Emirates
Environmental Group launch Corporate Social Responsibility Network
Posted: 21 March 2004
Building Partnerships for a Sustainable Future
In a landmark gathering held recently at the JW Marriott Hotel
in Dubai, the premier voluntary organisation in the country, Emirates
Environmental Group (EEG) launched a region wide Corporate Social
Responsibility Network.
The seminar and dinner was the meeting point of a cross section
of business and government leaders, and officials from high-level
institutions, including the United Nations.
EEG’s ambitious plans to form a regional network of businesses
and corporations were revealed in the annual dinner hosted by the
Group for its corporate members last year. For an organisation that
has been at the helm of environmental awareness and protection related
work with the corporate sector for more than a decade, it was a
logical outcome to expand its scope of operations and target the
influential sector in yet another powerful initiative. As the onus
of transparency and ethics shifts increasingly towards those that
are involved in economic activity and resource consumption, EEG
makes this laudable move to gather under its umbrella organisations
that demonstrate a serious intention to commit more than mere allegiance
to the concept of social responsibility, and lead a joint action
towards societal and environmental development. It will bring into
greater focus the local and regional efforts undertaken at the corporate
and civil society levels to further the case of CSR in the Middle
East.
In her welcome address, EEG’s Chairperson Habiba Al Marashi
called on the corporate sector to take up the mantle of leadership
and stewardship for CSR and sustainable development. She urged EEG’s
member corporations to put full thrust behind the path-breaking
venture to make it one of the first of its kind and premier networks
in the Region promoting exemplary corporate behaviour and effecting
tangible economic, social and environmental gains. “Corporate
Social Responsibility is often understood as the private sector’s
contribution to sustainable development. It must therefore not only
balance responsibilities to the environment, society and the economy
today, it must also ensure the future sustainability of those three
elements. A sustainable approach would teach people the skills to
earn their own way and become customers, suppliers or partners to
your own organisation – a more fruitful investment in the
long run.
The United Arab Emirates has been evolving as a regional leader
in commerce and finance, and the time is opportune for showing the
way in ethical investments, transparent business practices and better
corporate management. We may not have the legislative framework
of some other countries, nor the public pressure to behave responsibly,
but as a nation we are proud of our heritage and have always striven
to deliver world class products and services. The country has always
had great respect for its natural environment, and much of this
success in balancing economic and social development with environmental
stewardship is down to our visionary leaders. It is fitting then,
that the business hub of the Middle East should also lead the way
in CSR. Upholding the highest international standards will not only
boost the reputation of us all collectively but attract foreign
investment. Recognizing this potential, the EEG has embarked on
an ambitious programme to collaborate with leading public and private
enterprises on solving environmental problems and promoting sustainable
development through the concept of CSR. The EEG sees its CSR network
as a tool for facilitating open and transparent business policies
and practices based on ethical values that have a sustained positive
impact on business, society and environment.” said Mrs. Marashi.
The opening address was delivered by H. E. Dr. Salem Al Dhaheri,
Director General of the Federal Environmental Agency (FEA), on behalf
of the Guest of Honour H.E. Hamad Abdulrahman Al Midfa, Honourable
Minister of Health of the UAE and President of FEA. The Guest of
Honour lauded the efforts made by the Group to rally key sectors
in environment protection and sustainable development.
The Keynote address was delivered by the Resident Representative
of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Resident
Coordinator of the United Nations Office in the UAE, H. E. Nadir
Hadj-Hammou. Mr. Hadj-Hammou gave a presentation on the United Nation’s
perspective on corporate social responsibility and called for multi-sectoral
cooperation to add strength and support to the EEG-led partnership.
“Given the excellent record of the UAE of being an innovator,
perhaps the UAE could become a center of excellence for brain industries
that could promote CSR in the region. We, at the UN, stand ready
to support such an ambitious but constructive endeavor”, said
Mr. Hadj-Hammou.
The last speaker for the evening was Hope Sherwin, EEG’s
CSR consultant. Her presentation touched on the definition of CSR,
the triple bottom line, drivers of CSR and global trends in CSR.
Elaborating on the historic development of CSR, Ms. Sherwin commented,”
Although CSR incorporates the three elements: environmental, social
and economic, corporate accountability has its roots in the green
or environmental movement of the 1960s and 70s. For the first time
people were considering the future of the planet and questioning
the universal immunity afforded to companies all over the world.
Today after several industry-triggered environmental and human disasters
and economic scandals, companies are moving away from defensive
reactive responses and adopting more proactive, engaging approaches.
Companies are increasingly taking part at the international level
in initiatives to work towards sustainable development. For example,
the business community took an active part in the World Summit on
Sustainable Development in 2002 and the Johannesburg declaration
comments on the contribution the private sector can make in areas
of accountability and social equity.
Many organisations are working with the corporate sector to find
ways to manage CSR, drawing on the wisdom of the United Nations
declarations and ILO conventions in many cases. The financial benefits
of conducting business in a responsible way are numerous. As the
cliché goes, good business is good for business.
CSR is not just a fad or a passing phase. Unlike many passing fads
such as the dot.com boom of the 1990s, CSR is here to stay. This
partly because so many business leaders who are committed to CSR
cannot have got it wrong and also because CSR came to the fore as
a response to dramatic global changes – globalisation, which
is also here to stay.
In the Millennium Poll, a survey of public opinion on CSR, two
in three citizens said they wanted companies to go beyond their
historical role of making a profit, paying taxes, employing people
and obeying all laws; they wanted companies to contribute to broader
societal goals as well. In forming impressions of companies, people
around the world focused on corporate citizen-ship ahead of either
brand reputation or financial factors.”
Aims and objectives of the EEG’s CSR programme are to demonstrate
commitment to the global sustainable development agenda, contribute
to the national initiative for sustainable development in the UAE,
position the UAE as a leader in Business Excellence and CSR in the
region, promote the voluntary adoption of CSR policies and practices
among businesses in the region, showcase examples of best practice
CSR activities undertaken by corporate organizations and public
sector enterprises, identify benchmarks and key indicators to sustainable
growth, develop a national databank of CSR case studies to boost
research into CSR implementation and a network for liaison and partnerships
with entities that are engaged in CSR programmes at national, regional
and global levels.
After the flag-off event, the EEG CSR team will conduct a set of
4 seminars/workshops in the course of the year. These include a
seminar on Waste and Recycling in May, Environmental Law in June,
CSR in the Middle East in September, and Eco-tourism in November.
A series of brochures and on-line reports will be released to coincide
with each seminar. International speakers will be invited to take
part, and companies from here will be invited to present case studies.
Public sector enterprises from the UAE will also be involved in
these seminar/workshops. This will comprise the first phase of the
CSR network.
The second phase will target a wide range of other CSR related
topics and other specific sectors including Oil & Gas, Shipping,
Construction, Aviation, Transport, Courier, Hospitality and Retail,
Tourism, Healthcare, Education, Banking and Finance, IT and Telecom,
Media and Communications, etc. It will also entail a dedicated website,
e-forums and e –discussions, consultancy services, etc.
The evening concluded with a dinner hosted by EEG courtesy active
corporate member JW Marriott Hotel.
The Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) is a voluntary, non-profit,
non-government organization (NGO) devoted to protecting the environment
through means of education, action programs and community involvement.
The organization is open to men and women of all nationalities.
EEG is actively encouraged by the Department of Economic Development
Government of Dubai and supported by the concerned local and federal
government agencies.
For more information see www.eeg-uae.com
Posted by Richard Price,
Editor Pipeline Magazine
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