The Saudi Corporate Social Responsibility Forum inaugurated by HRH Prince Meshaal Bin Maged Bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Jeddah Province and co-organized by the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Al Iktissad Wal Aamal Group continues with the second day events at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Jeddah.

The forum activities started with session five entitled "Mechanisms to Build Responsible Supply Chains" moderated by Al Iktissad Wal Aamal Group Deputy CEO Fayssal Abu Zaki and included Procter and Gamble Arabian Peninsula Public and Government Relations Manager Turki Bin Moammar and Dr. Suleiman Faqih Hospital Social Responsibility Committee President Dr. Sharif Tuhaimer. 

The panelists addressed various topics namely the establishment and management of a supply chain aligned with the corporate social responsibility strategy and tackled as well the censorship on supply chain in-house practices and the way to ensure its conformity with the corporate social responsibility objectives.

Bin Moammar emphasized the corporate responsibility in terms of environment preservation and addressed P&G methodology regarding sustainable development indicating that its goes hand in hand with economic development. Bin Moammar noted at the same time that the business sector is capable of scoring many benefits by focusing on its capacities in this area, pointing out that "the corporate philosophy is to generate profits by improving people's lives."

He adds, "Companies alongside the business sector should plan and implement strategies for the long-term environment sustainability using P&G's example in implementing a ten-year plan including the adoption of 30% of renewable energy by our factories."

He revealed that "the innovative sustainability products in the corporate operations from July 2007 through June 2011 contributed positively to curving the corporate energy and water consumption by 16% and 22% respectively as well as decreasing solid waste by 57% and carbon dioxide emission by 12%."

On his part, Dr. Tuhaimer discussed the "role of social responsibility in building sound supply chains that would contribute to the curving of corporate costs," demanding the "promotion of the government role on this front particularly in terms of legislations and laws that would prompt companies to implement social responsibility programmes, provide information or develop a black list for non-compliant companies."

Session six

The sixth session was chaired by the board member and deputy chairman of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry SMEs Development Center Ziad Al Bassam and included the following panelists, Director of the Human Resources Development Fund Makkah Branch Hisham Lanjawi, Deputy CEO of Social Responsibility in Dallah Albaraka Yasser Mohammed Abdo Al Yamani, Saudi ETISALAT General Director for Media Affairs Nawaf Al Shaalani, Director of Shell International "Intilaaqah" programme Nawaf Al Musraa and Kamal AlBorno, Manager at Al Ahli Small Business Programme, NCB.

At the outset, Lanjawi discussed the various support programmes provided by the Human Resources Development Fund Makkah Branch in favor of the small and medium enterprises and their staff indicating that these "programmes encompass training courses for staff and workers, financial rewards in the form of paid salaries as well as direct financial support for facilities."

Lanjawi pointed out, "The fund is considered today a key player and major contributor in supporting the SMEs sector in Makkah with an approximate share of 35% of the total support ensured to this sector."

Al Yamani said, "The Saudi small enterprises and entrepreneurs sector attracts many initiatives and support programmes. The size of the available support is however insufficient as opposed to the challenges spectrum including particularly the soaring unemployment rate."

Al Yamani indicated, "The standards and definitions to determine the businesses falling under the SMEs category are diverse with some using the business size standard while others relying on the capital or staffing standard."

He adds, "Diversity might be useful in case of cooperation among the different entities supervising the sector, nonetheless the main parameter should always relate to the activity and nature of work."

Al Yamani called upon "the SMEs supporting entities particularly the leading businesses active in the social responsibility field to present new and unprecedented support programmes."

From his end, Al Shaalani showcased "a set of initiatives submitted by the Saudi Etisalat in terms of Social Responsibility, as well as the company contribution to many other initiatives particularly the establishment of the "aggressive growth capital fund" which assets amounted to $250m with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship among the Saudi youth yearning for starting up independent businesses."

On another note, Al Shaalani pointed out that "the Saudi Etisalat contribution to programmes such as "Riyada" (pioneering) and the technology incubator of King Abdullah University of Science and technology aims at training the youth willing to specialize in electronic applications and securing job opportunities for them."

Manager of Shell "Intilaaqah programme", the company global social responsibility programme, noted that the "promotion of SMEs represents one of the main development pillars in the society. The Intilaaqah programme provided support to 9 Million individuals around the globe, including 3,000 in Saudi Arabia who received support, training and employment opportunities through the programme."

He highlighted the important role of SMEs at the development level and noted that "they did not reach their expected position as to contributing to the Kingdom's GDP. This is what we are seeking to achieve through Intilaaqah programme."

In his speech, AlBorno went through the bank programmes supporting Saudi small enterprises that "constitute the bank's most important initiative in terms of social responsibility". AlBorno mentioned that the "bank ensures 8 programmes on this front," adding that "the bank social responsibility programmes contributed to providing support to almost 10,000 individuals across the Kingdom in cooperation with the Saudi chambers of commerce."