Satyendra Pathak
Doha
Held under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the three-day Qatar CSR Summit 2024 concluded on May 2 with remarkable success.
Held at Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) under the theme of ‘The Future of CSR in a Circular Economy’, the event witnessed the participation of over 65 local and international speakers. More than 4,350 specialists attended it.
Attendees of Qatar CSR Summit 2024 praised the rich content presented this year. The event featured a series of panel discussions and workshops that provided a platform for a large number of experts and speakers, totaling over 65, including more than 30 international speakers.
This year, the conference was also distinguished by the diversity of attendees from Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and othercountries.
Commenting on the success of Qatar CSR Summit 2024, IFP Qatar General Manager Haidar Meshaimesh said, “This year, Qatar CSR Summit has emerged as a regional summit that solidifies Qatar’s position as a regional hub for corporate social responsibility and reaffirms Qatar University’s leading role in promoting social responsibility across the region. This places a greater responsibility on us to develop the summit and expand its scope next year.”
The official Gala dinner of the Qatar CSR Awards was held on the second day of the event at the Sheraton Resort & Convention Centre to honor companies and institutions with the best corporate social responsibility initiatives across various sectors.
In a speech at the beginning of the ceremony, Qatar National Corporate Social Responsibility Programme CEO Dr Saif Al-Hajari thanked the sponsors and supporters of the conference and exhibition, praising their efforts in the field of social development through the various initiatives and programmes that were reviewed during the event.
He noted that the Qatar CSR Awards ceremony “comes to highlight these efforts to be an example to be followed for how to serve society, the environment and people, and how each of his position, whether in the public sector, government, private commercial, scientific academic, volunteer non-profit, can contribute constructively and positively to providing a better life, a fairer and more sustainable economy for the various segments of society, and to honour those who have contributed to the development of Qatar’s social responsibility and sustainability agenda.”
Qatar CSR Awards included 24 different categories covering most economic sectors. The organising committee received 114 initiatives that were nominated by entities in the public and private sectors, all of which were reviewed and the winners were determined by a special jury at the College of Business and Economics at Qatar University, which included 20 of the college’s professors and teachers.
In the results, Public Works Authority (Ashghal) won the award for the Best CSR Initiative in the Public Sector for the “Local Areas Infrastructure Program - Supporting Local Manufacturers” Initiative, while a recognition award in the same category went to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for their efforts in promoting the CSR Agenda in Qatar.
Innovation Café won the Best NGO Initiative Award for the ‘Cultivating the Qatari Potential’ initiative, while Qatar Cancer Society received a recognition award in the same category for the Annual Achievements for the year 2023. The Most Innovative CSR Initiative went to Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar for the Life Hub initiative that was launched at the Doha Expo. Facilities Management & Maintenance (FMM) won the Most Comprehensive CSR Initiative Award for their multiple initiatives in Sustainability, Health, Education and Labour Wellbeing. In the category of banking and financial sector, QNB Group won the Best CSR Initiative for their program for Strengthening Environmental, Social, and InstitutionalGovernance.
In the ICT sector, Ooredoo received the first prize for the Doha Marathon initiative. The Best CSR Initiative in the Private Sector went to Aamal for the Summer Internship Program initiative. In the Technology Sector, Snoonu won the award for the “No Riders Under the Sun” initiative. In the Retail Sector, the Best CSR Initiative went to Lulu Group International for its multiple Philanthropic Initiatives in Retail, while Al Baladi Express received a recognition award in the same category. In the education sector category, Bonocle won the award for “The First Braille Edutainment Platform for the Blind” initiative.
In the health sector, the award went to Alfardan Medical with Northwestern Medicine for the “Empowering the Young Generation” initiative, while WELLKINS Medical Centre received an award in the same category. In the Transport Sector, Al Abdulghani Motors won the first prize for the Rashfa initiative.
Sika Qatar ranked first in the Construction Sector category for the Building Green initiative, while Papercut Factory won the award in the Industrial Sector for the “Towards a Sustainable Future” initiative. in the Facility Management Sector, Darwish Interserve Facility Management came in first place for the Electricity Audit initiative.
United Development Company won the award in the Real Estate Sector category for the Pearl Island Environmental and Sustainability Strategy. The Best CSR Initiative in the Environmental Sector went to Aqua Sports Qatar for the Mangrove Conservation & Restoration Project, while Rayyan Mineral Water Company received a recognition award in the same category for the “Sustainable Production” Initiative. In the tourism and hospitality sector, Caravane Earth’s Heenat Salma Farm project received the first prize.
In the food sector, the award went to Talabat for their Multiple Relief Campaigns initiatives, while The Cooking Academy received a recognition award in the same category for the “Traditional Qatari Food to the World” initiative. In the Agriculture Sector, Qatar’s Ministry of Municipality Public Parks Department won the award for the “Seedlings to Your Home” initiative.
In the Media Sector, Al Jazeera Media Institute won the first prize for the Al Jazeera Ambassadors Initiative. The Best CSR Initiative in the Events Sector went to QNCC for the “Energy Efficiency and Conservation” initiative, while A101’s “Tamreen Educational Program” ranked first in the sports sector.
On another note, Mubadara for Social Impact and the UNESCO Chair on Governance and Social Responsibility in Sport announced that the two entities had entered a strategic partnership that will support research and consultancy in the field of (corporate) social responsibility across all sectors, with a priority given to the social impact that sport can have in Qatar and the wider region.
The UNESCO Chair on Governance and Social Responsibility in Sport, which resides within Hamad Bin Khalifa University, is set to foster an integrated system of research, education, and training to enhance the quality of governance practices within the sport industry and advocate socially responsible program designs that prioritize sport as a core component.
Mubadara for Social Impact General Manager Jack Saba said, “We are pleased to collaborate with this UNESCO Chair, the only one dedicated to social responsibility in sport worldwide. This will add credibility to our endeavors while enhancing our performance and development strategy.”
Dr Christos Anagnostopoulos, the founder and director of UNESCO Chair on Governance and Social Responsibility in Sport, said: “One of the key objectives of the Chair is to establish a sustainable network between academics, practitioners, and other key stakeholders with a common interest in good governance and social responsibility in sport at a national and international level. Mubadara is the most influential organization on matters concerning corporate social responsibility in the country, and we can realize our objective much easier and more impactfully through and together with them.”
Mubadara for Social Impact is a leader in CSR consultancy and was founded to guide institutions in social investment strategies. It aims to enhance institutions’ reputation, image, and stakeholder relations while making a tangible real-world impact and achieving exceptional returns on investment.
