Forum urges social responsibility across all sectors

The first edition of the Ajman Forum for Social Responsibility-2015 that was organised by Ajman Chamber of Commerce and Industry during Oct 6-7 at Ajman Palace Hotel concluded on Wednesday with remarkable success. 

The participants expressed their appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, for his patronage of the forum, hailing the efforts exerted to make the event a success. During the forum, speakers and social experts stressed the need for enhancing a commitment to the departments and institutions in both the public and private sectors. This is to ensure the correct practices are undertaken for the development of different segments of the community. They should work on developing and empowering society in environmental, health, educational and natural resource issues, in addition to setting regulations and systems obliging major companies to support graduates and entrepreneurs in their ventures.

The forum also recommended conducting an accurate study about social responsibility in collaboration with the concerned bodies across the UAE in general and in Ajman in particular. The study will aim to identify the actual needs of the local community which should be addressed through appropriate and effective programmes.

The participants praised Ajman Chambers for launching the Ajman Centre for Social Responsibility dedicated to raising awareness in the private sector. 

It will motivate private companies to adopt more effective social initiatives, in addition to creating programmes strengthening the principles of social responsibility. Universities will also adopt social responsibility culture and conduct researches required to develop the practices in this area. They also called on conducting studies geared towards promoting the outputs of the social service system and to adapt the corporate sector to serving such noble goals.   

The second day’s agenda included a morning session entitled “The Social Responsibility to Achieve Ajman Vision-2021”. The session was moderated by Dr Emad Saad, Head of the Scientific Committee of the Forum and Director General of Naya Group of Excellence. Ahmed Shattaf, Director of Strategic Policies at General Secretariat of the Executive Council of Ajman, began the session by speaking about the position of social responsibility in the emirate’ strategic plan and challenges facing the empowerment of public sector institutions and private sector companies in the UAE in terms of applying the relevant best social responsibility practices. 

Nasser Al Dhafri, Executive Director of Planning and Members Support of Ajman Chambers, spoke about the Chamber’s experience in the application of social responsibility. 

Dr Ashraf Jamal Al Din from Dubai Institute for Governance, spoke about the corporate social responsibility in light of the governance system. He pointed out that governance is about a number of laws, regulations and decisions that ensure the continuity of the institution in the long run. He also noted that the objective of governance is to mange institutions in such a way as to achieve transparency, justice and development, as well as increase general profitability and employment opportunities.

Dr Abdel Haq Al Nuaimi, Director of Community Service Department at Ajman University of Science and Technology, discussed the role of higher education in applying social responsibility best practices, and more success stories in this area.

The session was concluded by Dr Hakki Ismail, from Al Ihsan Charity Medical Complex in Ajman, by presenting a working paper on the complex in serving the community.

At the conclusion of the forum, the attendees participated in two workshops in Arabic and English on the application of social responsibility in the business and public sector. The mechanisms and application tools to achieve additional value for both the sectors were identified.

-The Gulf Today