participating in multiple companywide CSR schemes.</span><br></br><br></br><span>His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,…</span></p>
<p><span>Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, wrapped up the Year of Giving after a host of corporate social responsibility initiatives that aimed to support community development and deliver social and environmental impact. Over the year, EGA employees recorded 2,790 hours of volunteer work whilst participating in multiple companywide CSR schemes.</span><br/><br/><span>His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, declared 2017 as the Year of Giving around three key pillars; Corporate Social Responsibility, volunteering, and serving the nation. </span><br/><br/><strong>Embracing volunteerism</strong><br/><br/><span>Ten employees from EGA were sponsored by the company for a seven-day climb on Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak. Together the team raised Dhs210,000 for Al Jalila Foundation, a non-profit organisation that provides medical education and research. The money will be used to support individuals in the UAE with missing limbs.</span><br/><br/><span>Volunteers from EGA also contributed to the construction of reading zones for schoolchildren in Salma Al Ansariya School and Dubai National Charity School. During construction, EGA employees mentored a group of students on simple project management skills, graphic design, technical and administrative support, team building, and donating books. In addition, the company recently donated a bus to transport students with special needs to and from the Rashid Centre for The Determined Ones for specialised therapies and education services.</span><br/><br/><span>Ameera Al Marzooqi, a graduate trainee at EGA who was part of the volunteer team for the construction of reading zones, said: “At EGA, we know we are always encouraged to volunteer for good causes and it is a matter of pride to be part of a company that puts such a high priority on CSR. This year many of us have been given the opportunity to contribute to the welfare of others in a meaningful way. We look forward to next year and the chance for EGA employees to be part of new initiatives.” </span><br/><br/><span>Some 1,436 volunteers from EGA took part in various activities during the course of 2017.</span><br/><br/><span>As part of its environmental protection activities, EGA made Earth Hour a weekly event earlier in the year and saved 24,395 kWh in three months by switching off non-essential electrical devices for an hour every week.</span></p>
<p><span>Gulf Today</span></p>How impactful CSR initiatives are reshaping modern hospitalitytag:csrmiddleeast.org,2017-12-30:6384023:BlogPost:862112017-12-30T21:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>The hospitality industry's social responsibility is crucial to its exponential expansion.</p>
<p>It can no longer operate without regard to its surroundings and due consideration to its environmental impact and overall sustainability contributions.</p>
<p>The needs of the times demand that the industry complies with the highest corporate<span> </span><span class="vm-hook-outer vm-hook-default"><span class="vm-hook">values</span></span><span> </span>and ethics that allow it to make a…</p>
<p>The hospitality industry's social responsibility is crucial to its exponential expansion.</p>
<p>It can no longer operate without regard to its surroundings and due consideration to its environmental impact and overall sustainability contributions.</p>
<p>The needs of the times demand that the industry complies with the highest corporate<span> </span><span class="vm-hook-outer vm-hook-default"><span class="vm-hook">values</span></span><span> </span>and ethics that allow it to make a difference and effect positive societal change.</p>
<p>Its social responsibility is wide-ranging, from its clients' health and nutrition to the utilisation of sustainable supplies such as those sourced from sustainable agriculture or farming and fisheries.</p>
<p>Eco-friendly practices and green designs are becoming the 'in-thing' so to speak among hotel establishments nowadays as a show of their full support for natural resource conservation efforts. Other ways to demonstrate industry commitment include promoting sustainable tourism, tapping renewables, and reducing food waste.</p>
<p>Given this perspective, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is therefore crucial to any business strategy. CSR programmes are highly impactful in an organisation's operations and functions as they affect not only the local communities but also a company's reputation, bottom line and morale as a whole. It is also worth noting that a number of clients are now affiliating themselves with organisations that boast of a well-established CSR reputation.</p>
<p>Many countries in the Middle East have been aggressive and demonstrated seriousness in terms of ensuring the CSR compliance of private and public businesses.</p>
<p>The UAE is at the forefront of intensive initiatives highlighting the importance of social responsibility and incentivising corporations with good CSR standing. Dubai, for instance, is aiming to promote<span> </span><span class="vm-hook-outer vm-hook-default"><span class="vm-hook">sustainable</span></span><span> </span>tourism destinations via its Dubai Sustainable Tourism Initiative.</p>
<p>As such, the Dubai Government has partnered with various private organisations to promote sustainable practices in the industry.</p>
<p>The idea behind the CSR concept is to embolden companies to initiate significant endeavors that go beyond the common objectives of making profits and taking care of their shareholders, customers, and employees. CSR enjoins corporations to be fully active in helping build a sustainable society for all.</p>
<p>It is not surprising that Fortune's Best Companies to Work for and the World's Most Admired Companies and other similar industry lists include major hotel chains with commendable CSR agendas focusing on community development, workforce diversity, and progressive employment practices. The hospitality landscape is fast changing and the industry of the future will be defined by how well it lives up to its social responsibility and its well-meaning undertakings that will help shape society for the better. Companies working towards fulfilling their social responsibility are most likely bound for success and significant market ascent.</p>
<p>Habiba Al Marashi</p>DEWA receives gold medal for its excellence in social responsibilitytag:csrmiddleeast.org,2017-12-18:6384023:BlogPost:863382017-12-18T17:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) received the Gold Medal of Excellence in the field of Social Responsibility in the Arab World. The Award was presented by the Arab Organisation for Social Responsibility, at its 12th session, during the ‘Regional Forum of individuals and institutions that adopt social responsibility in its corporate activities’, at Savoy Hotel, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The award was presented in recognition of DEWA's role in establishing a culture of corporate…</p>
<p>Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) received the Gold Medal of Excellence in the field of Social Responsibility in the Arab World. The Award was presented by the Arab Organisation for Social Responsibility, at its 12th session, during the ‘Regional Forum of individuals and institutions that adopt social responsibility in its corporate activities’, at Savoy Hotel, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The award was presented in recognition of DEWA's role in establishing a culture of corporate social responsibility regionally and globally, and supporting the concept of environmental, social and economic sustainability in the Emirate of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.</p>
<p>The gold medal was received by Taha Al Hamri, Specialist in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at DEWA, who presented DEWA’s pioneering experience in the field of social responsibility, its initiatives in support of community and volunteer work, and its role in promoting environmental and social sustainability.</p>
<p>HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, expressed his delight and stressed that this medal is an addition to DEWA’s list of social and humanitarian achievements.</p>
<p>“In line with the directives of our wise leadership, and the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, DEWA adopts a clear strategy to establish and promote CSR, environmental protection, and the conservation of natural resources to achieve sustainable development.” said Al Tayer.</p>
<p>“DEWA has a clear message of commitment to achieving happiness for all stakeholders and enhancing Dubai's vision. We are proud of DEWA’s CSR achievements, raising society's happiness from 82% in 2013, to 89% in 2016. During the Year of Giving, DEWA launched 12 main programmes to provide 27 social and humanitarian initiatives. We also aligned the strategy of the integrated community and volunteer work with the main objectives of the Year of Zayed, to involve all members of society in achieving the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, locally, regionally, and internationally. Through this important step, DEWA seeks to focus on highlighting the role of the UAE’s Founding Father, in establishing the UAE, and appreciating his noble personality and values, which remain the foundation of the UAE. It also works to strengthen Sheikh Zayed's status as a symbol of patriotism, and to perpetuate his legacy, through future projects and initiatives, in line with his vision and values,” added Al Tayer.</p>
<p>“DEWA encourages employees to actively participate in volunteer work. The number of volunteering hours, done by DEWA staff, reached approximately 13,000 hours, while the total number of beneficiaries from DEWA’s charitable initiatives reached 2.4 million people around the world. DEWA has also reached advanced levels in implementing the ISO 26000 guidelines in social responsibility, and receiving international awards and certificates such as the MVO 8000 Certification, as the first government institution in Dubai to receive this global recognition,” noted Al Tayer.</p>
<p>“DEWA has launched several important CSR projects, and has attached utmost importance to initiatives and programmes to raise awareness about the importance of rationalisation and conservation of natural resources, which have proved the extent to which all members of society can contribute to national and global efforts aimed at reducing the phenomena of climate change and global warming. Between 2009 and 2016, DEWA customers achieved savings of more than 1.5 TWh of electricity, and more than 6.2 billion gallons of water, equivalent to AED 967 million. These savings contributed to a reduction of about 831,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to planting 944,000 trees,” said Khawla Al Mehairi, Executive Vice President of Strategy & Government Communication at DEWA.</p>
<p>Last year, DEWA received the Golden Shield Award in environmental conservation for DEWA’s Neighbourhood Campaign, and the Certificate of Excellence in technological innovation for DEWA’s mobile photovoltaic-powered reverse-osmosis seawater-desalination plant.</p>CW Awards 2017: CSR Initiative of the Year revealedtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2017-12-10:6384023:BlogPost:865102017-12-10T21:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><strong><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">Carillion Alawi</abbr>’s Community Needs Plan (Sustainable Communities) was named Corporate Social Responsibility (<abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">CSR</abbr>) Initiative of the Year at the<span> </span><em>Construction Week<span> </span></em>Awards 2017.</strong></p>
<p>The initiative was designed to promote community engagement by enabling the company’s employees to participate in<span> …</span></p>
<p><strong><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">Carillion Alawi</abbr>’s Community Needs Plan (Sustainable Communities) was named Corporate Social Responsibility (<abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">CSR</abbr>) Initiative of the Year at the<span> </span><em>Construction Week<span> </span></em>Awards 2017.</strong></p>
<p>The initiative was designed to promote community engagement by enabling the company’s employees to participate in<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">CSR</abbr><span> </span>activities throughout the year, without detriment to their salaries.</p>
<p>One judge described the programme as a well-rounded initiative with activities that benefit the local environment, local community, and the company itself.</p>
<p>Commenting after receiving the award, Raja Packirisamy, sustainability manager at<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">Carillion Alawi</abbr>, said: “<abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">Carillion Alawi</abbr>is winning more awards for its work in Oman, especially in the fields of sustainability and corporate social responsibility (<abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">CSR</abbr>). I am really very happy. It has been a dream of mine to be recognised at a<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">GCC</abbr><span> </span>level, and it has been realised after four consecutive years of effort.</p>
<p>Our goal is for 10% of our employees to be involved in school-related or group activities, and an additional 25% to be involved in either internal or external community engagement activities in all of our market segments,” Packirisamy added.</p>
<p>Al Naboodah Group’s Trade School was named this year’s Highly Commended<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">CSR</abbr><span> </span>Initiative.</p>
<p>Other shortlisted nominations included ASGC’s Employee Wellness Campaign 2017;<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">Drake & Scull International</abbr>’s (<abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">DSI</abbr>) ‘Because we care’ Campaign; Khansaheb’s Health and Wellbeing Programme; Multiplex’s We Care Programme;<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">RAK Ceramics</abbr><span> </span>and Samena Capital’s Iftar Celebration event; and<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">Sobha Group</abbr>’s Two-fold Happiness scheme.</p>
<p>An independent panel of judges, comprising eight of the<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">Middle East</abbr>’s foremost construction experts, selected winners in 14 categories at the<span> </span><em>Construction Week<span> </span></em>Awards 2017.</p>
<p>The event was supported by Gold Sponsors<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">ALEC</abbr>, HPBS,<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">HBF</abbr>, EB,<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">National Engineering Bureau</abbr><span> </span>(<abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">NEB</abbr>), and<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">Union National Bank</abbr><span> </span>(<abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">UNB</abbr>); Silver Sponsors <abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">Arabtec</abbr>, Depa, Future Metro, and WME Consultants; Category Sponsors Construction Computer Software (CCS), DeSimone Structural Engineers, JLG, Kone, Multiplex, and Ramboll; Social Media Partner,<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">WSP</abbr>; and Post-Event Celebration Sponsor,<span> </span><abbr class="glossarizer_replaced" title="">BAM International</abbr>.</p>
<p>Construction Week Online</p>
<p></p>Why more companies must offer CSR schemestag:csrmiddleeast.org,2017-11-07:6384023:BlogPost:873162017-11-07T18:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><span>A good corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme offers a lot of benefits to both businesses and communities they are active in, experts at the 2017 HR Summit & Expo said on Tuesday.</span><br></br> <br></br> <span>Speaking at a seminar on employee engagement for social impact, Dima Najim, MD of EFE-UAE, said corporate volunteering programmes offer a multi-dimensional benefit to firms. They improve employee engagement within the company, she said. Also, such programmes are a way for…</span></p>
<p><span>A good corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme offers a lot of benefits to both businesses and communities they are active in, experts at the 2017 HR Summit & Expo said on Tuesday.</span><br/> <br/> <span>Speaking at a seminar on employee engagement for social impact, Dima Najim, MD of EFE-UAE, said corporate volunteering programmes offer a multi-dimensional benefit to firms. They improve employee engagement within the company, she said. Also, such programmes are a way for companies to give back to the community. Lastly, they are a great way for fresh graduates entering the workforce to establish themselves. "If you look at the people entering the workforce today, you will notice that it is the time of the millennials," said Najim.</span><br/> <br/> <span>What sets millennials apart from the generation before them is that they are social, connected and cause-driven, she said. Many of them will actively seek out employment at organisations that offer CSR programmes. This is one of the many reasons why companies that do not offer such programmes need to focus on creating one as soon as possible, otherwise they risk alienating the younger generation entering the workforce.</span><br/> <br/> <span>Ghadeer Khuffash, CEO of Jordan Education Employment, said unemployment continues to be a major problem in many Arab countries. This is because of many reasons, including a freeze on hiring, companies not finding the right talent and young graduates lacking the skills necessary for the job.</span><br/> <br/> <span>"Many also find it difficult to find jobs that are the right fit for them, so it is necessary to offer them a way to polish themselves and their skills before they are ready to graduate," she said.</span><br/> <br/> <span>One of the best ways for companies to do this is through volunteering programmes that offer aid to students and fresh graduates, including on topics such as interview processes, CV writing and internship opportunities.</span><br/> <br/> <span>The HR Summit and Expo 2017 is taking place at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre and will run until November 8, 2017. </span></p>
<p><span>Khaleej Times</span></p>CSR in the Middle East: Reality and Challenges by Lama Diabtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2017-09-09:6384023:BlogPost:841262017-09-09T19:30:00.000ZLama Diabhttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/LamDiab
<p>Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming more fully integrated into the company’s core business strategy. CSR moved beyond philanthropy. It is identified as activity benefiting its shareholders. Industries, that are dependent on the exploitation of natural resources, such as chemical, mining and crude oil production, gas and electric industries, have identified environmental responsibility as their primary CSR focus.</p>
<p>In the Middle East, we can find companies that are still…</p>
<p>Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is becoming more fully integrated into the company’s core business strategy. CSR moved beyond philanthropy. It is identified as activity benefiting its shareholders. Industries, that are dependent on the exploitation of natural resources, such as chemical, mining and crude oil production, gas and electric industries, have identified environmental responsibility as their primary CSR focus.</p>
<p>In the Middle East, we can find companies that are still perceiving CSR as philanthropy and have not yet passed it to a “core business strategy “. Is it because of the cultural and religious belief, that we should give to the poor (Zakat or charity), so they consider it as their CSR? Should it be obligatory so that companies will start thinking about CSR more strategically?</p>
<p>Over the past few years, the interest has literally exploded in regional media and business community with a lot of foreign companies working in the field, companies hiring CSR specialists and setting up CSR departments. The focus is also getting more strategic and more diversified. We still see a lot of community initiatives but companies have started experimenting with other avenues and the focus on other aspects of CSR has heightened, as said by Dr. Fatih Mehmet Gul.</p>
<p>A survey “What Do Middle Eastern Leaders Think about CSR”, conducted by Sustainability Advisory Group (SAG) in 2009, revealed that the majority of leaders in the Middle East (106 respondents ranging from UAE, KSA, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Jordan and Qatar) work in CSR/Sustainability (22%). CSR becomes an essential part of regional business activity, but we can’t deny that there is a difference between Arab countries in applying and practicing CSR.</p>
<p>In Oman and Dubai, over the past couple of years, there have been various meaningful initiatives. Companies in these countries are taking CSR and sustainability very seriously and they are showing an increasing commitment to CSR. Other countries like Lebanon, when it comes to CSR and sustainability, have largely focused purely on PR activities masked as CSR.</p>
<p>What are the main challenges in the region?</p>
<p>In an article called “CSR in the Arab World: A Mission Impossible?” written by Kjetil Selvik, the main challenges of CSR in the Arab countries are displayed. It is hard to spot the difference between CSR and Zakat in practice. Moreover, in Arab countries, CSR is often reduced to some donations like money or food, or planting trees in public parks. Measures like these do not satisfy the ambitions of CSR promoters, who would like to see systematic changes in how companies are operating. Does this mean that CSR won’t have a development impact in the Arab World?</p>
<p>One of the main challenges is that CSR is associated with profit logic. The Zakat model differs fundamentally in its incentive for acts of social responsibility. This is something that the individual is supposed to do for God. On another hand CSR is promoted as a business tool to improve the company’s reputation, and companies frequently share successful CSR stories with the media and the public. The normative difference between CSR and Zakat complicates the entrance of CSR into the Arab World. The CSR model introduces an instrumental framework that collides with local sensitivities. This is a potential problem of which organizations and businesses trying to introduce CSR in Arab countries should take note, says Selvik.</p>
<p>In conclusion, companies in the Middle East are realizing the importance in adopting a CSR strategy and what it can bring for them as a benefit on their triple bottom line. They are trying to go beyond a simple donation or planting trees. Moreover, they are starting to measure their KPIs and to write sustainable reports. It is true that companies in the Middle East still have a long road for sustainability, but it is good that there is a will, and when there is a will there is a way!</p>
<p> </p>Ithmaar Bank wins WIBC awardtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2017-01-15:6384023:BlogPost:802442017-01-15T07:48:28.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><span>Ithmaar Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank, was singled out among the world’s Islamic banks for a prestigious international award in recognition of its corporate social responsibility and financial disclosure.</span><br></br><span>The award was presented at the World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC), which was recently held in Bahrain in strategic partnership with the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB).</span><br></br><span>The event, which was attended by leading international banking…</span></p>
<p><span>Ithmaar Bank, a Bahrain-based Islamic retail bank, was singled out among the world’s Islamic banks for a prestigious international award in recognition of its corporate social responsibility and financial disclosure.</span><br/><span>The award was presented at the World Islamic Banking Conference (WIBC), which was recently held in Bahrain in strategic partnership with the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB).</span><br/><span>The event, which was attended by leading international banking experts, is widely recognized as one of the most important events on the world Islamic banking calendar.</span><br/><span>The award was received by Enas Rahimi, head of human resources at Ithmaar Bank, from Sahar Kazranian, CEO of Middle East Global Advisers, in the presence of Ravindra Khot, Ithmaar Bank chief operating officer, and Abdulhakeem Al-Mutawa, general manager Banking Group.</span><br/><span>“The Performance Awards are the WIBC’s flagship awards, and are granted to top financial institutions based on their aggregate performance scores against multiple measures on a global, regional and country level,” said Kazranian.</span><br/><span>“This year, Ithmaar Bank topped the WIBC leaderboard in terms of corporate social responsibility and financial disclosure when compared to Islamic banks across the world. Its ultimate win is a testament to its commitment to transparency and impact, and I hope their leadership will inspire other banks to follow suit,” she said.</span><br/><span>“As a pioneering Islamic retail bank, Ithmaar recognizes the important role we must play both in the community in which we operate, as well as in promoting high levels of transparency in the local banking and finance industry,” said Ahmed Abdul Rahim, CEO Ithmaar Bank.</span><br/><span>“This is a responsibility we have always taken very seriously, and I am pleased to note that our efforts, under the guidance of the board of directors and with the continuous support of the Central Bank of Bahrain, are paying off and earning international appreciation and recognition,” he said. </span></p>Petroleum Development of Oman helping women-run start-ups through its CSR programmetag:csrmiddleeast.org,2017-01-12:6384023:BlogPost:804502017-01-12T05:53:14.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><span>As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Petroleum Development of Oman (PDO) has been backing local women for building start-ups in a range of different industries.</span><br></br><br></br><span>Banat Oman is a PDO-backed social investment project, which aims to promote self-employment and entrepreneurship skills among Omani women, helps unemployed women forge rewarding careers and empowers and helps them raise their families’ income. </span><br></br><br></br><span>Fish, dairy,…</span></p>
<p><span>As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Petroleum Development of Oman (PDO) has been backing local women for building start-ups in a range of different industries.</span><br/><br/><span>Banat Oman is a PDO-backed social investment project, which aims to promote self-employment and entrepreneurship skills among Omani women, helps unemployed women forge rewarding careers and empowers and helps them raise their families’ income. </span><br/><br/><span>Fish, dairy, sweets, soaps, silverware and crafts—Omani women from across the country are being trained in entrepreneurship skills, and Banat Oman wishes to diversify the source of income for low-income families, and create jobs that can be performed in the comfort of the women’s homes.</span><br/><br/><span>Banat Oman has opened sales kiosks at retail outlets and their products are used at some hotels across the country. They also have a contract with the Juweirah Boutique Hotel and the Salalah Rotana Resort, and the Salalah Methanol Company, among others.</span><br/><br/><span>They are regular participants at various exhibitions, both in and out of Oman, and also won the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) award last year. PDO’s Social Investment Advisor Hanan al Rumhy, who is spearheading this project, attributes her accomplishments to hard work more than anything else.</span><br/><br/><span>Al Rumhy won the Al Mar’a Excellence Award for Social Responsibility a couple of years ago due to her excellent efforts in her field. She said, “It is an honour and I am extremely appreciative to have won an award being a working woman in Oman, it was one of the best experiences of my life. As a working woman in business, I attribute my success to hard work than to genius.” She has also headed several projects in her role as Social Investment Advisor, but a project that is very close to her heart is Banat Oman.</span><br/><br/><span>Meanwhile, PDO is sponsoring the training of 400 young Omanis to work in the automotive industry as part of its huge programme to create 50,000 jobs outside the oil and gas sector. The company has signed agreements with six car dealers for the US$3.3 million National Automotive Higher Institute (NAHI) training scheme.</span></p>DEWA concludes ‘Future Engineer’ successfullytag:csrmiddleeast.org,2017-01-08:6384023:BlogPost:804522017-01-08T05:30:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><strong>47 students spent more than 80 training hours with happiness rate of 99%</strong><br></br><br></br><span>Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has successfully concluded the ‘Future Engineer’ that took place from 18 to 29 December 2016, as part of the Reading is Positive Energy exhibition in Zabeel Park. The camp encouraged innovation and creativity among students, and provided them with a distinguished educational platform to develop their basic science skills, such as measuring and…</span></p>
<p><strong>47 students spent more than 80 training hours with happiness rate of 99%</strong><br/><br/><span>Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has successfully concluded the ‘Future Engineer’ that took place from 18 to 29 December 2016, as part of the Reading is Positive Energy exhibition in Zabeel Park. The camp encouraged innovation and creativity among students, and provided them with a distinguished educational platform to develop their basic science skills, such as measuring and observing, analysis and composition, troubleshooting, and deduction in record time.</span><br/><br/><span>During a ceremony at the Reading is Positive Energy exhibition, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, presented certificates and awards to the participants. Parents of participating students, along with DEWA’s senior officials, also attended the event.</span><br/><br/><span>47 students aged between 12-15 years participated in the winter camp, which was divided into two levels. The first level included 29 new students, while 18 students who participated in the last summer camp joined the second level of the winter camp to continue their training programme. Participating students spent more than 80 training hours focusing on the basics and principles of electricity and electronics. Specialised trainers provided students with the best educational experience with interesting lectures, workshops, and contests. </span><br/><br/><span>Students participating in the first level learnt how to build electrical circuits in a safe way. The practical experiments allowed them to better understand topics related to electricity and electronics. The students in the second level learnt about various circuits, and semiconductors like diodes and transistors and its use under different circumstances through interesting scientific experiments. </span><br/><br/><span>On the sidelines of the camp, students benefited from a set of lectures and condensed courses in reading, innovation and time management. They expressed their passion to participate in such initiatives. Participants’ happiness survey results reached 99%. </span><br/><br/><span>“DEWA organised this winter camp following the successful summer camp it held as part of the Reading is Positive Energy exhibition, in cooperation with Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation. This is aligned with the directives of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, who declared 2016 as the Year of Reading, and also the Arab Reading Challenge initiative, considered the biggest Arab project to encourage reading among students in the Arab world, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. As part of DEWA’s social responsibility, we are keen on developing practical education in schools to help students find out their future career, and provide them with the needed technical skills. We aim to foster scientific research spirit among students, and encourage them to learn about science and technology. This supports the UAE’s transformation into a knowledge-based economy focusing on recent technology,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.</span><br/><br/><span>“The UAE’s leadership focuses on children, and works to provide them with a motivating environment, to instil a culture of innovation and creativity. DEWA continuously organises initiatives to prepare our young for a brighter future. The amazing results of the winter camp show our ultimate success in preparing the next generation of engineers, technicians and professionals, who will contribute in meeting future needs to cope with the rapid developments in all aspects,” added Al Tayer.</span><br/><br/><span>The winter camp aimed to enhance the social development and instil a culture of innovation and creativity among the new generation. This reflects the efforts of the UAE’s government organisations to achieve the National Innovation Strategy launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, to make the UAE one of the most innovative countries in the world. This also supports the Dubai Innovation Strategy, launched by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, to make Dubai the most innovative city in the world. As a socially-responsible government organisation, DEWA cooperates with the public and private sectors to establish a knowledge-based environment. This supports our objectives to raise a generation with a passion for culture, reading, and knowledge,” concluded Al Tayer.</span></p>CSR AWARDS FOR TRISTARtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2017-01-01:6384023:BlogPost:802242017-01-01T05:30:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>Dubai-based Tristar Group’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives have been recognised with the receipt of three separate awards from different organisations in recent weeks. Tristar Group chief executive Eugene Mayne says, “When Tristar was born in 1998 the decision was made to be a responsible business. This meant not only operating to the highest safety and environmental standards but also caring for the communities where the company operates. Over the years Tristar has…</p>
<p>Dubai-based Tristar Group’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives have been recognised with the receipt of three separate awards from different organisations in recent weeks. Tristar Group chief executive Eugene Mayne says, “When Tristar was born in 1998 the decision was made to be a responsible business. This meant not only operating to the highest safety and environmental standards but also caring for the communities where the company operates. Over the years Tristar has developed a strong CSR culture and today it is an integral part of the company’s business strategy.”</p>
<p>The first recognition was the Partnerships and Collaboration Category award given by the Arabia CSR Network for Tristar’s ‘Let’s go home safely’ road safety campaign for senior high school students in partnership with UK-based Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). The campaign highlighted the appeals of RoSPA road safety experts to wear seat belts even at the back, not to use mobile phones even with hands-free sets, and to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.</p>
<p>This October, The Maritime Standard presented Mr. Mayne with the CSR Award for Tristar projects in the UAE, Pakistan, the Pacific Island of Guam and Haiti which are focused on road safety, education, health and the environment. A particularly life-changing initiative the group launched in Haiti in 2015 was the distribution of the Tristar Water Bags to 100 families in the Kenscoff mountains whose residents have to walk for four hours to fetch water from the foothill area without having a proper container. The water bag, with a 5 gallon capacity, made their lives easier as the water bag is a durable and efficient human water transport tool.</p>
<p>Tristar has also recently received the CSR Label certificate from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce. This follows an assessment of CSR policy in four areas – environment, community, workplace and market place.</p>
<p>Mr Mayne concludes, “Private sector companies have to be responsible in managing the impact of their businesses on the community and the environment. There is a common saying that a good company makes money but a great company cares for the community and I would like Tristar to be in the category of a great company.”</p>Dubai Police issues first report on Sustainability for 2015tag:csrmiddleeast.org,2016-12-22:6384023:BlogPost:803322016-12-22T06:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>Releasing the first report by the Dubai Police on sustainability in 2015, Major General Dr. Abdul Quddus Abdul Razzaq Al Obaidly, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Quality and Excellence, has affirmed that all efforts were being made to realise the sustainable vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.</p>
<p>Dr. Al Obaidly said under Sheikh Mohammed, Dubai has emerged among the world’s leading and unique…</p>
<p>Releasing the first report by the Dubai Police on sustainability in 2015, Major General Dr. Abdul Quddus Abdul Razzaq Al Obaidly, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Quality and Excellence, has affirmed that all efforts were being made to realise the sustainable vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.</p>
<p>Dr. Al Obaidly said under Sheikh Mohammed, Dubai has emerged among the world’s leading and unique cities when it comes to sustainable development.</p>
<p>He said the strategic goals being pursued by Dubai were compatible with the UAE Vision 2021, the Green Economy for Sustainable Development Initiative and the Dubai Plan 2021.</p>
<p>The report, entitled "Steady Security and Satisfactory Services," was approved by the Global Reporting Initiative. It will be translated into English and published online, Major General Obaidly added.</p>
<p>Major General Obaidly said the Dubai Police has become the first police force in the world to fulfil all requirements to emerge as a sustainable institution economically, socially as well as environmentally.</p>
<p>He added the Dubai Police is working to put in place a strategy to ensure that the security sector remains in harmony with the vision and mission of the UAE leadership.</p>
<p>''This was important, since sustainability means thinking about the future. Cooperation with all concerned parties, continuous efforts to raise awareness and complete transparency were required to fulfil this commitment,'' he added.</p>
<p>Referring to the challenges that the police force faces currently, Major General Obaidly said as a leading police institution, it was imperative to ensure that issues of sustainability and organizational growth were factored into the strategic plans at the drafting stage itself.</p>
<p>Guaranteeing the satisfaction of employees and partners with an emphasis on capacity building, promoting scientific research and launching smart services was also important. He also underlined the need to create more job opportunities for citizens in order to achieve social and economic development.</p>
<p>He said the Dubai Police offers advanced levels of security services, backed by technological support as well as officers’ skills and capacities. It also organises activities to raise awareness and keeps a constant channel of communication open with the community.</p>
<p>Major General Obaidly said the rise in trade activities has resulted in the emergence of certain new types of crimes that have a financial or economic dimension. To deal with such a scenario, a new department to check economic crimes was established.</p>
<p>This department has been tasked with fighting fraud, forgery, commercial fraud and piracy.</p>
<p>He stated that the Dubai police was able to prevent 524 economic crimes in 2015, involving more than Dh363 million.</p>
<p>The key role of the Dubai Police remains protecting society and the economy, so that the environment remains conducive for investors.</p>
<p>Citing statistics, he said foreign investments in Dubai in 2015 reached Dh28.6 billion, according to the Financial Times Markets. Dubai was ranked fourth in terms of number of new investment projects, and sixth in terms of attracting foreign capital.</p>
<p>According to the Dubai Investment Monitor, 2015 witnessed a 16 percent increase, compared to 2014.</p>
<p>Dubai police destroyed 291 tons of waste from wood, plastic and alcoholic beverages in 2015, and discarded 177,207 kg of food waste.</p>ALF and Qatar Voluntary Centre sign dealtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2016-02-28:6384023:BlogPost:741082016-02-28T05:04:59.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><span>Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation (ALF) and Qatar Voluntary Centre (QVC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to share skills and knowledge in training.</span><br></br><br></br><span>QVC will also provide ALF with volunteers and ALF will conduct training for volunteers and provide them with details about events they are participating in before deploying them.</span><br></br><br></br><span>“ALF is steadfast in pursuing and achieving our aspiration of being a leading global humanitarian…</span></p>
<p><span>Al Faisal Without Borders Foundation (ALF) and Qatar Voluntary Centre (QVC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to share skills and knowledge in training.</span><br/><br/><span>QVC will also provide ALF with volunteers and ALF will conduct training for volunteers and provide them with details about events they are participating in before deploying them.</span><br/><br/><span>“ALF is steadfast in pursuing and achieving our aspiration of being a leading global humanitarian organisation,” said Abdullatif Al Yafei, General Manager of the foundation. </span><br/><br/><span>“Together with Qatar’s goal of realising sustainable economic growth and prosperity for citizens and residents as contained in Qatar National Vision 2030, we aim to contribute to the attainment of the objectives by developing, employing and managing quality projects that enhance education, healthcare, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, charity and corporate social responsibility. </span><br/><br/><span>“In doing so, we believe in collaborating with entities such as QVC to collectively strengthen our capacities and realise common objectives.” </span><br/><br/><span>The MoU marks the first time that both organisations involved in humanitarian and volunteer work have teamed up in pursuit of noble causes.</span><br/><br/><span>Aisha Jassim Al Kuwari, Chairperson, QVC, said: “It is our pleasure to be working with ALF because it contributes to the achievement of the aspirations contained in Qatar National Vision 2030 and enables volunteers to participate in the initiatives it adopts. </span><br/><br/><span>“QVC aims, through its vision, to make volunteering a lifestyle, serve the community, foster volunteer work and raise awareness about volunteering. It also works on programmes and activities for Qatari and expatriate youth about its benefits to them and the community. QVC is also keen to spread Islamic and moral values among youth,” she added.</span><br/><br/><span>“ALF and QVC have a shared vision of providing innovative developmental opportunities for individuals and communities, including in the field of volunteer work,” said Ali Talal Mar’e, Executive Director, ALF Foundation.</span><br/><br/><span>“With the scope of work we are involved in and the energy and enthusiasm towards volunteerism of the people from QVC, I am confident that the synergies of our respective expertise will serve to further facilitate the achievement of our goals.</span></p>Al Salem Johnson Controls organizes CSR programtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2016-02-23:6384023:BlogPost:742112016-02-23T05:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>A team of Al Salem Johnson Controls visits the Help Center in Jeddah to offer volunteer work in organizing and arranging the toys’ warehouse</p>
<p>As part of its corporate social responsibility program, a team of Al Salem Johnson Controls conducted a visit to the Help Center in Jeddah – a center that specializes in the education and rehabilitation of children with special needs aged between 4 to 20 years – to offer volunteer work in organizing and arranging the toys’ warehouse. The team…</p>
<p>A team of Al Salem Johnson Controls visits the Help Center in Jeddah to offer volunteer work in organizing and arranging the toys’ warehouse</p>
<p>As part of its corporate social responsibility program, a team of Al Salem Johnson Controls conducted a visit to the Help Center in Jeddah – a center that specializes in the education and rehabilitation of children with special needs aged between 4 to 20 years – to offer volunteer work in organizing and arranging the toys’ warehouse. The team also took a tour around the Center to learn more about the different departments within the center and meet some of the children and communicate with them. The visit was concluded with a donation made by the company to the Center.</p>
<p>The initiative is part of a global volunteer program named ‘Blue Sky’ that Johnson Controls Inc. runs for its staff around the world. Dr. Mohanad AlShaikh, CEO of Al Salem Johnson Controls, emphasized on the company’s commitment and responsibility towards the local community, and said: “We are always looking out for good opportunities to be able to serve the local society in Saudi Arabia. We encourage and support our employees to get engaged in voluntary and charitable work, be it ‘Blue Sky’ or other programs that we have in place.”</p>
<p>‘Blue Sky’ is a global program that entices the employees of Johnson Controls Inc. around the world to provide voluntary work in the form of support and assistance to local charities and non-profit or educational institutions, focusing mainly on areas such as environmental conservation and social education and service. A project team consisting of 5 to 100 volunteers from the workforce would get together and agree on an idea, then submit it on the company’s e-gate highlighting all details related to it, e.g. objectives, name of charity, tactics, etc. A special committee within the company will then review the idea and, if approved, the volunteers will receive a symbolic funding to be able to execute it, or an amount that is then donated to the selected charity.</p>
<p>The program was launched in 2006, and till the year 2014, there were 7,000 projects conducted across the world, involving 111,900 employees who carried out a total of 973,969 volunteering hours.</p>Emirates Foundation and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank announce Partnership in support of Financial Literacy in the UAEtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2016-02-17:6384023:BlogPost:740212016-02-17T05:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>Emirates Foundation, an independent philanthropic organisation set up by the Abu Dhabi Government to facilitate public-private partnerships for empowering youth across the UAE, and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, ADIB, have partnered in support of financial literacy through Emirates Foundation’s programme, ‘Esref Sah’, which aims to educate youth on ways to manage their current and future financial and asset base.</p>
<p>The signing ceremony, was attended by Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan,…</p>
<p>Emirates Foundation, an independent philanthropic organisation set up by the Abu Dhabi Government to facilitate public-private partnerships for empowering youth across the UAE, and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, ADIB, have partnered in support of financial literacy through Emirates Foundation’s programme, ‘Esref Sah’, which aims to educate youth on ways to manage their current and future financial and asset base.</p>
<p>The signing ceremony, was attended by Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi’s Transport Department and Managing Director of the Emirates Foundation, and Sheikh Dhiyab bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, Board member of the Emirates Foundation.</p>
<p>The three-year agreement signed today by Mohanna Al Muhairi, Chief Operations Officer of Emirates Foundation, and Mohamed Ali Al Fahim. Region Head, Corporate Banking, reflects both partners’ strategic commitment to promoting financial literacy among young Emiratis as an initiative of critical importance to the UAE’s overall development agenda.</p>
<p>With a commitment of AED 1.5 million, the agreement, which offers both financial and knowledge-sharing technical support, is in line with the foundation’s business philanthropy model, which seeks to develop long-term programmes, designed to make positive and sustainable impact in the lives of UAE youth. A major emphasis of the agreement is on boosting Emirates Foundation’s efforts to make philanthropy a deeply rooted culture and encourage stronger involvement of the UAE youth in the socioeconomic development process.</p>
<p>This partnership comes as part of ADIB’s UAE vision to invest in development programmes such as the "Smart Money Programme", ADIB’s flagship financial education programme which aims to raise awareness and educate UAE youth about the importance of financial management, budgeting and investment. In this respect, Emirates Foundation will support ADIB’s Smart Money programme through ‘Esref Sah’ by addressing personal finance issues which are specific to young Emiratis and provide the tools to help them enhance their financial planning and management skills and avoid excessive debt.</p>Lebara KSA starts its social supporttag:csrmiddleeast.org,2016-02-12:6384023:BlogPost:743122016-02-12T05:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><span>Lebara KSA recently announced a donation for the Disabled Children Association (DCA) in Riyadh. Lebara KSA management headed by CEO Fadi Kawar and CMO Mohammad Mohasen and the PR and Branding Director Nader Swadi met with the officials at DCA including its General Manager Awadh Al-Ghamdi. The two parties discussed different ways of supporting DCA and a potential partnership. Kawar stressed Lebara KSA’s keenness in supporting all social charities in Saudi Arabia as part of its corporate…</span></p>
<p><span>Lebara KSA recently announced a donation for the Disabled Children Association (DCA) in Riyadh. Lebara KSA management headed by CEO Fadi Kawar and CMO Mohammad Mohasen and the PR and Branding Director Nader Swadi met with the officials at DCA including its General Manager Awadh Al-Ghamdi. The two parties discussed different ways of supporting DCA and a potential partnership. Kawar stressed Lebara KSA’s keenness in supporting all social charities in Saudi Arabia as part of its corporate social responsibility, as per the directives of Prince Abdulaziz Bin Meshaal, the chairman</span></p>Qatari firms shifting to long-term CSR planstag:csrmiddleeast.org,2015-11-20:6384023:BlogPost:713682015-11-20T22:04:12.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><span>Qatari businesses shifting towards longer-term CSR collaborations, say experts. As the third edition of CSR Qatar 2015 prepares to get under way in Doha in less than two weeks’ time, key speakers at the country’s flagship conference for CSR and sustainability shared their views on the trends underpinning the changing CSR landscape in Qatar.</span><br></br><br></br><span>Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, CSR Qatar 2015 will take place from November 23 to 25,…</span></p>
<p><span>Qatari businesses shifting towards longer-term CSR collaborations, say experts. As the third edition of CSR Qatar 2015 prepares to get under way in Doha in less than two weeks’ time, key speakers at the country’s flagship conference for CSR and sustainability shared their views on the trends underpinning the changing CSR landscape in Qatar.</span><br/><br/><span>Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, CSR Qatar 2015 will take place from November 23 to 25, under the theme “Transforming CSR to Support a Socially Responsible and Sustainable Economy in Qatar”.</span><br/><br/><span>Commenting on the shift in businesses’ approach to Corporate Social Responsibility, Rob Sherwin, General Manager - Corporate Affairs and Deputy Country Chairman, Shell, who will be speaking at the opening panel discussion of the conference, said, “Companies in Qatar and the GCC region are increasingly making two shifts in their approach to Corporate Social Responsibility: firstly — moving away from ad hoc philanthropy and sponsorships towards longer-term partnerships where the company is contributing and transferring capabilities and expertise in addition to just money and secondly — reframing CSR not just as the way the company spends / gives away its money, but also how it makes its money, ie, ethical business, good employer, environmentally responsible etc.”</span><br/><br/><span>Saleh Ali Al Mohannadi, Secretary-General of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), stressed the need for more closely aligned public-private partnerships. “Under Qatar Vision 2030, there is an inherent link between the four pillars (economic, social, human, and environmental development). All of these pillars are obviously interrelated in that they require strong public-private partnerships,” he said.</span><br/><br/><span>Identifying education, youth development, and capacity building in science and technology as the key areas for Qatari corporates to invest back into the country, Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Qatar Shell Professorial Chair of Sustainable Development and Professor for Food and Water Security at the Centre for Sustainable Development, Qatar University, said it is imperative for any nation to develop a vibrant science structure and ensure that economic growth is achieved in consonance with environmental demands.</span><br/><br/><span>“Technology and science shape tomorrow’s world and improving the quality of education is fundamental to heightening interest in, and facilitating a culture of, science and technology in the country. Enhancement of the educational system leads to the development of a scientific infrastructure, which over time will evolve into a platform for producing cutting-edge technology and innovations which positively impact the society and bring lasting prosperity and progress to the nation,” Dr Khan said.</span><br/><br/><span>Dr Khan will be speaking on the second day of the conference on the topic “Developing the Future Workforce”, while Saleh Ali Al Mohannadi will participate in a panel discussion entitled “Shared Value Approach: Optimising NGO Relationships by Creating Measureable, Impactful Projects”, to be held on the same day.</span><br/><br/><span>They are among a stellar line-up of speakers at the conference that also includes Ewa Polano, Swedish Ambassador to Qatar, Naim Yazbeck, General Manager, Microsoft Qatar, Ricardo Viana Vargas, Director of the Infrastructure and Project Management Group, United Nations Office for Project Services – Denmark, Joe Y Battikh, Head of Sustainability, Corporate Responsibility and Government & Industry Relations, Ericsson, Khalid Abdulnoor Saifeldeen, Director of HITC and Chairman of Kulluna, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Nael Attiyat, Country Manager – Qatar, DHL Dr Mohammad Saif Al Kuwari, Board Member, National Human Rights Committee and Yousef bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, CEO, Qatar Charity.</span></p>Oman Air’s CSR initiative wins Aviation Business Awards acclaimtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2015-11-20:6384023:BlogPost:714802015-11-20T22:02:03.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><span>Oman Air has been awarded the Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year award at the 9th Aviation Business Awards.</span><br></br><br></br><span>The award was presented in recognition of Oman Air’s work to make air travel easier for people with low income.</span><br></br><br></br><span>A total of 15 categories were celebrated at a glittering ceremony held at Dubai’s Park Hyatt Hotel on Sunday, October 25.</span><br></br><br></br><span>Oman Air’s recognition follows a long-term programme which led…</span></p>
<p><span>Oman Air has been awarded the Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative of the Year award at the 9th Aviation Business Awards.</span><br/><br/><span>The award was presented in recognition of Oman Air’s work to make air travel easier for people with low income.</span><br/><br/><span>A total of 15 categories were celebrated at a glittering ceremony held at Dubai’s Park Hyatt Hotel on Sunday, October 25.</span><br/><br/><span>Oman Air’s recognition follows a long-term programme which led to increased access to air travel for people living on low income in Oman.</span><br/><br/><span>The programme consists of two elements.</span><br/><br/><span>The first element of the programme making available discounted fares to all Omani citizens. The fares apply to all destinations within Oman Air’s growing global network, and flights can be booked via the airline’s website <a href="http://www.omanair.com">www.omanair.com</a>.</span><br/><br/><span>The second element enables Omani citizens with special needs, who have low-income and require airline tickets, to purchase discounted tickets. Tickets can be used for travel to seek medical treatment or educational support, or for any other reason that will have a positive impact on the customer’s medical, educational or social welfare.</span><br/><br/><span>Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer, Paul Gregorowitsch, commented, “We are delighted that Oman Air’s work to improve access to air travel for the people of Oman has been recognised at the Aviation Business Awards.</span><br/><br/><span>“Oman Air takes its Corporate Social Responsibility very seriously. As the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, we take pride in delivering tangible benefits to the people of our country. To be honoured by the Business Aviation Awards for doing so shows that we are having a positive social impact. It is with great pleasure, therefore, that we accept this award. We are grateful to the awards' organisers and the jury for their commendations.”</span><br/><br/><span>Dr Khalid Abdul Wahab Ahmed Al Balushi, Senior Manager Government Relations and Sustainability at Oman Air, added, “Oman Air is proud to promote positive corporate citizenship through its policies and practices. Furthermore, as our nation’s national airline, Oman Air’s commitment to the Omani people is absolute. This is demonstrated through the high proportion of Omani citizens employed within the company, and the excellent opportunities for training and career progression that we offer. However, the support we offer extends beyond Oman Air to include all the people of Oman. This is why we are pleased to make discounted tickets available to all Omani citizens, and to offer further help for people with special needs who are living on low income.”</span></p>CSR highlights sustainability as key component for programstag:csrmiddleeast.org,2015-11-16:6384023:BlogPost:714782015-11-16T22:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>The third Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Summit is scheduled to take place at Jeddah Hilton Hotel on Dec. 1-3.</p>
<p>This year the focus will be on the innovative strategies companies should adopt and the huge challenges they face towards achieving sustainable social development. Approaches and ways to help make the wheel of economic and social development spin faster will be highlighted during the three-day summit.</p>
<p>“The event has proved to be successful over the past two…</p>
<p>The third Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Summit is scheduled to take place at Jeddah Hilton Hotel on Dec. 1-3.</p>
<p>This year the focus will be on the innovative strategies companies should adopt and the huge challenges they face towards achieving sustainable social development. Approaches and ways to help make the wheel of economic and social development spin faster will be highlighted during the three-day summit.</p>
<p>“The event has proved to be successful over the past two years and put major corporate social responsibility issues in the spotlight,” said Dr. Badr Al Shibani, Managing Director, APCO Saudi Office.</p>
<p>For her part, Hoda Abdelhay, the conference producer at Informa, the organizer of the event, said this year the summit will emphasize the pivotal role companies can play to ensure sustainable social and economic development.</p>
<p>“This summit has effectively contributed to raising corporate and public awareness about social responsibility over the past two years. This time the topics will be more varied,” she added.</p>
<p>The topics that will be discussed during this major event include strategic and sustainable CSR approaches, the importance of integrating social responsibility and sustainability in educational programs and curriculums, how to create sustainable programs that support local social enterprises to drive the nation’s economic and social development, King Khaled Foundations’ social sustainable programs, moving from PR-driving CSR to strategically aligned social investments and maximizing NGO and corporate relations.</p>
<p>For the third year running, Al-Zahid Group will be the headline sponsor of the event. Other companies supporting the event are Construction Products Holding (Platinum Sponsor), P&G (Gold Sponsor), BAE Systems (Silver Sponsor), TalentS (Associate Sponsor) and Microsoft (Technology Sponsor).</p>SABIC highlights CSR experience at World Entrepreneurs Forumtag:csrmiddleeast.org,2015-11-10:6384023:BlogPost:713702015-11-10T22:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><span>SABIC highlighted its experience in entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility (CSR) during the Second World Entrepreneurship Forum organized by The Centennial Fund (TCF) under the theme, Innovation in social entrepreneurship, in Riyadh recently. </span><br></br><span>Speaking at the forum on the role of organizations in supporting social entrepreneurship, Yaarob bin Abdullah Al-Thenayan, SABIC director, global CSR, said SABIC fulfils its social responsibility strategy through a…</span></p>
<p><span>SABIC highlighted its experience in entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility (CSR) during the Second World Entrepreneurship Forum organized by The Centennial Fund (TCF) under the theme, Innovation in social entrepreneurship, in Riyadh recently. </span><br/><span>Speaking at the forum on the role of organizations in supporting social entrepreneurship, Yaarob bin Abdullah Al-Thenayan, SABIC director, global CSR, said SABIC fulfils its social responsibility strategy through a series of innovative programs. Ever since its inception, SABIC has been playing a vital role in the development of communities in the Kingdom as well as in countries where it operates. </span><br/><span>“We contribute actively to community welfare through the key pillars of our CSR strategy — education, innovation, health care, environment protection, water and sustainable agriculture,” he said.</span><br/><span>Al-Thenayan also highlighted the many initiatives, projects and programs, which have been sponsored and supported by SABIC, with an investment of more than SR2.7 billion. The TCF honored Al-Thenayan for his active participation in the forum. The annual World Entrepreneurship Forum is an initiative that was first launched by TCF in 2011 as an extension of Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Global Entrepreneurship Award.</span><br/><span>The forum brings together international leaders in the field of business and entrepreneurship to exchange best practices and share insights on the latest trends and innovations within the global business community.</span><br/><span>This year, the forum included a workshop on how to start a social project.</span></p>Companies Honoured for CSR and Sustainabilitytag:csrmiddleeast.org,2015-11-04:6384023:BlogPost:713722015-11-04T22:00:00.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p>The Arabia CSR Awards eighth cycle concluded recently. In a glittering award ceremony, 20 public and private organisations were acknowledged for their role in creating positive societal impact.</p>
<p>The Arabia CSR Awards is supported by the United Nations Global Compact and United Nations Environment Programme. It was held under the auspices of the League of Arab States for the second consecutive year. Among sponsors of the award are: Ma’aaden (Exclusive Strategic Sponsor), Petrochemical…</p>
<p>The Arabia CSR Awards eighth cycle concluded recently. In a glittering award ceremony, 20 public and private organisations were acknowledged for their role in creating positive societal impact.</p>
<p>The Arabia CSR Awards is supported by the United Nations Global Compact and United Nations Environment Programme. It was held under the auspices of the League of Arab States for the second consecutive year. Among sponsors of the award are: Ma’aaden (Exclusive Strategic Sponsor), Petrochemical Industries Company (Platinum Sponsor), ENOC, NATPET and Gulf Petrochemical Industrial Company (Gold Sponsors), Diamond Developers (Industry Sponsor), RasGas (publications Sponsor) and Canon Middle East (Imaging Sponsor). Emirates Environmental Group is the Environmental Partner, DNV-GL its assurance provider, myclimate and MBC Group its Strategic Media Partner. Other Media Partners are Arabian Business, News Services Group Middle East ME Newswire, Gulf News, Omnicom Media Group, 7DAYS, Eye of Riyadh and Blu Lowe Kuwait. Two regional entities came on board this year, Hawkamah and Terous.</p>
<p>The awards are known for their stringent criteria, which are benchmarked against the UN Global Compact Ten Principles, the GRI principles of sustainability reporting and the EFQM Excellence Model. Applications were received in the following categories: Public Sector, Large Sized Enterprise, Medium Sized Business, Small Sized Business, Energy, Financial Services, New Business, Partnerships and Collaborations, and Social Enterprise. The awards were opened to application in three languages - Arabic, English and French. This year a total of 92 applications out of 131 were considered eligible for the jury evaluation, out of which there were 38 shortlisted organisations. The finalists of the 2015 Arabia CSR Awards were:</p>
<p><br/> Public Sector:</p>
<p>Winner: Emirates Transport (UAE), First Runner up: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority – DEWA (UAE), Second Runners up - Tie: Al Ain Distribution Co. (UAE) and Dubai Customs</p>
<p>Large Sized Enterprise:</p>
<p>Winner: Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (Bahrain), First Runners up – Tie: Medcare Hospital (UAE) and Al Futtaim Carillion (UAE), Second Runner up: Farnek (UAE)</p>
<p>Medium Sized Enterprise:</p>
<p>Winner: Petrochemical Industries Company (Kuwait), First Runner up - Al Jazeera International Catering (UAE), Second Runner up – ABB Qatar (Qatar)</p>
<p>Small Sized Category:</p>
<p>Winner: Road Safety UAE</p>
<p>Energy:</p>
<p>Winners - Tie: Masdar (UAE) and Gulf Grilling International (Qatar)</p>
<p>Financial Services:</p>
<p>Winner: BMCE Bank (Morocco)</p>
<p>Best New Business:</p>
<p>Winner: Green Design (UAE)</p>
<p>Partnerships and Collaborations:</p>
<p>Winner: Emirates NBD (UAE), First Runner up: Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (Bahrain), Second Runner up: DLA Piper (UAE)</p>
<p>Social Enterprise:</p>
<p>Winner: Green Design</p>Oman business leaders to debate their social roletag:csrmiddleeast.org,2015-09-22:6384023:BlogPost:710372015-09-22T20:04:02.000ZCSR Middle Easthttp://csrmiddleeast.org/profile/CSRMiddleEast
<p><span>CSR Oman, a summit that unites the Omani business community to debate and discuss crucial corporate social responsibility (CSR) topics, will return for the second year in a row from October 27 to 29, 2015, at the Grand Hyatt Muscat.</span><br></br><br></br><span>Organised by Informa Middle East, the two-day conference and one-day masterclass will champion corporate social sustainability to drive community development, youth empowerment and social entrepreneurship.</span><br></br><br></br><span>CSR…</span></p>
<p><span>CSR Oman, a summit that unites the Omani business community to debate and discuss crucial corporate social responsibility (CSR) topics, will return for the second year in a row from October 27 to 29, 2015, at the Grand Hyatt Muscat.</span><br/><br/><span>Organised by Informa Middle East, the two-day conference and one-day masterclass will champion corporate social sustainability to drive community development, youth empowerment and social entrepreneurship.</span><br/><br/><span>CSR Oman 2015 will feature the keynote address from Mohsin bin Khamis Al Balushi, advisor to the Ministry of Commerce, who will also preside over the summit.</span><br/><br/><strong>Panel of specialists </strong><br/><br/><span>The event will welcome an all-new expert panel of CSR specialists including Houssam Chahin, senior PSFR officer for MENA at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Dr Munther Al Busaidi, assistant dean for training and community service at the College of Economics and Political Science at the Sultan Qaboos University.</span><br/><br/><span>Other prominent practitioners who are set to make key contributions, are from some of the most recognised national, regional and global institutions such as the Jusoor Foundation, Ernst & Young, Sustainability Square, and Haya Water, in addition to HSBC Bank, Oman Sail, the Environment Society of Oman, HP and CSR Watch Jordan.</span><br/><br/><strong>Larger platform</strong><br/><br/><span>Hoda Abdelhay, conference producer at Informa Middle East, said, “CSR Oman 2015 has been built on last year’s success and will serve as an even larger platform to illustrate the most successful CSR initiatives, discuss ways to cement sustainable practices in all sectors of Oman, and exchange technical know-how and insight. Through these enriching discussions and debates, we have been able to develop a more unified vision of how best to drive Oman’s development, bolster mutual co-operation, and realise the hopes and aspirations of the youth.”</span><br/><br/><span>CSR Oman 2015 will focus on utilising CSR to drive community development, youth empowerment, and social entrepreneurship. Delegates can expect a host of insightful panel discussions, speed networking, case studies and expert roundtables where the latest trends and practices among other topics will be covered.</span><br/><br/><span>Themes include ‘Understanding and defining the role of sustainable CSR in the current Omani market climate’, ‘Change Management towards sustainability’ and ‘Fostering SMEs and social entrepreneurship’. Designed with the aim of contributing to a national sustainable framework and to serve as a benchmark for essential CSR practices, this year’s summit is set to be the largest yet.</span></p>