Arabia CSR Network holds CSR Training and Awards Clinic

Dubai, 13th June 2012: As part of its efforts to advance the sustainability agenda in the region, Arabia CSR Network held two training events in the last three days. The first event, a two day training course held on 11 - 12 June at the Millennium Plaza Hotel titled "CSR Strategy and Leadership", aimed to build the capacity of CSR teams to incorporate sustainability strategies into their business in an innovative way. The course included an examination of CSR theory, case-studies and exercises which sought to help participants acquire an in-depth understanding of the process of developing and implementing a comprehensive CSR strategy and policy framework.

The second event was the complimentary 'Awards Clinic' which was held on Wednesday, 13th June 2012, at the Southern Sun Qamardeen Hotel in Downtown Dubai. The Clinic aimed to provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the application procedure, helping them develop an in-depth understanding of the rationale behind the questions and the required supporting documents and provide them with helpful hints on submitting a good application.

Addressing the audience, Ms. Habiba Al Marashi, President of the Arabia CSR Network, emphasized the importance of having a diversified and malleable approach to enacting and implementing CSR strategies in order to meet the specific needs of the business, the industry sector and the region in which it operates. "Each company's CSR journey is a unique one; no two companies travel along the same path but there will be several meeting points along the way. The Arabia CSR Awards aim to illuminate those so as to provide guidance to other companies in their quest for a sustainable and enduring business."

The Arabia CSR Awards - instituted by the Arabia CSR Network and supported by the United Nations Global Compact - is welcoming entries from government departments, corporate organizations and NGOs for the fifth cycle of the Awards which were launched on 8th April 2012. The Arabia CSR Awards are held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman and CEO Emirates Group, Chairman, Dubai Airports.

The first four cycles of the Awards attracted more than 300 applicants from across the Arab world. They are open to both public and private organizations from all industry sectors which have operations and CSR initiatives in any of the Arab countries. The six categories of the Awards are: Small-sized enterprises, Medium-sized enterprises, Large-sized enterprises, Government/ Public sector institutions, Corporate-NGO collaboration, and New business.

At the end of this Awards cycle, the Arabia CSR Network will conduct a research project, the output of which will be a best practices book which will feature the case studies of award winning organizations.

Dr. Gracia Ugut, Member of the Jury of the Arabia CSR Awards facilitated both the Clinic and the "CSR Strategy and Leadership" training course. Dr. Ugut is currently the Associate Dean of the Executive Education and Lifelong Learning (EXCELL) Center at the Asian Institute of Management. Her research focus is on her fields of expertise: risk management and capital markets development. She is a resource speaker on sustainable banking in Asia CSR Forum since 2004 and has also conducted research on Corporate Governance, particularly for Banking and Financial Institutions in Asia.

Finalists from the 2011 Awards cycle, ABB, Canon Middle East, and the Health Authority Abu Dhabi participated in the Clinic to share their Awards experience, the challenges they faced and the benefits gained from the whole Awards process. They also advised participants on how to submit an award winning application, emphasizing the importance of proving to the judges that they are actively measuring and refining the outcomes of their CSR initiatives for a larger and more sustainable impact.

The Arabia CSR Awards Clinic 2012 was supported by the Southern Sun Qamardeen Hotel.

The presentations were followed by an interactive question and answer session. The informative workshop was appreciated by all potential applicants who actively asked questions to ensure that their application had the best chance to win this prestigious Award.

To be among the leaders in the region and to have your CSR initiatives recognized contact the Arabia CSR Network team on +971 (0)4 3448622 or visit www.arabiacsrnetwork.com for more information on how to enter the Awards.

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The Arabia CSR Network grew out of the EEG CSR Network, which has been actively advancing CSR in the UAE and Gulf region since 2004. The Arabia CSR Network was officially launched in October 2009 as an independent network, and offers its members a multi-stakeholder platform to network, learn and share their experiences and knowledge in matters of Corporate Social Responsibility with each other.

The Arabia CSR Awards were first launched in 2008, and enjoy the support of the UN Global Compact - an initiative by the United Nations to encourage businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation.

Currently in its fifth year, the Awards cycles have so far attracted more than 300 organizations from across the Arab world.

For more information please visit www.arabiacsrnetwork.com or call: +971-4-3448622