CSR 2011 highlights

Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al-Faisal Bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Makkah Province the Saudi CSR Forum was launched at Park Hyatt Hotel in Jeddah on 7-8 June 2011 with the attendance of over 400 top officials, business leaders and CSR experts from Jeddah and other Gulf and Arab countries.

The Forum concluded its sessions on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 and was organized by Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Al-Iktissad Wal-Aamal Group.

Extensive participation reflected the great attention CSR has been receiving by companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the rest of the region. As an essential part of corporate social policy, CSR has also been gaining more institutional aspects as companies tend to integrate this activity into the broader effort for economic and social development.

During the opening, the Forum organizers presented several Awards to honor:

• Construction Products Holding Company (CPC), represented by Dr. Faysal Al Aquil, Director, Business Development & Admin. Affairs
• Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC), represented by Mr. Mazen Kaddourah, Regional General Manager
• Dallah Al Baraka Group, represented by Mr. Yasser M. Abdo Yamani, Deputy CEO of CSR Affairs
• Saudi Research & Publishing Co. (SRPC), represented by Mr. Fawzi Mousalli
• National Commercial Bank (NCB), represented by Mr. Abdulkarim Abu Al Nasr , CEO
• Al Eqtisadiah, represented by Mr. Fawzi Mousalli
• Al Sharq Al Awsat, represented by Mr. Maged Al Kenani, Managing Editor-Saudi Arabia
• Riyadh CSR Council, represented by Mr. Abdullah Al Mukairin, Vice President

The Forum included five sessions in addition to the opening ceremony that discussed the following topics:

• The evolution and latest trends in Corporate Social Responsibility policies
• How to transform CSR plans from individual initiatives into strategic corporate initiatives with companies
• Potential economic impact of a consensus based CSR strategy
• Establishing a national framework for CSR. (Through a partnership between public, private institutions and NGOs.)
• Suggested policy options and priorities for CSR programs (such as tackling poverty, investing in human resources, protecting the environment and providing support for groups with special needs etc..
• Case studies on CSR initiatives in Saudi Arabia and other countries.