Hikma, Jordan's leading pharmaceutical manufacturer, participated in an international conference on corporate social responsibility (CSR) held by the American University of Beirut (AUB) in Lebanon this month.

Ms. Hana Ramadan, Hikma's Director of Corporate Communications and Corporate Responsibility, served as a panelist at the conference, which was attended by government ministers, business leaders, social entrepreneurs and academics from across the world.

The conference, titled 'Moving Beyond Business as Usual: Next Frontiers for CSR in the MENA', was the first of its kind to be held by AUB for the entire region, and Ms. Ramadan was invited in recognition of Hikma's leadership in the field of CSR. Having consistently shown commitment to responsible operations and giving back to the communities in which it is located, Ms. Ramadan represented Hikma at the conference to present the Hikma success story for others to replicate as part of knowledge sharing. 

Ms. Ramadan, who has played a central part in developing Hikma's pioneering CSR strategy, reflected on the positive impact of the conference: "What AUB has organised here is truly remarkable, and I am privileged to have taken part on behalf of Hikma Pharmaceuticals. We take our commitment to corporate responsibility activities very seriously and hope that our experiences and successes can provide an example to other companies in the MENA. This conference enabled regional CSR leaders to meet, share insights and develop a roadmap for future progress in this area."

Professor Dima Jamali, the Director of CSR Initiative at AUB said in her welcome note of the conference, "Our region is now undergoing significant changes and challenges which constitute an important window of opportunity for taking regional CSR forward.

AUB provided a platform for leading company CEOs, high level professionals and government officials to come together, network and exchange ideas on the emerging challenges and opportunities presented by CSR. The emphasis lay on its integral position and sustainability as a key corporate priority, as expressed by the conference keynote speaker, Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Nicholas Nahas. These sentiments were echoed by the organisations and companies in attendance, which included the World Bank, International Labor Organization, Deloitte, Aramex among others.