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National Forum for
Social Responsibility Officially Founded
On Wednesday March 18, Al Urdun Al Jadid Research
Center officially launched the National Forum for
Social Responsibility. The event was held at the
Social Security Corporation headquarters in Amman,
and was attended by 27 representatives of the
business sector, professional associations, chambers
of industry and commerce, civil society
organisations, and experts in CSR.
The Founding Meeting was commenced by Mr. Hani
Hourani, UJRC Director General, who gave an insight
into the vision and objectives of the NFSR. The
initiative was presented at the Jordanian Conference
on Corporate Social Responsibility which was
convened by UJRC last March. Hourani said that such
an entity would coordinate corporations’ CSR efforts
and would convene its own activities to further and
advance the state of CSR in Jordan. This is
exceptionally needed nowadays amid the ongoing
economic crisis and the increasing burden on the
public sector. HE Wasef Azar, member of the Jordan
Chamber of Industry chaired the Founding Meeting,
and elaborated on the need to found a representative
umbrella that would enhance CSR practices in Jordan.
Attendees elected the Steering Committee members of
the NFSR. The Committee comprises representatives of
the business and manufacturing sector, such as
Jordan Potash, Phosphates, and Cement companies,
business associations, such as the Banks
Association, Businessmen Association,
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Appliances Association,
Jordan Chambers of Industry and Commerce, academic
institutions, such as Philadelphia and Aqaba
Universities, the pharmaceutical sector,
telecommunication sector; Fastlink and Orange,
banking sector; Ahli and Jordan Islamic banks, NGOs;
National Center for Human Resource Development and
Royal Society for Conservation of Nature, Greater
Amman Municipality and the Social Security
Corporation.
UJRC also announced that NFSR will hold its
launching ceremony at the Social Market Expo on
March 30, at the Radisson SAS, where several
companies will exhibit their work and will convey
the projects they have jointly implemented with the
partnership of NGOs, civil society and local
community groups.
Read Jordan
Time's press release:
http://www.jordantimes.com/?news=15253
CSR
Market Expo, March 30, 2009
On Monday, March 31, 2009, Al Urdun Al Jadid
Research Center convened the Social Market Expo for
Jordanian companies at Landmark Hotel, to convey the
projects they have jointly implemented with the
partnership of CSOs and NGOs. Fourteen companies and
non-profit organisations delivered presentations to
an audience of over 120 figures, representing
private sector corporations, professional
associations, banks, NGOs and Members of
Parliament.
The Corporate Social Market Expo displayed
presentations of the most notable best practices of
tens Jordanian companies, which conveyed stories of
success of projects that were accomplished
in-cooperation with community-based organisations,
public institutions and civil society organisations.
The following corporations delivered presentations
at the Expo:
Greater Amman Municipality
Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC
Orange Jordan
Aqaba Development Corporation
Talal Abu Ghazaleh International
Philadelphia University
Taameer Jordan Holdings
Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority
Islamic International Arab Bank
Pepsi Cola International – Jordan
On the other hand, four local NGOs submitted
presentations on their successfully executed
projects, with the support of the private sector.
These are:
The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature
The Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human
Development
Tkiyet Um Ali
Hikmat Road Safety
The event culminated by HE Wasef Azar, former
Minister of Commerce and Trade, and member of the
Jordan Chamber of Industry, announcing the launching
of the National Forum for Social Responsibility (NFSR).
He said that NFSR will serve as an institutionalised
umbrella to advocate for and to enhance CSR
practices in corporations and the private sector in
Jordan, in cooperation with NGOs and CSOs.
Azar outlined the Forum objectives which include
advancing the role of the private sector,
encouraging its socially responsible practices, and
coordinating CSR efforts. The Forum also seeks to
identify the priorities of social giving in Jordan,
to avoid repetition and duplication, and to preserve
the best utilization of resources. The Forum will
work on raising awareness on the best practices of
CSR locally, regionally and internationally, and
will build capacities in CSR through holding
training sessions, conferences and seminars.
Azar added that the Forum will provide technical
support and knowledge to corporations that aspire to
develop their own social responsibility policies.
JFSR will work on encouraging the government and
parliament to review Jordanian legislations, in
terms of providing tax incentives to the
distinguished companies in their CSR practices, and
encouraging volunteerism and local community
service.
Finally Hani Hourani concluded the ceremony by
announcing that the Expo will be convened next year,
and last for several days, to allow a bigger number
of companies and NGOs to take part in the event.
Read about the event
coverage on MEPI
Office Abu Dhabi website:
http://www.abudhabi.mepi.state.gov/ujrc.html
To read more about the Expo
click here
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