The Dow Chemical Company recognized as a main corporate sponsor of nationalization initiatives in private sector

MGRP organized the Ceremony under the patronage of Deputy Premier and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Faisal Al-Hajji, to acknowledge the support shown by all the key sponsors in making the program a success. The event was held on Wednesday, June 19 at the J W Marriott Hotel, Kuwait.

The Manpower and Government Restructuring Program (MGRP) was developed in July 2001 to implement the labor law, provide unemployment benefits to unemployed Kuwaiti nationals, and provide training to facilitate employment of nationals in the private sector. Currently, over 90% of the Kuwaitis in the labor force are employed by the public sector. The manpower challenge campaign is an awareness program that supports the MGRP's effort to describe what career opportunities are available to young Kuwaiti citizens in the private sector. It also promotes growing the private business sector by employing local nationals, a critical component in growing the economy.

John Dearborn, regional president for India, the Middle East and Africa at Dow said, "Dow would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Manpower and the Government Restructuring Program of Kuwait on initiating the manpower challenge campaign. Dow is extremely proud to sponsor this program that is complimentary to our Dow philosophy around the globe which is to attract highly qualified local talent when recruiting and hiring employees. Our support of the Kuwaiti government's nationalization initiative is demonstrated through our business practices and will remain important in all future projects in which we participate in Kuwait."

Through a joint-venture with Petrochemical Industries Company of Kuwait (PIC), Boubyan Petrochemical Company and Al-Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company, Dow has been present in Kuwait for over 12 years. EQUATE Petrochemical Co. K.S.C, the joint venture company, produces polyethylene, ethylene glycol and polypropylene. Today, EQUATE is investing to more than double its capacity. Together, the business partners have actively created employment opportunities for Kuwaiti citizens at EQUATE, where 62.2% of employees today are nationals.