Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) should form the framework of business processes in the Middle East

Urging businesses in the Middle East to adopt a clearly defined CSR strategy to maximize benefits, Nuqul updated participants on the ways in which socially responsible practices can help organizations meet their profitability goals in an ethical manner.

Corporate social responsibility is defined by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development as the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large.

"While the business benefits of being socially responsible may be well-documented, organizations need to understand that responsibility alone may not guarantee results. Managing social responsibility issues in a company is like any other aspect of managing business. Well-managed CSR should support the business objectives of the company in order to be really effective," said Nuqul.

Citing the example of CSR in the Nuqul Group, he stated, "CSR should act as a business framework which supports the organization's objective of wealth creation. Nuqul Group has a clear strategy on Corporate Social Responsibility. We have defined our areas of critical involvement in each country that we operate in: environmental issues, educational scholarships and youth development, and the activities to be undertaken in the local community by each regional branch office."

In keeping with this strategy, the group currently supports youth in Jordan by providing scholarships to Jordanian and Palestinian students, cancer victims in Egypt and needy children in Lebanon. The Group also set up the Elia Nuqul Youth foundation on its 50th anniversary.

The Group's flagship company, FINE, is the leading manufacturer of hygienic paper tissue, personal and health care products in the region with major manufacturing units in UAE, Jordan, Egypt, KSA, Lebanon and Sudan. In the UAE, FINE has been involved in several CSR initiatives, focusing on children's welfare and healthcare support. The company is a regular supporter of Rashid Pediatric and Al Noor Center. FINE is also an active supporter of 'Clean up the World' campaigns organized by various organizations in the UAE.

Among other recent community activities that FINE has been involved in are product support to the Ministry of Health on Nurses Day and supporting the Kiddie Olympics at De La Salle Montessori School in Dubai.