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Oman Oil initiative to aid the disabled [Times of Oman](Times of Oman Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Muscat: Oman Oil Company (OOC) is planning to sign corporate social responsibility (CSR) agreements soon, dedicated to disabled people and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), said an official. "We are going to sign a unique project this week with the Information Technology Authority (ITA), which will be dedicated to people with disability," Al Mutasim Al Sariri, head of the OOC's Corporate Sustainability Department, told the Times of Oman here yesterday. It will be a programme developed for visually impaired people and will focus on enhancing their capacity and introducing new technologies and devices that will enable them to communicate more efficiently, Al Sariri said on the sidelines of CSR Oman 2014 Summit. The summit was inaugurated under the auspices of Sultan bin Salim Al Habsi, secretary general of the Supreme Council for Planning, at the Grand Hyatt. The event was organised by Informa Middle East, in association with the Capital Market Authority (CMA), OOC and the Oman Society for Petroleum Services (OPAL). It commenced with pre-summit workshops on Sunday. Al Sariri highlighted the importance of CSR and said that it is integrated in the DNA of the company and embedded in its business outlook. "It shows our commitment to the sustainable development of this nation." Development of SMEs He also said that the company will launch another initiative aimed at the development of SMEs after Eid Al Adha. "There are young people who are potential entrepreneurs and only need someone to take their hands and guide and help them strengthen their business ideas," he said, adding that the new programme will help enhance their skills. Al Sariri also said that the three pillars of the company's CSR initiatives are training for employment, building up the capacity of the youth, and raising awareness about entrepreneurship and SMEs. According to him, thousands of people have benefited from these programmes directly and indirectly. Asked what makes the OOC's initiatives different than other similar programmes, the official noted that the company is focusing a lot on engaging with representatives of the private and the public sectors, the stakeholders and the society. "We sit with them on a regular basis and try to understand their needs and aspirations. We work together to develop the initiatives and then provide them to the target audience." Commenting on the OOC's recent initiatives, he said, "We have launched a number of 'training for employment' programmes through which 63 young unemployed people were secured with direct employment." On what is missing in the CSR initiatives of different companies inOMan, Al Sariri said that there should be more collaboration between them and the government, the stakeholders, NGOs and also among themselves. in the private sector. CSR Oman Summit CSR Oman 2014 summit brought together the Omani business community to debate and discuss the changing role of CSR. Yahya bin Said Al Jabri, chairman of the board of directors of CMA, said in the opening speech, "CSR is crucial for sustainable development and partnership between the public and private sectors for economic growth. Through supporting social, economic and cultural programmes, we can assure a brighter future for the coming generations. Therefore, it is essential to a have a comprehensive vision, mutual cooperation, innovative initiatives and shared efforts to make the CSR more effective which is the main goal of this summit." Mulham AlJarf, deputy chief executive officer of Oman Oil Company said, "It is Oman Oil Company's strategy to make significant contributions on the CSR and sustainability development front. The summit is a great platform to plan and implement tangible ways to benefit our community." The morning panel discussions focused on the work of government institutions towards supporting the adoption of CSR and sustainability policies, and their positive impact in the local community. To contact this reporter: [email protected] (c) 2014 Muscat Press and Publishing House SAOC Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |