DUBAI: As part of its ENGAGE Dubai programme, Dubai Chamber’s Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) recently organised a seminar on Employees Volunteering entitled “Improving Business Performance Through Employees Volunteering.”
Held at Dubai Chamber’s premises,the seminar aimed to raise awareness among ENGAGE Dubai member companies of the positive impact of employees volunteering on employees’ behaviour and business performance.
During the event, Yamama Al Nuaimi, Senior Executive at the Executive Council of Dubai, introduced participants to the “Day for Dubai”, a new initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, to dedicate a day for Dubai through volunteering for 24 hours. The initiative supports the Year of Zayedbyhonouring the humanitarian legacy of founding father His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Member companies were briefed on how they can contribute to the “Day for Dubai” initiative by participating in various volunteering events, while they were brought up to speed on ENGAGE Dubai’s achievements over the last year. The programme added 20 new members in 2017, bringing the total number of Corporate Members to 134. The number of Community Partners reached 44 during the same period, and the total number of ENGAGE Dubai members amounted to 178.
Dominique Ghazar, Manager of Corporate Sustainability at HSBC, led an introductory presentation entitled “Improving Business Performance Through Employee Volunteering”, and highlighted the far-reaching benefits of volunteering for employees and businesses alike. She explained that volunteering gives employees an opportunity to develop their skills sets, boost their morale and motivation, build networks, and discover new interests and passions.
Asmik Akopyan, Head of Internal Communications & Sustainability at Standard Chartered Bank and Iman Sari, Project Manager for Cummins Middle East spoke about some of the companies’ most successful volunteering initiatives, which helped improve the firms’ corporate culture, brand reputation, and business performance.
Dr. Belaid Rettab, Senior Director of the Economic Research & Sustainable Business Development Sector at Dubai Chamber, stressed the importance of organising such events that bring together various stakeholders from the public and private sectors in Dubai to collaborate and share their experiences with CSR and employee volunteering in particular.
“By highlighting real case studies demonstrating the added value that volunteering can bring to organisations and employees, the seminar encouraged companies to make volunteerism a key part of their CSR strategies.With the Year of Zayed now upon us, we expect to see many more companies extend their support to the “Day for Dubai” and many other volunteering initiatives in the UAE with the aim of boosting their social impact,” he added.
ENGAGE Dubai is part of an international network of businesses and community organisations that collaborate to support the development of healthy and sustainable communities by increasing the quality and quantity of employee volunteering in their local communities.
The programme helps companies develop employee volunteering and make a real difference to communities through a range of practical tools, information and brokerage services which transform their businesses and engage with local communities.
The Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) was established by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2004 to support and promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability. The Centre’s objective is to engage the Dubai business community in assuming greater responsibility for the emirate’s social and environmental needs. The CRB also promotes Dubai as the GCC’s gateway for global commerce by offering its business partners an environment of transparency and rule of law. News Desk
