Private sector in Yemen should express gratitude with corporate social responsibility programs

The participants confirm the importance of differentiating between charity business and social responsibility programs.

The second Corporate Citizenship & Social Responsibility Conference called the private sector to enhance its partnership with the community in order to express gratitude towards the community, said Hamoud al-Bokhaiti, Head of the Market and Consumer Research and Studies Center (MCRSC), during the conference which was held from June 24-25, organized by the MCRSC.

He said that the private sector is the leader of development which helps it to differentiate between charity business and social responsibility which aims for stainable development, explaining that the private sector can not improve unless it grows in developed societies.

The second conference aims at strengthening the corporate citizenship of the companies and institutions, enabling them to grow and continue, achieving a real partnership between the public and private sectors and the civil society to create joint social responsibility.

He said that the second conference was recommended by the first conference, held last year, pointing out the essential recommendations of the first conference. He continued, saying that they announced several important outcomes and recommendations, including a code of practice governing corporate social responsibility for businesses prepared by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry Union. The Ministry of Industry and Trade established the creation of an annual award to the corporation which implements the most effective program aimed at improving the lives of Yemenis as well as the Yemeni Standardization and Metrology Quality Control Organization (YSMO) announced the adoption of measure ISO 26000, which governs the social responsibility of companies.

Al-Bokhaiti confirmed that the voice of social responsibility has increased and companies were eager to reflect its social activities in the media and on their websites. He said the center launched a special website in this regard. He pointed out the aims of this website, such as covering the activities of institutions and companies that are socially responsible in Yemen and the region, monitoring of the contributions of companies and institutions to support social development programs, and public awareness of the advantages and features of dealing with socially responsible companies and institutions, al-Bokhaiti said.

In terms of the conference goal, al-Bokhaiti stressed that the aim in such conferences is to highlight the experience of corporate social responsibility in advanced countries in the private sector in order for businesses to be familiar with their responsibility towards the community.

The conference witnessed a presentation on social responsibility of international companies and Arab businessmen. Companies benefit because social responsibility can create loyalty between consumers and products of companies that are socially responsible, said al-Bokhaiti.

He pointed out the significance of holding the second conference under the current economic changes, and the importance of creating a partnership with the local society in this field, which will improve the relationship between businessmen and society.

Al-Bokhaiti affirmed the center's keenness on spreading the culture of social responsibility among businessmen, and encouraging academic research and studies in this field.

Meanwhile, he called on the state to set up laws and mechanisms to motivate businessmen to develop their social and institutional activities and strengthen their voluntary obligation to serve sustainable development in partnership with the public sector.

Furthermore, al-Bokhaiti added that the center will issue a guidebook of socially responsible companies and institutions and a periodical publication covering news and activities of those companies and institutions.

Dr. Fuad al-Hamdi said that the advantages of applying the concept of good corporate citizenship are clear and numerous: for example; the social responsibility can help companies and institutions to reduce risks and improve its position and increase its share in the market as well as raise the sales levels which lead to achieving more net profits.

Dr. Abdul-Mumen shuja-Adeen explained that enabling workers to realize their rights will lead to improving the goods and services provided by the companies and institutions. He continued, saying that enabling employees of their rights will achieve one of the most important manifestations of corporate social responsibility, and this feature is evidence of the success of the company and moving it on the right track, and empowerment is also a manifestation of the most important aspects of corporate governance.

Dr. Ali kuoshih talked about the role of companies in the preservation of the environment, claiming that it is a moral, religious, and national responsibility which  must be shared by all components of society.

Kuoshih stressed that most industrial enterprises operating in Yemen to do not use the proper means of disposal of industrial waste, which threatens degradation of the environment.

Hani al-Hourani, Director General of Jordan's new Center for Studies said that the current circumstances might lead to the crystallization of the vision of social responsibility by companies in the Arab world which would work to adopt clear policies and sustainability in this area. The adoption of consistent corporate social policies in line with the mission might provide an opportunity to re-evaluate the expenditure of voluntary contributions and grants and convert them to more rational programs and policies according to the principles of sustainable development and the needs of society.

Asker al-Harthi, general secretary of social responsibility in Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Saudi Arabia, said that the experience of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the field of social responsibility proved the importance of enhancing awareness programs as well as establishing a supreme body to control and plan for programs of social responsibility. He confirmed that the private sector should be supported with means of stimulating and encouraging social responsibility programs.

Through the sessions of the conference, representatives of companies reviewed the experiences of corporate social responsibility carried out by their companies in Yemen and the Arab States.

A number of Arab delegations participated in the conference, including the Saudi Arabian General Secretary of Social Responsibility Council Askar al-Harethi, head of the Consumer Protection Association Mohammad Abdul Karim, head of the Community Service Unit in the Saudi National Bank Mahmoud al-Turkistani, and from Jordan, the Director of the Small Enterprises and Productive Families in Jordan Ziad Abu al-Faham, and Director General of the New Jordan Center for Studies Hani al-Hourani.

Related Content

•   Proposed policies to increase Yemen oil revenues
•   Yemeni economist proposes strategy to tackle unemployment
•   IMF to address with Donors ways of combating unemployment
•  Yemen, IMF resume talks
•   IMF, donors to address urgent needs for reducing unemployment in Yemen
•   Supporting of Yemen traditional handicrafts is a priority
•   Tourism Investment in Yemen Islands
•   Donor conference of Yemen to be successful
•   Yemen officials meet Total group delegation
•   World Bank lifts funding suspension on Yemen