International conference aims to raise regional standards of corporate social responsibility

The forum - a conference on "Corporate Social Responsibility" - will be held in Dubai on 25 - 26 April next year under the patronage of H.H. General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minster. Its aim is to encourage business across the region to take responsibility for its actions in the interests of both the community and the future of business itself.

"Businesses in this region need to realise that their responsibilities towards the communities in which they work should be at the top of their agenda," said Salem Bin Dasmal, Deputy Director General of DDIA. "A number of companies in this region take the concept of corporate social responsibility very seriously and are making valuable and lasting contributions to society. But we want companies to regard corporate social responsibility as a business principle.

"They need to realise that by implementing socially responsible and sustainable programmes that bring long term benefits to society and raise the standard of living, they are also helping to make their businesses sustainable long term"

Underlining the importance that Shell attaches to the conference will be a keynote speech by Walter van de Vijver, Chief Executive of Shell's Exploration and Production Business and a member of the Committee of Managing Directors of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies with special responsibility for the Middle East.

Iain Everingham, Shell's Country Chairman, Dubai & Northern Emirates, said: "As an organisation with global reach, we believe that we will only remain profitable in the long term if we meet people's expectations and work with them to address their concerns. More and more people are making purchase decisions based - at least partly - on the corporate social responsibility track record of the manufacturer.

"Corporate social responsibility is not, however, something companies can turn on and off with short term initiatives for short term gains. Society rapidly sees through that kind of practice and it can easily backfire on the company. Short term projects can also often do more harm than good and so the accent must be on sustainable commitment.

"That is why Shell has developed its response to the challenge of "sustainable development" which is about meeting present needs without compromising future prospects."

In the UAE, for example, Shell supports a wide range of social and environmental activities. These include the Emirates Businesswomen Award which was founded last year to give recognition to outstanding women, nationals and non-nationals, in commerce, industry and the professions and thus encourage more women to enter the business world in this country. The company also backs the annual Better Environment Awards and Higher Colleges of Technology as well as the Intilaaqah-Abu Dhabi programme which prepares young nationals to start their own businesses.

Subjects to be tackled at the conference range from the obligations and opportunities that corporate social responsibility presents and measuring its cost and benefits, to business regulation in the Middle East and the mounting pressure on corporations to account for their environmental and social performance.

The conference will discuss case studies of the best and worst examples of corporate behaviour and also include practical workshops on how companies can make themselves good corporate citizens.

Salem Bin Dasmal continued: "We are currently in the planning stages for the conference but it already promises to attract prominent speakers from around the globe, from business, from world bodies and institutions and from NGOs.

"The DDIA is delighted to be associated with Shell in this important conference because Shell is held up as a prime example of corporate social responsibility worldwide. Dubai wants its business community to follow that example and to act with a high degree of regard for the real needs of society.

"And we want to convince more of that kind of corporation to invest in Dubai, in projects such as the DDIA's newly launched Dubai Land scheme. If Dubai can become a hub of corporate social responsibility, led by companies that are already here, it will make this emirate, an even more attractive investment destination."

Iain Everingham concluded: "We believe that this conference will have a significant effect in persuading many business leaders in Dubai and the Middle East to enhance their corporate social responsibility action programmes because they realise it is the right thing to do for society and for their businesses."