RSA launches volunteer week

Following on from the success of the programme in the UK, Volunteer Week will see hundreds of RSA employees from across the region dedicating their time to supporting local charity organisations through a range of different activities.

The launch of the Volunteer Week in the UAE comes as the result of the success of the UK's first National Volunteer Week in 2007. Over 800 RSA employees volunteered over 4,500 hours to community activities, raising over AED 100,000 for local charities.

During Volunteer Week, RSA employees will have the opportunity to be involved in community projects, making a hands-on contribution to worthy causes. A wide variety of activities have been planned for the UAE, from partnering with the Emirates Environmental Group to plant trees donated to schools as part of the Million Tree Campaign to helping K9 Friends to relocate to its new warehouse in Al Quoz, with a total of 500 volunteers taking part in the programme. RSA employees will also be involved in projects at Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs and the Dubai Centre for Special Needs.

"RSA's community engagement programme focuses on promoting common themes that are relevant to our business, including safety, social inclusion and the environment, while focusing on the issues that matter locally,"

commented Scott Pickering, RSA CEO for Asia and the Middle East.

"We are extremely proud to introduce Volunteer Week to the UAE. As a global organisation, we believe in positive engagement with the local communities in which we operate, and we have always encouraged our staff to play an active role in the community. Programmes such as these are an important part of being a socially responsible business. Our goal is to be one of the most responsible, sustainable insurers in the region, and we will continue to set the example for other companies in the Middle East".