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Leading CSR and sustainability event to take place on February 16, 2015
Dubai, UAE, February 16, 2015: The Arabia CSR Network (ACSRN) has announced the launch of the eighth edition of the highly coveted regional Arabia CSR Awards in Dubai. Globally perceived as the most rigorous CSR and sustainability awards system, the Arabia CSR Awards has to date received over 750 registered applications from 13 Arab countries across 26 sectors. Sponsored by Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) and National Petrochemical Industrial Company (NATPET), the Arabia CSR Awards 2015 now officially open for registrations.
The Arabia CSR Awards 2015 is being held under the auspices of The League of Arab States. The programme is the first CSR and sustainability initiative to be recognised by the League and the 2015 event is the second consecutive year that it has been officially involved with the scheme. The Arabia CSR Awards cycle has also gained the strategic support of The United Nations Environmental Programme following a Memorandum of Understanding that was signed in October 28, 2014, which laid the groundwork for a structural collaboration for the advancement of sustainable development in the Arab World.
'The Arabia CSR Awards has originally been conceived as a premium CSR recognition and knowledge exchange platform,” said Mrs. Habiba Al Marashi, President and CEO of the Arabia CSR Network. “Seven years down the line, it is now clearly positioned and recognised as an invaluable asset to the region's sustainability. CSR is about genuine commitment and integration and I urge all public and private organisations in the region to engage with the platform to systemically advance their sustainability performance and inspire others to do the same. Critical insight into organisational behaviour and continuous improvement is an imperative - we can only move forward together if each individual and organisation steps up to the responsibility that is upon them,'' she added.
“The Arabia CSR Awards complement the concerted efforts in the region to underline the importance of corporate social responsibility and sustainability, bringing together the most successful and innovative CSR pioneers in the Arab world. In line with ENOC's commitment to serving the society and promoting environmental conservation, we are honored to support these awards, which serve as a platform for organizations to share their experiences, raise awareness and encourage further assessment to improve their current initiatives in the region.” Stated Mr.Saif Al Falasi, Executive Director - EHSQ & Corporate Affairs of Emirates National Oil Company, the Gold Sponsor of the 8th Cycle of the Arabia CSR Awards.
Hosting a press conference to announce the event, Mrs. Habiba Al Marashi presented the winners of the various categories from last year's seventh cycle of the Arabia CSR Awards. The gathered invitees spoke of their experiences and shared how the Awards had taken them the extra mile on their sustainability journeys, achieved through its exhaustive criteria, holistic self-assessment mechanism and expert feedback provided from the jury panel.
“The Arabia CSR Awards has shown us that CSR can work for any size business. By winning the Award we've got the basics in place and it has motivated us in our efforts and strengthened our belief by looking at ways of developing new products and services that can indeed make a difference to the environment we operate in. CSR is a cost-effective strategy that really works for us!'' stated Mr. Jamal Malaikah, President and COO of NATPET, winner in the ‘Medium' category.
'The award has encouraged us to continue our CSR efforts and is proof that even as a start-up, you can make an impactful difference. More importantly, we have a plan of action to work on our improvement areas. We also received fantastic feedback from our clients. Thank you to Habiba and the Arabia CSR team for embedding an excellent awards scheme across the region,” stated Mr. Brett Smyth, CEO of EngageME, winner of the ‘Best New Business' category and second runner-up in the ‘Small' category.
Also present at the conference were Mrs. Feryal Tawakul, Executive Director of Corporate Services at Emirates Transport, winner of the ‘Public Sector Category;' Mr. Mohammed Adil, Head of CSR at Ras Gas, a leading Qatar-based oil and gas company which collected runner-up in the ‘Large' category' and Mr. Jassim Mashkanani, Majid, Total Quality Manager, NATPET, winner in the ‘Medium' category.
All of the winners confirmed that the Arabia CSR Awards had significantly boosted their CSR implementation and ultimately their sustainability performance, a factor they attributed to the cross-functional engagement required to successfully complete the rigorous application and the opportunity to critically self-assess their existing CSR strategies and operations.
In order to provide participants with a detailed road map of the Awards' application criteria and evaluation methodology, the Arabia CSR Network organises an annual Awards Clinic, which is facilitated by a member of the programme's jury panel. The Awards Clinic for this year's cycle will be held on April 7 and participants are strongly encouraged to attend in preparation for their application submissions.
The Arabia CSR Awards will conclude on the October 28, 2015 with a gala ceremony where the winners will be announced. The evening soirée will be preceded by the Arabia CSR Awards Forum, the most anticipated sustainability platform in the Arab region, which is being held under the theme: ‘'Beyond Responsibility: Towards Transformational Sustainability''.
The opportunity to sponsor the prestigious Arabia CSR Forum and Awards Ceremony is now available, with sponsorship offering an array of attractive benefits, including extensive pre and post-event media coverage and on-site branding.
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