Al Ghurair Foods wins Health and Environment awards at Gulfood 2013

The company collected the Health Education award for 'A Better Tomorrow' - an initiative designed to educate Special Needs children in the Arts & Science of Foods.

Conducted in association with Al Noor Special Needs School, the programme was part of a 'call to action' by Al Ghurair to integrate such children into the community.

A major focus of the initiative is to boost the confidence and employment prospects of special needs students, thereby equipping them to support themselves in adulthood. Research has shown that the number one fear of parents with Special Needs children is how they will cope when their parents are no longer there to take care of them.

To encourage self-reliance and improve their jobs outlook, Al Ghurair Foods Division regularly invites students from Al Noor Special Needs School to its Bustan Macaroni and Noodles facility in Jebel Ali. There, the young visitors are given a first hand view of the production process and learn about healthy food and nutrition.

A foods 'edutainment' programme guides the inquisitive youngsters through the 'Arts & Science' of Foods - and follows up with practical training courses on how to make and sell food products in order to earn a living and secure their future. The initiative has prompted a number of participating students to explore a career in the Foods industry.

Al Ghurair's second award - 'Best Environmental Sustainability Campaign' - was in recognition of a month-long initiative conducted in association with Dubai Chamber's Sustainability Network and Dubai Municipality. Titled 'Be Responsible - Rethink Waste', the campaign focused on food wastage which accounts for 34% of all waste generated in the UAE.

Launched with the support of 20 leading corporates, the Al Ghurair campaign targeted all sections of the community - from businesses to housewives - and urged them to 'Be Responsible' by minimizing and preventing food wastage.

The campaign programme included screenings of the theme-appropriate movie 'Bag It' at various Dubai cinemas; edutainment activities at malls throughout the emirate; Best Practice seminars for students and a Corporate Seminar on 'Industrial Waste Management' delivered to the business community by Dubai Municipality.

The twin prizes for Al Ghurair continues an awards success story for the company dating back to Gulfood 2010. Group Communications Manager, Sameera Fernandes, said, "We are delighted that our past year's health and environmental campaigns have been recognized - but the real prize is being able to enhance lives in the community we serve."

"Our community initiatives are part of Al Ghurair's deep commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes which give us immense satisfaction and an opportunity to give back to the people and communities who have supported us throughout our history and that of the UAE," she added.