CSR360

Posted: Friday 27 April 12, 1.14pm GMT

Al Ghurair strives to improve the lives of people across Dubai and the UAE; therefore it is not surprising that the focus on CSR is rooted in its values where it is stated that the entire Organisation with over 6000 employees are committed to enhancing life by building and sustaining the local communities in which they operate, in addition to the Group’s commitment to the welfare of its employees.

Al Ghurair constantly promotes a culture of social giving by employees. Through its numerous employee community involvement programs, employees volunteer their time, energy and financial resources to support community based organizations that improve the quality of life for disempowered and disadvantaged communities.

Al Ghurair recognizes and encourages such volunteer efforts through participating in ENGAGE Dubai programs and activities.

On Give and Gain Day 2011, Al Ghurair Group has partnered with Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs. Playing host to the students from the Al Noor thereby promoting workplace inclusion around the UAE, Al Ghurair created an open forum for discussion and knowledge sharing. It created a platform to bring the employer and the potential employee together. For the students of Al Noor, an initiative like this is essential for the corporate community to understand the capabilities of individuals with special needs and the job opportunities that can be made available to them.

Activities developed

Al Noor students visited the National Flour Mills (the flagship mill of Al Ghurair Foods) in Bur Dubai. Representatives from various sectors and business units across Al Ghurair were present. The students were given an introduction to Al Ghurair and its divisions such as Foods, Resources, Energy, and Construction etc. After that presentations were made with the aim of helping to prepare students for the world of business. Topics like writing a CV, sourcing a job, basic IT skills required for today’s lifestyle etc were covered. The Al Noor team, in turn, showed participants the Al Noor Work Placement Documentary to give them an idea of the capability of its students, the different types of work they are doing in various industries and the feedback of their colleagues. The activities carried out will prove invaluable to the children when the time comes for them to earn their own living. These are just few examples of the amazing and inspiring work within the realm of employee volunteering programs.

ENGAGE Dubai programs and projects are recognized as playing a role in extending the reach of Al Ghurair’s mission in promoting employees volunteering by providing various platforms that empower and encourage staff members to invest in the upliftment of the less fortunate and this makes volunteering part of the overall business strategy.