UAE, October 16, 2016- The 7th edition of the Arabia CSR Forum kicks off on Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at the Steigenberger Hotel in Dubai’s Business Bay with the broad participation of senior government officials and luminaries in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability. The region’s leading CSR event will once again act as a strategic platform for regional and global private and public sector leaders to discuss and assess the current state and future of CSR in the Arab World and beyond. 

The Forum falls under the patronage of the League of Arab States. It will feature distinguished speakers from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), The League of Arab States, The Earth Institute at Columbia University and the United Nations Environment Programme Regional Office for West Asia (UNEP-ROWA), to name a few. Arabia CSR Network, the leading UAE-based think tank and training center, is the event organizer. 

The evening of 20th October will witness the announcement of the winners of the Arabia CSR Awards 2016, the Sustainability Oscars of the Middle East and North Africa Region. The applicants eagerly await the outcome of this prestigious award, the first of its kind in the region. The ceremony will witness more than 20 winners who will be named the 2016 Sustainability and CSR Champions. 

Taking place under the theme ‘Accelerating the Arab Sustainable Development Agenda Through Innovation and Collaboration,’ this year’s forum will feature four main sessions. The first will focus on sustainability in the Arab World in light of the Millennium Development Goals as well as development priorities as related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The second will touch on partnerships for the SDGs, enhancing CSR for policy coherence, and the need for robust Arab collaboration. The third will discuss the dynamics and conflicts among private, public and civil society collaborators, while the fourth and last session will delve on youth, innovation, and social enterprise. The two-day forum will include plenary sessions, creative labs and keynote presentations moderated by well-known sustainability champions.

Habiba Al Marashi, Chairperson of Arabia CSR Network, said: “The theme of this year’s forum is a bold call to action for the region to establish firm and synergistic foundations for CSR and sustainability. Its sessions provide the right blend of local and global perspectives and include a special focus on youths who will significantly influence the success of the Arab CSR agenda. The inclusive nature of this year’s discussions will definitely bring out interesting and highly productive dialogue on how we should pursue and promote CSR and sustainability regionally and globally. Arabia CSR Network looks forward to sharing our experiences and helping set more responsible directions for regional and global development.”

H.E. Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Chief Executive Officer of the ENOC Group, added: “The Arab World’s great ambitions for its peoples should be tempered with an in-depth analysis of how progress impacts the environment and society. The Arabia CSR Forum facilitates important discussions on how the region can take a responsible path to growth and needs a strong voice from the private sector in terms of how it intends to support, complement and advance CSR and sustainability activities as the world pursues its shared development goals. We are confident that this year’s forum will present us with outstanding insights and foster more collaboration across the region.”

Ahmed Ajabnoor, Ma’aden’s Director for Corporate Sustainability Assurance, said: “The future of the planet and the well-being of all its inhabitants is everybody’s business. The Arabia CSR Forum reminds us that we all have major roles to play in protecting the environment and ensuring a comfortable and safe life for society. We fully support its call for innovation, collaboration and unity in all of the region’s CSR and sustainability strategies.”

Among the various public and private sector organizations lending their full support to the forum are ENOC as a Strategic Sponsor from the UAE; Ma’aden as a Platinum Sponsor from the KSA; Diamond Developers as a Gold Sponsor from the UAE; GPIC from Bahrain and Tristar Transport from the UAE as Silver Sponsors; Emirates Environmental Group as Environmental Partner; and Expert Consulting on Governance as Strategic Supporter in addition to myclimate. Media Partners include 7days, Gulf News, Moon Media Consultant, Orient Planet, and Cyber Gear.