Sharjah, UAE, September 16, 2008: A campaign to encourage companies to run corporate social responsibility (CSR) schemes was launched yesterday by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI).
The chamber called for the active involvement and support of all economic and investment sectors as well as businesses and the entire private sector to ensure the success of the campaign.
"More than 80 per cent of the 32,000 private sector corporations registered in Sharjah are involved in social responsibility activities and the percentage is expected to increase in the near future," said SCCI Director-General Hussein Mohammed Al Mahmoudi. "Companies in Sharjah are invited to participate more in social responsibility activates as the emirate is working hard to facilitate the business environment in terms of infrastructure, especially for the industrial sector which enjoy high quality government services."
He said Emirates Industrial City was an example of the progress Sharjah had made and highlighted the government’s efforts to meet the increasing demand from the industrial sector for energy and other resources.
"The SCCI is supporting social activities around the world especially in the surrounding Arab states and Islamic countries such as in Sudan, Yemen and the Comoros. These efforts started in Sharjah through a number of initiatives such as Tawasol, which aims to join hands with private sector firms to support non-national students who have lost their parents."
The new campaign will promote the concept of CSR across all local enterprises, with the aim of achieving sustainable development for the benefit of various segments of society.
The SCCI project is in line with existing private sector partnerships with government agencies and authorities as well as social welfare associations and is expected to have a significant positive impact on public and private sector collaboration in various areas.
SCCI Chairman Ahmed Mohammed Al Midfa said: "The board has approved the adoption of this joint initiative between the chamber and its key partners."
