Qatar to develop new CSR standards at meet Friday, 20 August 2010 05:39

DOHA: Qatari companies and government agencies will develop proper mechanisms in implementing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) during the 2nd CSR Conference on September 28.

Spearheaded by the Ministry of Business and Trade, conference participants will come out with recommendations that will best serve the application of CSR following global standards.

A senior official at the Ministry of Business and Trade said on the sidelines of the press conference yesterday that participants at the conference will discuss the respective roles of the government and companies to complement the criteria for CSR.

The official has called on companies to join the global network adopting the UN standards on CSR. Around 400 participants from different companies are expected to join the conference to be held at Four Seasons Hotel.

A committee composed of government agencies lead by the Ministry of Business and Trade will help study and set in place the criteria for companies on how they will achieve the right mechanisms for CSR.

RasGas and Vodafone Qatar, two of the seven event sponsors, took turns in explaining their separate approaches in carrying out CSR. Other sponsors include Ahli Bank, Barwa, Qatar Institute of Directors, ExxonMobil and United Development Company.

RasGas has been developing initiatives to provide long term financial and practical support ranging from social and economic initiatives to support educational, environmental and healthy living programmes.

It will be the first time that Vodafone Qatar will introduce during the conference a CSR initiative dubbed “Better World”.

“We are committed to using our strength as a business leader to help build stronger communities, while accepting the challenge as individuals for each and every one of us to lead by example,” said Grahame Maher, CEO of Vodafone Qatar.

“When it comes to corporate responsibility, sharing with others is at times more valuable than keeping things to you. Sustainability is one area where trade secrets don't make much sense; if you hide your energy-saving initiatives from competitors you're hurting the planet and maybe preventing your entire industry from reaching sustainability. We do believe in the power of sharing ideas and expertise, possibly projects. We hope the CSR conference and more specifically the Round Tables will invite corporations in Qatar to come to together to share common thoughts and more importantly, a common call to action for the good of Qatar. The efforts require a new level of collaboration between corporations, NGOs, the education and governmental sector,” said Luisa Gentile, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Vodafone Qatar.

The Peninsula

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