Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to host the First Corporate Social Responsibility Forum next May in Riyadh

Organized by Arab Conferences Company, the first innovative specialist in the planning, organization, and management of conferences in the Kingdom, in association with the United Nations Development Program, this is considered to be the first dedicated Forum of its kind.

Under the theme, "Mandatory or Voluntary ", the Forum aims to delve into the intricacies of Corporate Social Responsibility Programs while demonstrating practical experiences and showcasing various case studies and models of corporate social responsibility programs practiced both inside and outside of the Kingdom. The two day meet is expected to draw more than 500 businessmen and women, Government officials and CSR practitioners from leading Saudi and international companies.

Loay Hisham Nazer, Chairman of Arab Conferences Company said,

"Corporate Social Responsibility today has become a catchphrase that many unfortunately do not understand. Many believe that it is merely donating funds to a charity of choice when on the contrary, it is truly about building a long-term and sustainable platform for various programs that address the needs of the society companies operate in."

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the UN's global development network advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life, has pledged its support as a strategic partner in the Forum in efforts to foster greater understanding of means for businesses and organizations to interact and engage with local communities. On the occasion, Nazer expressed that "The United Nations Development Program's support represents a gargantuan strategic endorsement that only solidifies the Forum's objectives of increasing awareness and understanding of the responsibility every organization has to the society it operates in. We look forward to a fruitful and long-lasting partnership."

Arab Conferences Company has already witnessed overwhelming success and has set the caliber for conferences in the Kingdom with the first PR Forum organized back in November 2005 in Jeddah which was attended by more than 300 PR practitioners and patronized by HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman, Secretary General of the Supreme Commission for Tourism. Shortly, the CSR Forum program will be announced including key speakers. ARC expects that the Forum will be a huge success where a series of successful case studies in the field will be presented by leading Saudi and international CSR practitioners.