derc to hold 4 workshops on corporate social responsibility (csr) to enhance business practices
Dubai Ethics Resource Center (DERC) at Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry is planning to hold a series of workshops in August and September focusing on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which is required for any business success and is recognized as an important contributor towards sustainable development.
The workshops, which are scheduled to be held on August 28-29 and on September 4 and 5, are tailored to the needs of busy executives providing them with an opportunity to develop an in-depth understanding of CSR and its integrated role in any business practice.
HE Engineer Hamad Buamim, Director General of Dubai Chamber, said that the CSR workshops organized by DERC go in line with the Chamber’s strategy in serving its members and the business community of Dubai. They will help companies realize the importance of CSR practices in the success of their organizations.
“Local and regional companies based in the UAE are increasingly showing interest in the subjects of business ethics and CSR. We at Dubai Chamber are in a position to harness this interest and drive forward progress in this area,” said Buamim.
“The Dubai Ethics Resource Center (DERC), which operates as part of Dubai Chamber, conducts regular workshops designed to meet this growing demand. These seminars are geared towards managers in the private sector and exist to enable them to learn more about CSR, its link to day-to-day business and ensure that the participants return to work with fresh and innovative ideas and some practical skills to build CSR into their work practices.”
He pointed out that leading businesses recognize that CSR is synonymous with organizational success, objectives, approaches and competencies. Companies which make CSR an integral part of their businesses are able to better anticipate and manage risk, improve their reputation and stakeholder relationships, enhance staff recruitment and retention and improve competitiveness and market positioning, he added. Adopting CSR will also help businesses increase operational efficiencies and cost savings, improve their ability to attract and build effective and efficient supply chain relationships and create stronger financial performance and profitability.
“The participants of these interactive workshops will be well introduced to CSR and its related context in the UAE, and better instructed about how to incorporate CSR into their organizations to help build responsible and ethical business culture and practices,” Buamim noted.
Dr. Belaid Rettab, Director of DERC at Dubai Chamber, said “we need to enhance the understanding of CSR within Dubai business community. With a greater appreciation of the real business benefits that CSR can bring to a company’s performance, business leaders will recognize the importance of managing and balancing their environmental and social risks and opportunities in line with their economic focus.”
“They must build these elements into their core business strategies to ensure that CSR is taken seriously, and that it becomes a management tool to bring about real competitive advantages and long term sustainability.”
As registration is open for all companies willing to attend DERC’s CSR workshops, the first workshop will be held on August 28 under the title “Introduction to Corporate Responsibility”, while the second CSR workshop scheduled to be held on August 29, will focus on “UAE Drivers, Challenges and Strategies for Corporate Responsibility”. The third workshop on September 4, will discuss “Organizational Ethics”, while the last workshop due to be held the next day will focus on “Business Ethics Infrastructure”.
Dubai Chamber established DERC in 2004 to foster corporate integrity, promote Dubai as a global gateway for business and to assist organizations in applying responsible business practices that enhance performance and competitive advantage.
