More than 50 international and regional experts will focus on driving social and economic development throughout Mena at a summit on corporate social responsibility (CSR) opening in Dubai, UAE tomorrow (May1 8).

Held under the patronage of Khaled Al Kamda, director general, Community Development Authority from the Government of Dubai, 12th CSR Summit will run until May 21 at the Address Hotel.

Al Kamda said: “This 12th edition of the CSR Summit is particularly significant for businesses as it addresses how CSR is an investment.  Far from being a financial burden, CSR is something that generates value. It provides organisations with a ‘Social License to Operate,’ which builds a positive brand image and grants credibility with the community, the government, investors and partners.

“Its numerous benefits include operational efficiency, increased productivity, loyalty, reputation, new market opportunities and long-term growth. It all adds up to businesses being able to see measurable, tangible results from adopting CSR practices. These are just some of the issues that will be explored in detail during the summit,” he added.

Corporate social responsibility is becoming increasingly engrained in Middle East business strategies, with an emphasis on gender equality, innovation and social entrepreneurship, said Noha Hefny, director of Corporate Affairs for PepsiCo, Asia, Middle East and Africa.

She said there has been a tangible shift in businesses and organisations in the region taking responsibility for improving sustainability methods and in tackling change through social innovation.

“We live in an era in which CSR and business are mutually beneficial. CSR is not about simply about donating money to a good cause, it is about helping communities to thrive through sustainable approaches that tackle specific issues. Businesses are only able to operate and continue to grow if they are in thriving economies so it makes good business sense to help develop and grow the communities in which they operate,” Hefny said.

“Initiatives that provide women with career opportunities and empower young females through education and on the ground training are becoming an increasing area of focus for many corporates working across the region.”

“We are also seeing a strong focus on entrepreneurship and a rising interest in social entrepreneurship.  At PepsiCo, CSR doesn’t mean we run our business normally and ‘do good’ on the side or subtract from the bottom line to boost our reputation or forego profits to ease our conscience.

“It means that we bring together what is good for our business with what is good for the world. CSR is part of our corporate values and mission of Performance with Purpose – our belief that our financial success – Performance – must go hand-in-hand with our social and environmental responsibilities – our Purpose,’ she explained.

The four-day CSR Summit will include speed networking sessions, CSR Excellence Awards, live interactive voting for the best social initiative prepared by young students from UAE, an NGO-focus hub and CSR boot camps to transfer learning into actionable strategies.  

Ali Al Ahmed, Adviser to CEO at Etisalat, added: “The UAE’s drive for innovation under the visionary leadership of the nation is a key factor governing businesses to redesign their CSR strategies and programmes, helping contribute to the knowledge-based, smart society of the future.  

“In terms of CSR trends and the future, therefore, the UAE is uniquely placed and some of the ‘taken for granted’ CSR concepts imported from western counterparts may not be applicable here.  By contributing to such a unique and evolving CSR landscape of the UAE, we are excited to partner with the organisers of the CSR Summit in building a platform for discussions and sharing compelling ideas on this subject.”

The CSR Summit is supported by strategic partner Etisalat; gold sponsor PepsiCo Asia, Middle East and Africa; innovation partner Intel; and silver sponsors Unilever and Canon, while Friends of Cancer Patients is the official event charity. – TradeArabia News Service