A review of the Fortune top 1000 companies list, reveals that among the 14 listed in the “Healthcare: Medical Facilities”, not one has issued any kind of non-financial reports. A GRI reports’ list shows that among the 1003 organizations reporting in the year 2008, only eight from the healthcare service have reported their sustainability performance.  Considering the level of trust that people have in hospitals, it is strange and unfortunate to see so few reports coming out from hospitals. It is also regrettable that there is no comprehensive guidance available on implementing CSR in hospital operations. With the absence of such guidance, hospitals face many challenges when contemplating CSR.

In an attempt to overcome this shortage, Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital in Saudi Arabia published this week the “Good Hospital Guide”.  This guide, considered the first of its kind in the global market, focuses on the fundamentals of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and highlights the significance of CSR in hospital operations. It provides detailed information about the key CSR terms, hospital case studies and significant CSR issues relevant to hospital functions. Moreover, the guide discusses the mechanism of implementing CSR, the essential requirements that have to be incorporated in the hospital infrastructure before starting CSR, and the model for developing a CSR strategy. Dr. Mazen Fakeeh, the Director General declared that “Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital, as one of the CSR leaders in healthcare provides the international market with the required recommendations to assist any healthcare organization to implement CSR principles in their practice”. It is worth mentioning that the guide was authored by two eminent CSR professional, Dr. Sherif Tehemar and Mrs. Bushra Azhar, and is available for download in digital format (pdf), free of charge, through the hospital website at the following link http://www.dsfh.med.sa/eng/index.php?option=com_content&view=ar...