October 28, 2013 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi, October 28, 2013: Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation Limited today announced it has won a prestigious award at the Annual Arabia CSR Awards 2013. The company scooped Second Runner Up in the ‘Corporate-NGO Collaboration Award’ category having being shortlisted from 111 other applications representing 23 industries and 10 countries around the Arab world.
The award which was received by Adel Albuainain, General Manager, Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation , Qatar at the ceremony held in Dubai on Thursday 24 Oct 2013, recognizes the firm commitment made by Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation to CSR and sustainability as evidenced by the many community outreach programs the company has initiated, supported and sponsored since its inception and in its adoption of sustainability management principles that are now driving the company’s business objectives.
After meticulous review and deliberation, the Awards’ Jury Panel judged Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation ’s application one of the top-three submissions for this year’s awards cycle due to the company’s outstanding commitment and achievements.
The award has also helped highlight the work Abu Dhabi Oil Corporation has undertaken with the Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF (EWS-WWF) to launch and implement important programs that impact the community. One such initiative is Beati Watani, an online environmental education program which is teaching students, teachers and parents in the UAE the importance of regional biodiversity.
Meaning ‘My Environment, My Country’, the vision of Beati Watani is to entrust the future of the UAE’s natural heritage to citizens who understand and respect its value. Students from six to 16 are able to develop an interest in national and regional flora and fauna and environmental behavior. Plans to launch the program in Qatar before the end of 2013 are being finalized.
Beati Watani complements the efforts both parties undertook to implement the three year Coral Project in which the corals of the south east Arabian Gulf were mapped and monitored to assess their condition and potential for recovery. The Coral Project was a highly successful collaboration which also involved the Qatar Ministry of Environment, the Environmental Agency, Abu Dhabi and the National Coral Reef Institute.
Commenting on the award win, Mr Albuainain said: “This is a proud moment in our short history and a milestone in our commitments to corporate, social responsibility. Since the company’s inception we have followed a simple mantra – ‘no harm to the natural or social environment’. This has driven our commitments and allowed us to develop important relationships with partners like the EWS-WWF. I would like to congratulate all the winners of this year’s awards program and express my thanks and gratitude to the company’s employees whose day-to-day drive and commitment has made this award win possible.”
The application and selection process of the awards is rigorous. Using a comprehensive questionnaire that captures more than 50 commitment statements, each applicant must outline and corroborate their commitment to corporate, social responsibility and demonstrate exemplary environmental and economic performance as well as community involvement.
“We made a pledge to embed the principles of sustainability right across our business and use these to monitor our performance every single year. We have made solid progress and have helped contribute to environmental stewardship, societal growth and economic development in both the UAE and Qatar,” added Mr. Albuainain.
Held under the theme ‘Driving Sustainability through Corporate Citizenship’ the 2013 Awards, were organized by the Arabia CSR Network and supported by the United Nations Global Compact and the Global Compact Network for GCC states. They are considered the most prestigious and highly coveted CSR awards in the Arab world.
The 2013 Cycle of the Arabia CSR Awards has been especially competitive, having received the highest number of applications since its inception.