Dubai Chamber organises CEO roundtable to discuss concept of CSR

The Conference that was led by the business community of Dubai was attended by prominent business leaders and company officials from different sectors in the UAE as well as representatives from global CSR organisations.

The event was also attended by representatives of business groups including Supply Chain & Logistics; Pharmaceuticals and Health Care Suppliers; Dubai Property Society, Construction and Auditor's Business Group that operate under the umbrella of Dubai Chamber.

Delegates at the Conference discussed challenges, approaches and integration of responsible business activities in Dubai as the meeting focused on the value of CSR and highlighted successful models for business collaboration.

While welcoming the delegation, HE Hisham Al Shirawi, 2nd Vice-Chairman, Dubai Chamber said the Centre for Responsible Business has been spearheading the integration and adoption of CSR initiatives and strategies into businesses through providing training programs and regional research.

Said Al Shirawi:

"The final outcome of this Conference will assist our business community to evolve as a social responsibility seeking community, capable of defining its own corporate responsibility framework. Such a framework is much needed to guide us towards establishing a competitive but sustainable business model."

He added, "Corporate Social Responsibility is a crucial dimension for sustainable business and is a major strategic source of competitiveness. The CSR concept is not new; it has been present in the region but in its traditional form of Philanthropy. Businesses have nowadays a larger role to play by engaging in the community and satisfying all stakeholders' needs in the work place, market place, community while also considering national environmental goals."

HE Eng Hamad Buamim, Director General, Dubai Chamber said the conference was organised for companies that recognize the importance of the concept of CSR and want to help define a common vision of responsible business for Dubai.

Buamim stressed the importance of the participation of the various business groups operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chamber which he said can develop cooperation among themselves in sharing best industry environmental and social practices.

Said Buamim, "As part of Dubai Chamber's support to responsible business activities, we included the Corporate Social Responsibility category into our popular Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award 2008 which provided a positive example of how companies can be financially successful and responsible in their business practices and give back to the development of the country in a positive way."

Buamim called upon the gathering to take advantage of the conference and to network with CEO's and other high level management of various organisations and discuss challenges, approaches and the integration of CSR in the business community and to work towards creating a healthy business environment in Dubai.

Mohammed Bakkar Al Harithi, CEO, Society Benefit Programme, Dubai Community Development Authority, highlighted the importance of CSR in the corporate world and the low levels of participation of the companies in responsible business activities in the UAE in particular and the GCC in general, an observation he based on recent reports and statistics.

He also gave a number of recommendations which he said were based on his 15 years' experience in the field and can be useful for raising the levels of CSR awareness for the companies.

The second session of the Conference, the CEO Dialogue, provided a fitting platform for business leaders and CEOs from a cross-section of Dubai companies to share and debate the role of businesses in building Dubai as the city of the century.

During the Dialogue proposals for business collaborations such as an employee wellness initiative for the Healthcare industry and proposal to develop industry-led guide to improve Health and Safety of workers were discussed.

The International Conference Speakers included Kerstin Born, Executive Director of CSR Europe and Peter Lambert, Deputy CEO of Business in the Community, UK, as well as Yahya Lootah, Vice-Chairman-CEO of SS Lootah Group and representatives of Ministry of Economy, as the event managed to successfully promote the concept of responsible business and its importance in enhancing the competitiveness of companies in the current economic situation.