Business & Money | Thursday 6 December, 2018 3:22 am |

 The Pearl Initiative, a business-led non-profit advocating corporate accountability in the Gulf region, today announced the successful conclusion of its Business Pledge programme for 2018, which featured multiple exchanges between corporations and universities on sustainable business practices.

 

Since inception in 2016, the four-pillar Business Pledge has gathered over 180 signatories that committed to helping advance corporate governance and sustainability practices in the Gulf region.

 

A more inclusive workplace

Kickstarting the 2018 Business Pledge discussions, luxury retailer Chalhoub Group hosted students from the American University of Sharjah at its Dubai offices to shed light on one of the Business Pledge’s pillars, ‘A more inclusive workplace’, by explaining how its gender-inclusive policies help enhance its competitiveness and performance.

 

Also, in the United Arab Emirates, port operator Gulftainer conducted a session for Amity University students on its ‘Positive Pulse’ workplace wellness programme, which has enabled them to raise productivity and happiness across their workforce.

 

In Jeddah, pharmaceutical company Tamer Group illustrated its efforts to promote workplace wellness and employees’ empowerment in line with its pledge to ‘A more inclusive workplace’ pillar to Effat University students. 

 

Setting targets for sustainable and responsible growth

Having pledged to the ‘Setting Targets for Sustainable and Responsible Growth’ pillar of the Pearl Initiative’s Business Pledge, the UAE-based bank Emirates NBD emphasised practical ways for businesses to gain sustainability to the students of the American University of Sharjah. 

 

In Bahrain, professional services firm KPMG explored the same theme with Ahlia University students through highlighting its Jassim Fakhro Fund, which offers financial, technical, and other professional education opportunities to Bahraini youth. 

 

 

 

 

Promoting integrity 

Committed to the ‘Promoting Integrity’ pillar of the Business Pledge, the diversified Nesma Holding in Jeddah described its code of conductand ongoing Business Ethics training, among other efforts aimed to uphold its high ethical standardsto the students of Effat University.

 

Carla Koffel, Executive Director of the Pearl Initiative, said: “The Pearl Initiative is consistently initiating efforts to include more organisations to take the Business Pledge to further facilitate discussions on the topic of corporate responsibility and sustainability between business leaders and university students in the region.”

 

She added: “We are expecting several businesses operating in the Gulf region to engage hundreds of university students on an array of topics that communicate the financial and social value of corporate sustainability.”

 

Founded in 2010, the Pearl Initiative develops regional programmes and publishes research reports and case studies to encourage the regional business and student communities to implement higher standards of corporate governance throughout the Gulf region.