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CASE STUDIES ON CSR & SUSTAINABILITYCONTRIBUTED BY: CENTRE FOR RESPONSIBLEBUSINESS MEMBER COMPANIES - 2018
BY CRB MEMBERS - 2018
BY CRB MEMBERS - 2018BY CRB MEMBERS - 2018
BY CRB MEMBERS - 2018BY CRB MEMBERS - 2018
BY CRB MEMBERS - 2018BY CRB MEMBERS - 2018
BY CRB MEMBERS - 2018BY CRB MEMBERS - 2018
BY CRB MEMBERS - 2018
BY CRB MEMBERS - 2018
Irtiqa - A Case Study by RAK Bank
Unlocking Potential: Training the Workforce
Labour Academy
Labour Wellbeing & Welfare
Empowering People with hearing impairment through Employment
Providing Accessibility to People with Determination
Safety in transportation of LPG products on road
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ABOUT DUBAI CHAMBER
DUBAI CHAMBER CENTRE FOR RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS
Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a private non-profit organisation whose mission is to
represent, support and protect the interests of the business community in Dubai, by creating a favorable
business environment, supporting the development of business, and by promoting Dubai as an international
business hub.
About The Centre for Responsible Business
With extensive experience in promoting Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability
amongst the business community of Dubai, the Dubai Chamber Centre for Responsible Business
(DC CRB) is well positioned to play a leading role in the implementation of CSR and sustainability at
a national and regional level.
This first-of-its-kind centre in the region, the DC CRB has been a key driver in changing attitudes towards,
and practices of, CSR and sustainability.
The Centre works with businesses to achieve the following objectives:
• Promoting CSR, sustainability and good governance at all levels of the Dubai business community by imparting knowledge on these practices and creating tools
• Offering direct advice and feedback by evaluating companies’ CSR performance
• Guiding companies to integrate CSR, sustainability and good governance strategically into their management, operations and processes
• Advancing and promoting CSR standards through Dubai Chamber CSR label
• Conducting CSR research to measure and document responsible business practices in Dubai and the UAE
As part of Dubai Chamber’s Centre for Responsible Business knowledge sharing process, we invited a
sample of the UAE based companies to showcase their recent CSR and sustainability initiatives. The
case studies, written by the invited companies, provide practical examples and insights on motivation,
challenges and implications of a range of CSR and sustainability initiatives carried out by these
companies.
Each case study puts the initiative in context, highlights the motivations behind the initiative, addresses
the challenges faced during the implementation of the project and provides a summary of the social
and/or environmental impact of the initiative.
The set of case studies covers a number of CSR topics including transportation safety, employment of
people of determination, talent management, Emiratization, and labour wellbeing and welfare.
While not all of the learnings from the case studies may be applicable directly to all types of companies,
these lessons provide, at the very least, a useful stimulus for companies of any size to adopt CSR and
sustainability practices.
D U B A I C H A M B E R
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IRTIQA
A CASE STUDY BY RAK BANK
In line with RAKBANK’s Emiratisation commitment, back in 2016 the Bank revealed a two-year
Management Associate Programme, IRTIQA. Through the new programme, fresh Emirati graduates
have experienced an engaging and interactive learning programme that aimed to define and shape
their skills and prepare them for a successful banking career.
The main objective behind IRTIQA is to enrich the careers of Emirati fresh graduates through professional
hands-on experience in the Bank. RAKBANK worked alongside top colleges in the UAE to scout for viable
candidates for IRTIQA. The Programme complements the Bank’s strategy to constantly invest in the career
development and growth of UAE Nationals by increasing their knowledge and skills and preparing them for
future positions where they can play influential roles in the UAE banking industry.
The Bank selected 10 IRTIQA associates to begin with back in 2016, where they went through rigorous training
across several functions at the Bank with a focus on the three main banking departments - Credit, Branches,
and Operations - plus an additional supporting unit. The candidates experienced an accelerated learning
opportunity ranging from operational background activities to the frontend business production.
IRTIQA Management Associates have completed the mandatory in-house trainings, soft skills
programmes and the certification in Banking Operations by Emirates Institute for Banking and
Financial Studies (EIBFS). Throughout the programme, the candidates are rotated across the
departments where a mentor is designated to properly advise and teach the fresh graduate the
true skills and techniques needed for each department.
Post completion of the academic certifications, the IRTIQA Management Associates went through “On
the Job Learning” through the work placement activity. Each individual was rotated across the below
listed departments to gain the experience intended from January to August 2018.
Wholesale banking | Risk Management | Finance | Direct Sales (Auto loan ) | Retail Credit
Operations | Internal Audit | Compliance | Islamic Banking | Business Banking Credit
Information TechnologyUpon successful completion of the rotation plan across various business units an
assessment was conducted to measure and discover which unit the candidate best suited to develop
within critical roles and based on the results permanent roles were assigned. Batch two shall commence
further to the first batch successful completion.
Several issues stemmed from the IRTIQA 2- year programme, these included the following:
• Initially hiring the right candidates with the right qualifications for this two - year intervention was our biggest challenge
• Thereafter, retaining the 10 associates go through the program with the certifications to make them future leaders was a task that had to plan out appropriately
• Failing certain examinations that were set at certain time frames throughout the programme
In order to find the right individuals for the roles, the bank had to work hard with recruitment agencies. It
required candidates who were fresh graduates with the thirst to learn and grow. After multiple interviews
and shortlisting’s, 10 suitable associates were found to take up this challenging but promising role as an
IRTIQA management Associate.
Motivating these young associates to stay with the programme was not an easy task. The bank had
to adopt multiple in-house motivational interventions to boost their morale. The head of Emiratisation
constantly had bi-weekly one to one chats to understand their levels of engagements.
In the month of September 2018, our proud Management Associates graduated from the program. The
6 Associates successfully completed the certifications and placements, giving them knowledge and
experience to take up their new role in the business as middle managers.
They will still be mentored by the head of Emiratization to grow into the role of leaders of RAKBANK.
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UNLOCKING POTENTIAL:TRAINING THE WORKFORCE
A CASE STUDY BY AL NABOODAH GROUP
Founded in 1958 by two brothers, the Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group is among the most
well-respected family company names in the UAE. The management of the Group’s operating divisions
is undertaken by Al Naboodah Group Enterprises (ANGE). Employing over 16,000 people and almost
50 different nationalities, the ANGE core business focus covers civil engineering, building and MEP as
well as a diverse portfolio of global brands in the transportation, travel, electrical, logistics, agriculture,
fit-out and renewable energy arenas.
The construction arm of ANGE, Al Naboodah Construction Group (ANCG), started operations in the UAE
in the 1960s, and today is managed with a wealth of international expertise. Many of the UAE’s roads,
bridges and tunnels have been engineered and built by ANCG, and the group has worked on many of
the UAE’s iconic projects, including Palm Jumeirah, Business Bay, Yas Island, Dubai Water Canal Project
and Expo2020. The company has a strong track record of executing successful projects at major airports
throughout the UAE. Moreover, the building and award-winning MEP divisions have decades of success
in building and fitting out of district cooling plants, airports, hotels, mixed-use buildings, residential
developments, shopping malls, retail centres, healthcare centres and sports facilities.
The company’s mission is to build core strengths in it’s construction and commercial portfolios and
combine this with intelligent diversification to achieve strong, sustainable and profitable growth.
Sustainability and quality customer service run through the veins of everything the company does
to support it’s vision to be an employer and business partner of choice, both in the UAE and further afield.
ANGE’s formal Sustainability Framework is built on three pillars: Responsible Consumption (environmental),
Unlocking Potential (economic) and Working as a Family (social). To create a sustainable future, the company
invests heavily in the workforce, creating opportunities, empowering employees and reinvesting in
their on-the-job training.Under the pillar of ‘Unlocking Potential’ sits the concept of ‘Providing Fair
Opportunities For All’. In line with this concept, Al Naboodah Construction Group (ANCG), the construction
division of ANGE, decided that more opportunities needs to be provided to unskilled blue collar workers.
Typically, these workers have worked on projects for many years assisting those with a skilled trade but they
hadn’t yet had the opportunity to grow within the organisation despite most of them developing many of the
required skills through the support work they delivered on sites. Focusing on three key trades, carpentry,
masonry and steel fixing, we developed programmes through the ANCG Trade School to support these
workers in achieving a trade through an intensive training
programme which has been accredited by City and Guilds.
On successful completion, workers have their designation
changed to that of their newly-acquired trade and also receive
a suitable salary increase. In developing unskilled workers, not
only is the company allowing them to grow within the
organisation, but it also instils in them a sense of enormous
pride and self-achievement whilst supporting their families
back home who benefit from the increase in salary. Accordingly,
ANCG also took the decision to stop hiring skilled operatives
externally and to instead focus on looking at the talent potential
within the organisation.
Khalil Fokir was one such operative who attended the carpentry
training programme. Having joined ANGE in 2007 as an unskilled
operative, over the years Khalil demonstrated his diligence and
commitment to the company and was noticed by his site
foreman, who encouraged him to attend the programme.
Khalil was very moved that the company had the belief in his capabilities and gave him the opportunity
to work as a carpenter. “I am extremely grateful that the company had the trust in me to give me this
opportunity. My teacher and colleagues were very encouraging. I am very happy to have made the
journey from unskilled worker to carpenter, and also my family is proud of me!”
Another was Daya Kushwaha, who joined ANGE in 2015. It was through a noticeboard at the employee
village that he discovered the opportunity to develop a trade, and truly enjoyed the learning experience
whilst earning his steel fixing qualification. “The General Manager of my division congratulated each
one of us when we completed the course. My family are so delighted with my career growth and my
two daughters and son take pride in their father’s hard work and accomplishment.”
ANGE is also developing the skills of more senior blue collar workers with the self-developed
trade-specific training programmes for all site-based front line supervisors. These programmes
focus on behaviours, responsibilities and technical competencies by trade discipline, and include modules
on health, safety & environmental awareness, quality assurance/control, and productivity. The programmes
will further develop highly skilled staff, which in turn will have a positive impact on the company’s
HSE performance while supporting us in delivering projects of the highest standards to clients in a
timely manner.
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However, developing workforce is redundant if the company doesn’t also ensure their safety, which is
why 100% of site workers receive ECITB-accredited safety training from the Trade School as well.
In addition, over the course of late 2016 ANCG became more conscious of the challenges it faced
while communicating with it’s blue collar workers from language, educational and culture perspectives.
With a focus on improving the HSE of the company’s workers and projects, the Visual Impact Theatre
(VIT) was set up to deliver theatre-like productions to workers based on key hazards and risks faced
on the construction sites. The VIT team is made up of six actors who play various roles in the modules
delivered. All these team members have previously worked on construction sites and have a good
awareness of the conditions and hazards faced by attendees at their sites.
Visual Impact Theatre has positively impacted on the leading and lagging KPIs within ANCG with
improved education and awareness around HSE risks and hazards on site, and has also supported a
reduction in the number of accident and incident frequency rates. Very often when projects are facing
a particular issue, VIT is used to develop and deliver modules to positively address the issue, which
has proven to be highly successful.
The initiative has been welcomed by external parties as well, with DEWA using the team to deliver cable
detection workshops with ANCG. The VIT team have also volunteered with Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety
and Health Centre (OSHAD) by delivering modules at their various industry events. Having observed the VIT
productions, EXPO 2020 are currently in discussions with Al Naboodah to replicate this learning initiative on
their projects too.
The company’s leading approach to safety has demonstrated impressive results. It recently achieved a
total of 24 million man-hours with zero Lost Time Incidents across four projects in Dubai. This approach
has also led to us recently being awarded RTA Safety Contractor of the Year 2018, and 1st Place in
Arabia CSR Construction Category, as well as the UAE’s Happiest Workplace by the Ministry of Human
Resources and Emiratisation for two consecutive years, 2017-2018.
A L N A B O O D A HTRAINING THE WORKFORCE
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LABOUR ACADEMY
A CASE STUDY BY ASGC
Company BackgroundASGC is a vertically integrated construction group with more than 17000 employees, out of which
more than 15000 are workers. Over the last three decades ASGC has been grown progressively with a
clear vision for the future. Today, ASGC is a trusted partner in delivering iconic projects, that shape the
country and outline its vision.
Context of the issue- Globally & Locally A research conducted in 2018 by Construction Week found that majority of the regional construction
professionals (71% of the responders) believe that their colleagues struggle to efficiently carry out
their tasks. Similarly, the Chairman and MD of Korn Ferry HR consulting firm, speaking at the Arabian
Business Forum, said that by 2030 the UAE is likely to experience a skilled labour gap worth $50billion.
CEO of ASGC, Bishoy Azmy believes that, as UAE transitions towards a knowledge-based economy,
the construction field is also evolving, so that projects can be carried out smarter and more efficiently
than ever before. He noted that it is ASGC ‘s responsibility to ensure that the workforce of the future
not only has the necessary skills for the employment, but the ability to make a meaningful contribution
to the wider community. It is common, that when labours are hired from their origin country, they don’t
have at all or have very minor experience in the specific trade.
Addressing the emerging workers’ issuesTo address these issues and as integral part of Corporate Retention Strategy, ASGC has launched the
Labour Academy in June 2018.
ASGC Labour Academy is a facility owned by ASGC, fully equipped for all kind of labour, trade & HSE
trainings. The academy is now operating on full capacity conducting 80-100 training sessions weekly,
doubling the figure from 50 training sessions on its opening. The aim of the Labour Academy is to provide
development programs that improve the capabilities and skills of ASGC’s workforce while at the same
time opening doors to career progression. The Labour Academy trains both - new joiners & labours
already working with ASGC. The labour with strong capabilities, those who have been with the
company for a number of years, have the opportunity to upgrade their level and employment
grade. The training modules, developed in line with the company needs, cover theory and hand
on practice.
Examples of the civil training courses: Masons, Steel Fixers, Carpenters (level A+, A, B, C) for civil section.
MEP training courses for Electricians, Plumbers, Pipe fitters, Duct erectors, Insulators.
The following are also included as part of the training sessions:
• Grade evaluation & conformation. (Upgrade, Down grade or pass at current grade)
• HSE induction for all training batches.
• Labour satisfaction surveys for workers
• Counselling sessions for workers.
Future plans:Once the first cycle of training is completed for all tradesmen in the company, we will be scheduling
the extended two weeks training sessions, for the workers who are failing to get the new knowledge
and are low in skills. At the same time, we will be implementing the training modules for Supervisors,
Foremen & Charge Hands, which will include Time Management Training (Programs & Targets), Material
Management, Labour Management, Coordination & Information Management, Quality Control & HSE.
It is also under consideration to bring under one roof of ASGC Labour Academy all third party HSE
trainings, which are compulsory during any project execution. This will ensure unification of standards,
improvement in the quality of trainings and, also, will be efficient budged wise.
Challenges Currently, one of the main challenges is to train 80 to 100 laborers a week, without affecting the
operations cycle at the construction site, as all the ongoing projects are having tight and strict
timelines. After the labour training is done, it is important to also train the foremen and supervisors
on how to efficiently manage freshly trained workforce with the new capabilities. This will ensure
the effective application of the new or improved skills set at the project site.
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Impact of the initiative Few months after training completion, project team monitors the performance and filling in the Training
Feedback Form with the notes and suggestions, if any. The general feedback of the project management
was overall positive rating the trained workers as “improved & well improved”. Since its opening in June
2018, Academy has assessed and trained 2,262 workers in civil & MEP sections with a total of 105,900
training hours conducted.
Takeaways for companies (major learnings for other companies)
ASGC would like to advice to all peer companies to invest the time and resources to improve the skill
set of the labour to address the skill gap and improve you’re the company efficiency.
LABOUR WELLBEING & WELFARE
A CASE STUDY BY ASGC
Company BackgroundASGC is a vertically integrated construction group with more than 17000 employees, out of which
more than 15000 are workers. Over the last three decades ASGC has been grown progressively with a
clear vision for the future. Today, they are a trusted partner in delivering iconic projects, that shape the
country and outline its vision.
ASGC recognizes the importance of its employees’ wellbeing and welfare and has developed a strategy
that incorporates a range of initiatives and policies to support it.
Context of the issue - Globally & Locally The construction industry plays a significant role in the economy, and the activities of the industry are
also essential to the achievement of national socio-economic development goals of providing housing,
infrastructure and employment.
The ever growing demand on construction projects puts pressure on productivity, profitability, and perfor-
mance resulting in challenges associated with construction workers’ welfare and wellbeing. It is important
to create the right environment to improve employee welfare for a happy, productive workforce.
Addressing Employees welfare and wellbeing Over the years ASGC has implemented various initiatives, which focus specifically on welfare and
wellbeing of the workers. As per the company’s experience such initiatives have not only improved the
level of safety and performance, but also increased the level of happiness, team spirit and the feeling
of community belonging amongst the company’s employees.
Recently, ASGC have enhanced their program to include digital transformation and new construction
technologies to improve productivity and labour welfare.
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Some of these programs include:
• Pre-fabrication off-site construction solutions ensures reduced
level of danger and hazards is reduced, increased productivity
of the workers and reduced time for workers to get exposed to
the hot weather conditions. ASGC is currently using pre-fabri-
cated elements in most of its projects such as pre-fabricated
pods. The readymade parts solution is more efficient, particu-
larly in terms of wastage of materials, delivery time, and does
not require labours to work in different shifts during the
accelerated project cycles.
• Secondly, ASGC is using the 4D modeling to simulate the
construction activity and safety plans simulation, sites
have a visual education prevention tool to warn workers
about the hazards before they occur.
• The third initiative, which is currently under the rolling out
and testing phase is RFID tracking. This will help track the
labour on sites for accurate payroll calculations and reduces
the time for daily clock in/out. The system will also allow sites
to monitor labour mobility and prevent incidents before they
happen such as employees being in a closed off area when
high risk activities are underway.
The ASGC Kiosks were deployed to all construction sites,
which provides easy to use touch-screen access to Oracle HR
self-service modules, our Intranet, Yammer social, ASGC email
and secure Internet sites like banking Internet services and
others - all for our colleagues without PC or laptop who are
based at sites. It is also being utilized for computer based
training, security awareness sessions etc. Labours can get
their pay slip, send email, access the HRMS to apply for vacation,
etc. through these kiosks. In addition to the above initiatives, every
year the company introduces various initiatives to enhance
the workers’ welfare and wellbeing.
Following are some of the examples:
Workers recognition in various categories such as Best
Employee of the month, Best HSE performance, Long
Term Employee Award, Zero Absent Days Workers, Best
Hygienic Room,
Entertainment Programs such as Diwali Festival, Labour
Cricket games, Site Labour Warm Ups, Free Eye Test, Iftar
Dinners, Sports Festivals, etc.
Supporting public programs to enhance the feeling of community development such as Environmental
Day, Happiness Day, Clean Up Campaign, Dubai 30x30 sports challenge with Dubai Municipality, etc.
Establishment of the Labour Training Academy was another milestone towards improvement of employees’
training & development, upskilling the knowledge, as well as provision of wider opportunities for career
progression.
To ensure compliance with the UAE governmental law, as well as international standards, ASGC
have upgraded the labour accommodations and added multiple welfare areas such as gym, cricket
& tennis courts, etc. The inspection conducted by Expo2020, provided a full accreditation of ASGC
labour accommodations and facilities with such international standards.
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EMPOWERING PEOPLE WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT THROUGH
EMPLOYMENT - A CASE STUDY BY APPAREL GROUP
ContextAccording to World Bank, one billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, experience some form
of disability.1 Employment means better financial independence for people with disabilities. It is also an
opportunity for them to use their skills, and participate more actively in social life and economic growth
of the country. But people with disability still find it difficult to get work in the job market.
In developing countries, 80% to 90% of people with disabilities of working age are unemployed,
whereas in industrialized countries the figure is between 50% and 2 70%. A study published in the
New York Times in 2015 acknowledged that employers were 34 percent less likely to hire an experienced
job candidate with a disability. People with disabilities are as capable of doing work as anyone else. They
are innovative, adaptive, optimistic and consistent in their approach towards work. Plus, they add to the
diverse pool of employees.
People with hearing impairment often face discrimination in hiring practices, employers’ misapprehensions,
and barriers to job progression. Over 5% of the world’s population - or 466 million people - has disabling
hearing loss (432 million adults and 34 million children)3. The majority of these people live in low- and
middle-income countries, where the access to healthcare and quality of health organizations is low.
Providing employment opportunities to them help in improving their standard of life and also make
them live a life of dignity.
It is estimated that 4% of the people in the UAE live with impaired hearing 4. In November 2013 , «My
Community... A City for Everyone» was launched by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council. «My Community... A City
for Everyone» aimed at turning Dubai into a friendly city for people of determinations by the year 2020
through projects and initiatives that promote the participation and inclusion of people of determination in
the community and at workplace. determinations by the year 2020 through projects and initiatives that
promote the participation and inclusion of people of determination in the community and at workplace.
1https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disability2https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/resources/factsheet-on-persons-with-disabilities/disability-and-employment.html3https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/deafness-and-hearing-loss4https://gulfnews.com/going-out/society/4-of-people-in-uae-live-with-impaired-hearing-1.1962756
In alignment with the UAE’s vision, Apparel Group with its firm belief in diversity and inclusion decided
to hire people with disabilities in 2015. The company had persons with disability in the support functions
and this time, the company wanted to take them on board for the stores. It identified Tim Hortons coffee
shop to start with as the Brand Principals were also socially inclined and it was easy to convince them.
“High point of our endeavors in recruiting people with hearing impairment persons is that the company
did not hire them for back-end operations, but placed them right in front, in a customer-facing function,
where they interact directly with customers, taking orders and interfaced non-verbally,” said one of the
special needs trainers.
The idea was to profoundly change how people with hearing impairment individuals are integrated at
workplace and replicate the success with all other brands and stores as well that the company has.
Empowering people with hearing impairmentThe main objective behind having people with special needs in the company was to add to the diversity
and inclusion in the world of work which comes with a belief that they are a pool of talent and valuable
resource. Also, they have well-honed problem solving skills with great degree of adaptability. It
also improves morale and employee engagement for regular employees. Thus, overall, it improves
productivity and boosts profitability.
For the pilot project, the company wanted to understand the challenges that comes across at the store
level, address these and work on a sustainable and effective integration plan. For this, the team felt that
it would not require a larger investment in terms of specialized manpower and on-job care facilities for
employees. With people with hearing impairment, the only change required would be converting existing
training material into sign language and training regular employees as well in sign language, which is a
more cost-effective and sustainable solution and made an attractive proposition for the food and
beverages (F&B) staff involved.
Pre-recruitment processTim Hortons UAE team was inspired by best employment practices of F&B retailers in other countries,
which included people of determination running retail outlets. This, in line with the Apparel Group CSR
strategy to educate, enable and engage, encouraged the team to pilot a project where the company
trained people of determination in skills required to run an F&B outlet and engage them in meaningful and
long-term employment. Once the management gave approval for hiring people with hearing impairment,
the team started identifying different charitable organisations including community development authority
to select potential candidates.
5 http://mycommunitydubai.com/
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Resumes were invited and candidates were screened and priority was given to those who needed the
job most. For various reasons, it was quite challenging to get the right candidates from within UAE
and hence charitable organisations or training institutes for people with hearing impairment from other
countries were also contacted, some candidates were interviewed over skype but nothing materialized
as the candidates or their parents were quire apprehensive in taking a job in a country other than their
own. It was then that the team got the reference of an organization from Philippines - Mercan Canada
Employment, a licensed land-based recruitment company, from Tim Hortons Canada. More than 50
candidates were screened and interviewed.
Recruitment process The first batch of nine people with hearing impairment employees recruited in 2015 came from Philippines.
Interviews were conducted with the help of a trainer and translator who also knew sign language. The main
points on the basis of which the candidates were selected are level of commitment towards doing job, level
of motivation and availability. The trainer from the same institute for a period of 1 year was also taken on
board as an employee to provide support to the people with hearing impairment candidates and make them
feel at home even if they come to another country. Later there were 3 candidates recruited from India and
Nepal with similar disability. Among these three was also a special trainer , who was not people with hearing
impairment, with expertise in training people with hearing impairment in the sign language, and specialized
in food and beverages industry from India was also hired at the same time.
Below is the breakup of the current 13 (2018) staffs with their current locations.
Nationality Ratio of current staff:
• Filipinos - 9 staff
• Indian - 3 staff
• Nepal - 1 staff
Tim Hortons JTCTim Hortons
Meadows In Pipeline
7 6 1
CompensationWith the spirit of true integration, the company employee with special needs earn the same salary as
regular employees. This ensures that there is no discrimination among employees working in stores.
These employees are covered by medical insurance and enjoy the same rights and benefits such as
overtime, annual leave, maternity leave, incentives, staff meal allowance of AED 20 per shift and apparel
discount of 25-40% across Apparel Group brands.
On boarding formalities As noted above, for the first batch of employees, the company hired a trainer from their home country for
a period of 1 year. The trainer remained with the people with hearing impairment employees during the
entire tenure, helping them with various issues including their hotel stay. A special one week paid holiday
was provided to the newly recruited team to explore Dubai as a city, get accustomed to the place, people
and surroundings. The company HR helped them in finding their accommodations in area close to their
place of work and also facilitated them in their day-to-day travel, food etc. They had trips to the malls to
get them used to the local culture and F&B retail industry. They were always accompanied by their trainer
and human resource personnel. Their visa, medicals, Emirates id and occupational health card were also
arranged on a priority basis.
Preparing the existing staff towards PWD co-workers The Pilipino store manager sat in on some of the training and had sessions with the trainer to understand
extent of the disabilities of each staff. This gave her an in-depth knowledge of her colleagues, but the
actual execution wasn’t easy. The store manager had to put in extra effort to build the confidence of the
team, help the people with hearing impairment staff with their work, while also ensuring smooth sale at
the store. The perseverance of the staff and their attention to detail motivated her to continue and she
even picked up sign language from her team. The enthusiasm of the hearing impaired staff members
created a positive environment that the existing staff started feeling comfortable with them and worked
as one united team. Training was conducted on all the stations including cleaning, awareness of the new
product and items, and all the stations, namely Baking, Beverage, soup and sandwich, point of sale and
checklist. After 10 months, they worked without any assistance and hesitation. For the new recruits with
hearing impairment, the training time has come down from 10 months to 5 months, as they learn faster at
stores with existing employees with hearing impairment.
During training period, for the business in general, the learning curve was significant. A whole learning and
development team was involved from creating a new menu to training guides and materials. For example,
the entire menu had to be converted using the same terminology and making sure all team members speak
the same language, making sure it reflects the brand identity, values and guidelines. In this case, not only the
people with hearing impairment needed training but also the rest of the staff to know sign language and how
to interact using sign language with their new colleagues. The two cashiers, who worked with the special
needs co-workers, have also received basic sign language training to communicate with their colleagues.
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Training evaluation (Training Team)
After 10 months, the special trainer, store manager and shift in charge conducted the evaluation. There was
a refresher training i.e. one-on-one session, where they had practical tests such as making a new drink,
knowledge on new product launch etc. The people with hearing impairment employees perform the same
task as regular employees. They undergo the same assessments and certifications like regular employees.
One of them was certified as an In-Store Trainer and was given the responsibility to train and monitor the
new staff and to develop their skills in making coffee. The sign language training helped them to build a
strong connect with each other. The company also routinely organise small employee engagements in the
store to celebrate birthdays and festivals. Currently the new recruits are groomed and trained in a span of 5
months in all the stations, just 2 months more than it takes to train the regular staff.
Performing routine tasks
Initially, their lack of confidence in approaching customers was a challenge. For the first two months,
any complaints were resolved with the intervention of the trainer. There were times where customers
felt they weren’t served well, or they were served with wrong orders. Initially, due to slower delivery
time, customers used to get frustrated at the payment counter. Each day, each time these employees
had different experiences but with the support of their store manager and trainer, they resolved these
issues and grew more confident. Once the store manager explained that the customers are served by
a person with hearing impairment, the customers usually became more understanding and empathetic.
It is worth noting that several loyal customers started visiting stores and ordering in sign language.
Customer testimonials
The company is very pleased with the thought that that earlier discerning consumers are now so appreciative
of this sensitivity and encourage special needs crew members in their endeavor. Overall customers are happy
to be served by employees with determination, who try harder to please customers. The customers say the
experience of interfacing with differently-abled employees has instilled respect for such people in them,
made them more humane, and taught them to be patient and understanding towards everyone.
Some of the testimonies include:
“I visit Dubai a few times per year and almost always come to this store (#704786). The staff are
always very friendly. During my last visit, I had some time so I talked to all 3 order takers (Asif, Arriel
and Lourdes). As always they were all very pleasant despite working long hours. They informed me
that at this particular location, most of the employees were hearing and speech impaired. I was very
moved by this. All the employees came out and greeted me with sign language.
This was a very memorable visit since my 2 older kids were with me. I would like to thank Tim Hortons
and pledge my full support for this humble initiative. And I would also like to express my gratitude to
Asif, Arriel and Lourdes for their dedication and loyalty to their employer. If possible, please pass on this
not to them as well. Thank you. Abbas Bandali Austin”
Even though Tim Horton’s Jumeirah branch is out of my way, I make sure that I pass by at least once a
month just because of its staff. I don’t know much about sign language but love to communicate with the
staff of people with determination at that branch. Once I witnessed a client fluently communicating with
a staff using sign & made me kind of jealous wanting to learn more. My humble advice would be to put a
sign on the door mentioning ‘People with determination friendly’ or so. Another thing that may help your
clients is if you have a poster with the basic sign language so clients could learn to communicate better.”
Sara Ahmad Baker, Community Service Unit Head, Dubai Autism Centre
“I was pleasantly amazed to see that the lady at the cash counter who took my order starting signing
to the barista in American sign language to prepare my cup of coffee. I could not stop but ask if I could
communicate with him directly as I have been learning ASL too! She said yes, and when I started asking
him his name and how he is he was thrilled to know that I SIGN!!!! He thought I was a PWD and had a
hearing impairment, but when I told him I am hearing and have learnt the language he was so ecstatic.
When handing over my coffee he signed “Thank you” and said that he would love to see me again. The
smile on his face and the warm service he extended makes me go back to the branch and I ensure that I
get my coffee from Tim Horton’s only!
As a customer I love the way Tim Horton’s is supporting the employment of PWD and it makes me
proud as a customer that my favourite café cares for the community and promotes inclusion in every
way. This is a great initiative and I suggest each of your locations should have at least one PWD staff
(hearing impaired, Down syndrome, dyslexic etc.) to serve customers like me who believe in empowering
PWD and promoting social and financial inclusion in our community.”
Sara Fatima Ahmed
“I have always preferred Timmies over Starbucks but today actually blew my mind. Went to this branch
tonight with my family and to my surprise while I was asking for a takeout bag one of the employees
started to use sign language. As a person who has several deaf friends here I feel happy that they can
have a chance to use their own language to communicate for themselves. I have never seen any deaf
employees in Dubai in my 21 years here but this was simply amazing. It shows how diverse Tim Hortons really
is and how well they actually look after their many customers. I haven’t written a review on any restaurants here
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on Zomato but I was too excited not to write this one. Thank you very much Tim Hortons Jumeirah! We salute
Tim Hortons because they hired special staff. They feel now that they are normal because they given them a
chance to work, preferably in Dubai. And also the other staff they are very friendly. More power!
Career development for people with hearing impairment employees
As the team of people with hearing impairment employees are contributing towards enhanced brand image
and overall growth of the business, the company is also focuses on the continued learning and development
of these employees and their career progression. One of the team member who was recruited as a crew
member was promoted as a master trainer for special needs employees. Likewise, there is a plan in place
for every one of people with hearing impairment employees as is stated in the below figure.
Impact on the communityFor years, the UAE government has promoted inclusion at work and in schools. Families are offered
support with better healthcare facilities. Tim Hortons didn’t shy away and got close to the initiative and
believed that a whole team of people with hearing impairment can run the Jumeirah Centre store by itself.
The case study shows that people of determination have the same strengths, talents, weaknesses, needs
and aspirations as others. Besides the economic benefits of investing in people with determination, a
major impact of the initiative is that these employees are economically independent, living a life of dignity.
They are recognized for their special abilities at workplace.
They are making an important contribution in removing the stigma and myth attached to the differently
abled people at workplace. They are ambassadors of people with disability and raising awareness among
the masses through their service that persons with disability can also work like any other is facilitated in the
right way.
Hiring such employees provided a kind of education to co-workers and customers alike and benefited
the community by strengthening the belief that persons with disability are as good a workplace and
excel as any other. Employees with special needs work the same hours and are paid the same as other
Tim Hortons employees, they do the same tasks like any other crew.
Impact on businessThe compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is a useful measure of growth of the company’s performance
after hiring differently abled candidates.
The challenges faced There were many challenges that the team faced. The availability of the potential people with hearing
impairment candidates itself was quite a lengthy process as the idea was to hire locally. However, the
only one candidate that got hired and for some reasons he could not join. Hiring from outside proved
out to be costly and with few more layers of process and took little longer to finally have people with
hearing impairment team on board. The training process for special needs employees was definitely
longer. Employees normally receive about 21 days to one month of training in the UAE, but employees
with special needs were given 10 months of training to reach a certain level of service standards. A
dedicated HR person and trainer were exclusively appointed to take care of all their needs.
Once the team became functional and was managing the stores on their own, there were initial hindrances
in providing quality and timely service to customers. The intervention of the regular employee as a store
manager was quite often which eventually stop as the team became more independent in providing quality
and timely service to customers.
The existing challenge is the lack of awareness among new customers that the store is exclusively
managed by people with hearing impairment . The management has already started working on the
same and has already put up signboards in the store. The creatives show how to sign to order coffee
or how to say hello, the basic signs to increase engagement and interaction between the staff and the
customers. Customers were really interested and happy to communicate with the crew and even ask
for more sign out of curiosity.
2015 2016 2017
CAGR
6.21%
6.72%
7.41%
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Major learningsThe company’s major learning is that “Be patient with special needs people and they will show that
they are truly special and in fact much more special than any other”, said the trainer.
In 2015, the first batch of hire included 10 people, the team has now 7 working at the Jumeirah branch
and six working at the Meadows outlet. The company as well as non-disable employees learned and
overcame the myths and misconceptions of hiring people with disabilities.
The company now has more inclusive workplace, one where the human rights principles of fairness, respect,
equality, dignity and autonomy are promoted and are part of the organization’s everyday practice. The major
learning is that a careful planning and active participation in recruitment practices are generally crucial
in developing a diverse and yet inclusive culture. Several other learnings in the process were:
• Working with professional is crucial: knowledgeable person who knows sign language to educate
the entire business and teams
• Dedicated person as moderator: from taking the team out every week and making them feel like
at home to facilitating all the procedures, having a point of contact who can understand them was
key to the success of the team
• Speak clearly: Most people can understand and count on watching people’s lips as they speak to
help them understand
• Empowering the crew: placing them right in a customer-facing function, where they interact directly
with customers and take orders
• Making the changes visible to customers: proper signage to inform customers that they may be
served by hearing impairment employees
• There is a plan that more support and tools will be launched across all UAE stores such as a braille
menu. This initiative will give people with low vision the ability to read the menu and order inde-
pendently
About Apparel GroupApparel Group is a global fashion and lifestyle retail conglomerate, headquartered in Dubai, United
Arab Emirates. Apparel Group caters to thousands of eager shoppers through its 1,800+ stores and
75+ brands, employing 14,000 multicultural staff across four continents.
Apparel group has carved its strong presence not only in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and
Saudi Arabia but opened thriving gateways to market in India, South Africa, Poland, Singapore, Jordan,
Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Additionally, clear strategies are in place to enter emerging markets
such as Hungary, Pakistan, Egypt and Philippines.
Apparel Group Operates Brands from around the world, originating from USA, Canada, Europe, Australia,
Asia and include leading names in Fashion, Footwear & Lifestyle such as Tommy Hilfiger, Juicy Couture,
Skechers, Nautica, Aldo, Nine West, Aeropostale to name a few and other key brands include Cold Stone
Creamery, Inglot, Rituals etc. Among other brands, Coffee shop, Tim Hortons is one of the franchisors of
the Apparel Group in the restaurant business.
About Tim Hortons InternationalTim Hortons was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, by Canadian National League Hockey legend
Tim Horton and Jim Charade. In 1967, Horton partnered with Ron Joyce, who assumed control over
operations after Horton died in 1974. Joyce expanded the chain into a multimillion-dollar franchise.
Today, Tim Hortons has grown to become one of Canada’s most beloved brands as well as its No.1
quick service restaurant and the third largest coffee chain in the world. Tim Hortons now has a total of
over 4,800 restaurants, including over 3,800 restaurants in Canada, over 680 in the United States, over
120 in GCC and over 60 internationally (UK, Spain, Mexico and Philippines).
The brand is famous for its fresh coffee and its freshly prepared food. At Tim’s you can grab your daily
morning coffee on the go, take a break over delicious baked goods, or enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner.
It is the place where regardless the mood or time of the day, Canadians feel warmly welcomed to relax,
reconnect and make themselves at home. Furthermore, Tim Hortons has become an indelible part of
the Canadian culture due to the meaningful impact it has on the communities it serves, from giving free
coffee to residents when there is a blizzard, or surprising Canadians with a Christmas store or building
up children through the Tim Hortons foundation - Tim Hortons makes its way to the hearts of Canadians.
Tim Hortons is owned by RBI (Restaurant Brands International Inc.), one of the world’s largest quick service
restaurants companies with more than $27 billion in system-wide sales and over 23,000 restaurants in more
than 100 countries and U.S territories. RBI owns three of the world’s most prominent and iconic quick
service restaurant brands - Tim Hortons, Burger King, and Popeye’s. These independently operated
brands have been serving their respective guests, franchisees and communities over 40 years.
About Tim Hortons GCC
As part of the global expansion plan, Tim Hortons opened its first Café & Baked Shop in Dubai in September
2011, marking the first international step for this loved Canadian brand. The concept found immediate
success, quickly expanding its network across the GCC. In the GCC, Tim Hortons is proud to
partner operating through a master franchise agreement with The Apparel Group, a leading F&B
player, head-quartered in Jebel Ali, Dubai.
Today, Tim Hortons™ operates 129 restaurants, of which 74 are located in the UAE, 38 in KSA, 10 in
Qatar, four in Oman, two in Kuwait and one in Bahrain.
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PROVIDING ACCESSIBILITY TO PEOPLE WITH DETERMINATION
A CASE STUDY BY EMIRATES NBD
Step by step, we are working to transform our entire institution into one that caters to the needs of people
with disabilities in the UAE and furthers their financial inclusion and independence. […] We are happy to provide
a superior and inclusive customer experience.
- Husam Al Sayed, Group Chief Human Resource Officer at Emirates NBD
Our Journey Towards Accessibility for People with Determination (PWD)
Approximately four years ago, Emirates NBD made the conscious decision to take part in sustainable social
investments that were both unique and desired within the region. In order to do so, it was imperative for the
Bank to identify exactly what the region lacked in terms of sustainable social investments. Not only was it
vital to identify what was missing in the region, but it was also important to invest in an endeavor that aligned
with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) as well as the United Arab Emirates
leadership vision.
After extensive research, Emirates NBD made the decision to invest in the advocacy for people with
disabilities in addition to financial literacy. Both projected perfectly align with the UN Sustainable Development
Goal’s as well as the leadership vision of the nation, while serving the best interest of the Bank. This journey is
what led to the creation of #TogetherLimitless and #moneywise.
Customer Service Workshops In May of 2016, Emirates NBD conducted a study on the banking habit of people with disabilities in the UAE in
partnership with Ipsos and Sustainable Square. It concluded that the main concerns of People with Disabilities
(PWDs) was the customer service provided by the Bank. For this reason, Emirates NBD decided to invest in
soft skills training for all frontline branch staff. Through our training, we aim to teach branch frontline staff to
create a comfortable and welcoming environment for people with disabilities. Additionally, we conduct regular
branch-wide workshops to ensure and maintain a high standard of customer service etiquette. Through our
workshops we educate our team on the various types of disabilities as well as how to identify and serve people
with disabilities in a professional manner.
Moreover, we provide American Sign Language (ASL) workshops to our branch colleague to further ensure
that all customers with hearing impairments have the opportunity to communicate with bank staff. Currently
there are over 150 members of staff that are trained in ASL.
The Transformation Process - Determination Friendly BranchesIn addition to training the frontline staff, Emirates NBD felt it was necessary to make infrastructural changes
to better assist and serve PWD customers. Emirates NBD Corporate Responsibility (CR), in collaboration with
internal Procurement Learning and Development (L&D) and Retail Infrastructure, and created implemented the
Disability Friendly Branch (DFB) project. Emirates NBD has successfully transformed 40 branches into DFB’s.
The transformation of branches is a three-step process, which focuses on the accessibility features necessary
to aid in the banking experience of individuals with physical disabilities, mobility related disabilities, hearing
impairment and visual impairment. Each transformation starts with an evaluation of the existing branches in
order see which subdivisions are most visited by PWD’s. Once these subdivisions are identified, audits are
conducted to assess the branches’ degree of accessibility, after which a unique action plan is developed. In
the past, such audits were conducted by an external partner, however, we are proud to say that we are now
fully equipped with the skills and resources necessary to conduct such audits internally.
The Bank then worked internally with Procurement, Marketing and Retail distribution to create
three phases of development:
Phase 1: Focuses on the accessibility features mainly for people with physical disabilities.
The various changes introduced were:
• Dedicated parking slot for PWD
• Ramps with handrails to access the branch
• Disability friendly doors
• Low height ATM’s and cheque counters
• Disability signage within the branch with Braille
• Dedicated waiting areas for PWD
• Priority queueing for PWD
• Staff training on disability etiquette
• Beyond package offering for PWD
• Floor indicators for people with visual impairment
Phase 2: Focuses on the basic accessibility features for people with visual and hearing impairment.
The various changes introduced were:
• Introduce Braille currency notes in Disability Friendly Branches
• Pilot sign language translation devices for servicing people with hearing impairment
• Incorporate low height teller counters in all new branch designs
• Have a personalized queuing card issued to all PWD
• Have a dedicated banking package offered to PWD
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Phase 3: Focuses on the enhanced accessibility features for people with visual and hearing impairment.
The various changes introduced were:
• Interactive ATMs and CDMs for people with hearing and visual impairment
• Introduce Braille forms for account opening
• Braille key activation on ATMs and CDMs
• Online banking facilities for people with visual impairment
• PwD customized ATM and credit cards
• Integration of Sanad card with the bank’s queue machines.
Assistive TechnologyEmirates NBD has also invested in a vast verity of assistive technology to better serve our customers
with hearing, speech and visual impairments.
We have invested in the following:
KinTrans: Customers with speech and hearing impairments are now able to communicate with branch
staff using sign language. The KinTrans device automates American Sign Language into text for staff
to read. Staff can reply to customers through this device as well, as their responses can be converted
to text for the customer to read.
Braille printer: Customers with visual impairments are now able to open accounts using documents
printed in English, Arabic and Braille. The Braille printer is available across four of our branches.
Hearing induction loop: Customers who use hearing aids can use this to communicate with tellers,
customer service executives or attend meetings. This device amplifies sound to more than 50% of hearing
abilities. The Hearing Induction Loop also cuts out unwanted background sounds, thus allowing clear
communication.
Traveler HD: Installed in three branches, this new technology will enable our customers with varied
levels of visual impairment as well as our aging customers to be able to read forms, cheques and
documents comfortably and conveniently, by customizing settings to suit their visual capabilities.
All of the above assistive equipment were piloted, and placed in our Disability Friendly Branches.
Identifying CustomersThroughout this process, our teams depended heavily on research; however, our research was inconclusive
in terms of the exact number of customers with disabilities that bank with us. For this reason, our CR team
partnered with GOP and IT to create a method of flagging our customers with disabilities. Identifying our
customers with disabilities will allow us to improve our services and infrastructure according to the needs
of the population.
We understand that our customers prefer a simple and short banking experience, and therefore often avoid
extra paperwork. For this reason, we wanted to find a way to motivate customers to register as PWD. To do
so, we worked with our marketing and product development teams to upgrade our customers with disabilities
to our prestigious Beyond account. Once a customer identifies as a PWD, we upgrade their accounts
free of change.
Moreover, to align with the “My Community” initiative launched by H.H Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, Emirates NBD partnered with the Government of Dubai’s Community Development
Authority to provide privileges to those who are registered as PWD. Once registered, a Sanad Card is issued
free of charge. The Sanad Card offers exclusive privileges with up to 50 percent discounts on select PWD
necessities and services. Furthermore, Sanad Card registration can potentially lead to the development of
PWD database. Such a database will allow policy-makers and business leaders to better understand the
needs of the PWD community, and therefore further develop policy and infrastructure nation-wide.
The Challenges and How We Overcame Them We are cognizant of our achievements in the domain of accessibility and inclusion, however, our
achievements were a result of perseverance as we encountered multiple challenges along the way. The
challenges we faced included issues on both the internal and external levels.
The first challenge we faced was convincing our stakeholders and colleagues to invest in social interests like
the accessibility and inclusion of PWDs. Since concepts like accessibility were fairly new in the UAE, very
little was known about them. For this reason, much of the population, including our team and stakeholders,
was unaware of the need for an accessible and inclusive environment. It was definitely difficult to motivate
our colleagues and stakeholders to join us in developing this project. However, after extensive research and
deep assessment of the global best practices, we were able to collate the information necessary to develop
our teams understanding of accessibility and inclusion. Once accessibility and inclusion were understood
as concepts, perspectives started to change.
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The lack of awareness proved challenging throughout this project as it resulted in little incentive to prioritize
the implementation of PWD services and necessities. It was increasingly difficult to meet deadlines involving
external partners, however, with patience and perseverance, we were able to force people to understand
the potential social repercussions of delaying such a project. Not only do we have a population that requires
us to be more accessible, but we also have national and international guidelines to meet to ensure that all
have equal opportunity and access to our facilities and service. With the Expo 2020 fast approaching, we,
as a nation, need to be prepared for an influx of visitors, including those who may be PWDs. Furthermore,
we must also work towards creating a more accessible and inclusive nation as per the 2020 vision of H.H
Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Future Potential Challenges Though we are optimistic for the future, we do see some potential challenges. Infrastructural changes will
definitely be a challenge as there are locations in Old Dubai which cannot be completely accessible as of
now. Transforming these branches would require extensive amounts of internal and external renovation.
However, with the Expo fast approaching, we are expecting much of the city to transform into a more
accessible city.
Moreover, gathering all other corporations to cooperate with the developments needed to create an
accessible city may also prove difficult. Again we predict that the conversation of accessibility and
inclusion will bloom in the next few years; however, we do understand that corporations have many
priorities in regards to business development. We hope that all business leaders and policy makers
understand the need for a more accessible city and take the required steps towards creating a more
inclusive and accessible city for PWDs.
Conclusion One of our fundamental goals is to be a socially responsible organization. We strive to achieve this
goal through every project we conduct. We are proud to say that Emirates NBD now has 40 Disability
Friendly Branches, as well as over 150 colleagues trained in American Sign Language and frequent
disability etiquette workshops. We continue to work closely with our colleagues and partners to further
develop our strategy, and continue to spread awareness through campaigns.
TOWARDS A SOCIAL INVESTMENT APPROACH
A CASE STUDY BY MANZIL
This case study serves as an examination of the transition of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the
UAE from a philanthropic model to a social investment approach. Scholars view philanthropy as an idea,
event, or action that is done to better humanity in a one-way transfer of resources from a business to the
community (Carroll, 1998; Crane & Spence, 2013; Visser, et al 2017). It usually involves donating money
to a charity, volunteering, or fundraising activities. Others view it differently. For instance, Emirates NBD
Sustainability Report (2017) views social investment as a long-term effort around sustainability focusing on
investing in people. Investing repayable and recyclable capital into tackling social problems is empowering,
efficient and necessary. CSR is one factor that is markedly and essentially crucial in the creation of social
shared value.
To illustrate the CSR transition in the Middle East, a case study of Manzil, a non-profit institute for the
education and advancement of people with disability located in the United Arab Emirates will be the
reference point in this Chapter. Generally, this will illustrate the changes and growth in CSR initiatives
in the UAE and how this has impacted the evolution and ultimate growth in Manzil as an institution.
Challenges faced in the institutionalization of CSR mandates in the UAE will be discussed and best
practices that promote a sustainable CSR effort in the UAE will be highlighted. The concept of corporate
citizenship will also be explored.
Manzil and CSR Manzil was formed in 2005, evolving from a non-profit support group called Special Families Support
[SFS], which was founded in December 1999 by the author of the Chapter. The organization’s mission is
to actively promote inclusion by providing a professional learning environment for persons with disability
to nurture their potential and develop the requisite self-help, social, educational and vocational skills that
are required to function in society.
Amongst all stakeholders, community organization’s growing role and importance in today’s CSR
cannot be gainsaid. In the past decade, Manzil has evolved from translating social inclusion awareness
and action with a participatory CC development model. Manzil slowly transformed from a recipient
of the traditional charity-based activities to engaging with corporates to have the highest impact and
manifest the true meaning of CSR.
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The case study evaluates the transition of CSR methods and legislation landscape in the UAE using Manzil’s
experience. Manzil is a beneficiary of CSR programs through a partnership with over 100 corporates and
constantly reviews its own CC engagements. The most apparent aspect of this dimension is the inclusion
of government and private sector, community organizations and the public in to the community programs
that are meaningful and sustainable.
Manzil’s extensive operational experience with CSR practitioners has ascertained that unifying the
diverse CSR initiatives under a shared value framework does not reflect the reality of CC practice for
most of the businesses in the UAE. As a corporate citizenship advocate, Manzil creates social value
in countless ways, from establishing innovative community involvement partnerships to engaging with
stakeholders to assess CSR initiative opportunities and impact.
Advocacy: Address Neglected Social Problems It is undeniable that even governments in the wealthiest countries cannot effectively address all social
problems [Margolis and Walsh, 2003; Matten and Crane, 2005; Scherer and Palazzo, 2008]. CC is thus
crucial to complement government efforts in the creation of just and parity within societies, Manzil
has supported people with disabilities, referred to people with determination in the UAE, to exercise
their rights and freedom through the provision of individual advocacy, supporting people to advocate
for themselves, and/or influencing long-term systemic changes to ensure that rights and freedom are
attained and upheld. In fact, Manzil originally targeted millennials to rectify the social inclusion
predicament. Manzil realized that the value of shaping young minds would aid the next generation
to take its mission forward. Through their support group for the families of people with disabilities
[SFS] they organized meet ups in public areas with young people volunteering in the fun activities
[outings to movies, malls, park picnics etc].
The support group invested in shaping youth’s perception of disability inclusion. The long-term investment in
millennials changed the perception, created empathy, eradicated fear of inclusion, addressed discrimination
and promoted awareness in society about disability. In fact, some of Manzil’s partners, clients and several
stakeholders today are nurtured from the new generation that was impacted by SFS initiatives. In summary,
strengthening the concept of serving the nation in the younger generations of Emiratis and expatriates (the
ultimate) has already shown results having produced a host of aware managers who have had exposure to
human differences as children.
When Manzil was formed, the UAE legislation was in its infancy with regards to inclusion. Housing a child
with a disability in mainstream school carried a hefty fine. Certainly, it was for the benefit of both parties as
schools were not equipped to implement inclusive education. Employment of people with a disability was
not common as companies claimed to be unequipped or too busy to manage the challenge. Sympathy
preceded empathy and the wellbeing of people with a disability in an independent dignified manner. The
very concept of setting up a center for individuals with disabilities with its focus on inclusion was a very
unique concept at the time in the UAE. Not obtaining logistical support for educational inclusive practices
in those days made Manzil think out of the box and achieve the empowerment of people with disability
goal. Manzil executed the first “reverse inclusion” programme in the UAE with the support of various
contributors. The initiative helped combat stereotypes about people with disabilities and encouraged
students to embrace diversity and respect those who have challenges outside of their experiences.
Manzil has utilized CSR initiative to help alleviate the marginalization of people with a disability in the
education and workspace. Dubai advocacy committee, one which Manzil is a member of, has seen a
notable change in the employment of people with disability. Since 2006 Manzil has implemented an
employment program called PRIDE, which further grew wings after Emirates NBD assigned Manzil to
launch its “#TogetherLimitless Careers Network” program which has placed dozens in the mainstream
economy. Seemingly, this has seen the sustainable empowerment of people with a disability and their
families free of charity. The ENBD and Manzil partnership is a good example of a long-term CSR
commitment to supporting the UAE’s growth and development, in line with the vision of His Highness
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of
Dubai. It also demonstrates how a key aspect of the Manzil sustainability agenda is to align and work
with corporates to bring meaningful change in society.
The Manzil flagship platform through #TogetherLimitless is advocating the rights of people with disabilities.
The program is built on the foundation to assist employers to enhance their ability for workplace inclusion
so that they do not miss out on the best talent, no matter what their (dis)abilities. Careers Network is a CSR
initiative, yet the actual attraction, recruitment, and retention of employees with a disability is a human
resource (HR) facet. Employment of people with disability should not be out of pity instead it should utilize
their abilities to the best. #TogetherLimitless is a unique advocacy platform, supporting the inclusion of
people with disabilities on multiple fronts. This initiative is driven by and aligns with: The United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 10: Reduce Inequality), The UAE Vision 2021 (Social Cohesion Index)
and Dubai’s “My Community…a City for Everyone” initiative. In terms of ‘My Community’, aligned with three
specific goals: Inclusive Education, Equal Employment Opportunities, and Universal Accessibility.
With the progress recorded to date, Careers Network strongly enhances the inclusion of people with
a disability in the UAE’s workforce. Manzil is confident that #TogetherLimitless will continue to grow
and bring positive change for people with disabilities in the UAE, broadly impacting local communities.
Engagement: Enhance Corporates, Non-profits, and the Government Partnerships
Manzil’s operations were initially dependent purely on philanthropy. The approach was not sustainable
for the organization and the projects. Nearly all organizations supporting Manzil started of as donors.
Corporates came to interact with students, plan outings, fundraise, hold parties and donate food. It was
all based on fun, yet the center needed far more to sustain, and nurture dignified independent adults. A
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shift to an interactive CSR partnership approach was therefore logical. The next step the center needed
was skill-based training for the staff, sustained student sponsorships, facility maintenance and creative
inputs on employment creation for its students to complete the Manzil value chain. In this regard, CSR
was the answer which influenced the combination of the organizational mission with the social values,
noting that the parameters were rapidly changing. Stakeholders’ involvement underpins the integration
of CSR as part of the UAE corporate identity. Long-term strategic partnerships are the reason Manzil
flourishes today.
Manzil has over 100 corporate and government partnerships of which a significant number are employers
of people with disability. The partnership approach presents an enriched opportunity to influence
the partnering company’s CSR agenda. Manzil encourages corporations to embrace the values and
appreciate the finer nuances of making sustainable changes to be part of society thus practicing CC.
Manzil has engaged corporate employees in a range of CSR activities including volunteer opportunities,
wellness programs, sustainability efforts, mentoring initiatives and campaigns with an outlet for sharing
their talents. Employment programs that have provided employees with opportunities to develop, challenge
themselves, and form meaningful connections with peers with disabilities working within the company and
in the broader community.
Manzil promotes skill-based volunteering (SBV) opportunities to educate corporations on community
organizational needs. More so, Manzil has tapped from an unlimited pool of corporate volunteers through
CSR while energizing and motivating employees. CSR has improved Manzil staff proficiencies extensively
through volunteer skill-based training. Data capture/ analysis, reporting, monitoring, and evaluation improved
dramatically after a Microsoft Office training from CSR initiative. At the beginning of each academic year,
Manzil conducts a staff team building exercise involving external human resource expertise as it provides
corporate opportunities to use their expertise to fulfill these CSR mandates while making meaningful
contributions to society. The programs strengthen Manzil team bonding by blending talent, skills and
the creativity while encouraging collaboration and teamwork. Furthermore, continuous improvement and
maintenance of quality inclusive facility at Manzil are administered by skill-based volunteers. In addition,
several corporate volunteers have come to Manzil to paint the walls, restructure storerooms, carry out
repairs and tend to the garden and playground.
Skill-Based volunteering does not only help the community/charity organization but also the volunteers. These
employees continue to practice and hone existing skills while learning new ones. Corporate volunteers give
and receive training from community organizations. At Manzil they are exposed to vocational training, teaching
and physical education activities with students easing inclusion sensitive character building. In the last 3 years
(2015-2018), Manzil has engaged with more than 3000 volunteers.
CSR has allowed corporate employees to experience an added level of meaning in their lives by enriching
their jobs with an ethical dimension. Studies show that employee engagement has proved to be the practice
that results in keeping workplace productivity high and turnover rates low. Boston research makes a
direct connection between effective efforts and retaining engaged and productive employees, so it’s no
surprise that engaging employees has emerged as a key performance indicator for CC.
Awareness: CSR as a Value Proposition
The value and support that the private sector brings to the social sector are frequently talked about. However,
the value that community organizations bring to the private sector is often overlooked or underestimated.
Certainly, if issues are not talked about, they remain in the shadows and are not understood. Information is
power, therefore, Manzil raises awareness particularly on inclusion, identifying mission alignment between
development practitioners/ service delivery organizations and CSR partner strategies. Engagement
of corporates around community initiatives has led to a formation of a mutual benefit partnership
providing sustainable projects. Awareness has influenced a change in the perspective of viewing
people with disabilities not as a burden but as a valuable untapped human capital asset pool.
Awareness was the first step Manzil used to break stigma on inclusion and assist community organizations
and corporations to see beyond charity. SFS communicated to families that they had rights and should not
be viewed as recipients of charity. Knowing that they were not alone, their struggles were important, and
their battles were worth fighting for gave the families hope. Manzil encouraged corporations to look outside
the box and see abilities in people with disabilities. The transition therefore from philanthropic, empathetic
and unsustainable initiatives to social value creation agenda started from awareness.
The awareness that Manzil initiated in 2009 as part of wider national program has led to teachers’ capacities
being built through the PRIDE and CSR program with our corporate partner. The UAE Inclusive Education
Strategy enables corporates who want to invest in education to execute their CSR initiatives. Furthermore,
the PRIDE training team does various capacity building workshops for corporations.
Awareness building can be done by direct workshops and media campaigns or through innovative
projects. Manzil conceived and presented a new CSR project opportunity on inclusion to a few stakeholders.
Commitment to support academic literacy attracted HSBC and British Council to implement the book
project under their CSR mandate in partnership with Manzil. The project brought together selected students
with disabilities and their mainstream peers from both the UK and the UAE to jointly create the first ever
international children’s book written and illustrated by children of varied abilities. “Finding the Oasis” is the
first CSR project of its kind which showcases the talent of people with cognitive disabilities and their peers.
This initiative gave the corporations involved to engage their employees to enhance and use their creative
writing and art skills.
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Consultancy Strengthening CC in the private sector is important to Manzil. More importantly, this strategic tool has guided
Manzil’s innovate new strategies to assess, prioritize and refine existing strategies and communication to
internal and external stakeholders. Therefore, evaluations have been the key to determining where we are on
the curve of social versus financial performance and ensuring that we have successfully landed on the right
side of the CSR spectrum. Manzil guides corporates towards the bigger picture of CC longtime commitment
until the outcome is achieved. For instance, Manzil implements a microenterprise [ME] project, an extension of
Manzil vocational education and training. The program develops and enhances students’ interpersonal skills
in design work like jewelry and corporate gift making. With investment from CSR, the program is expanding
to environmental sustainability to produce office paper products and gift items made from recycled paper.
The program completes the Manzil value chain through employment creation and sustaining student fees
sponsorships.
CSR Drawbacks in the Middle EastMeaningful partnerships must be embraced as they are a panacea for development. The knowledge gap
and the complex, deep-rooted, and interconnected nature of the opportunities and risks such partnerships
present, enable partners to go through a learning curve. Several factors like lack of awareness, training,
concern for reputation, diversity, social audit, commitment, and financial constraints challenge the efficient
implementation of sustainable CSR. As seen above in this section, dependency syndrome, cognitive
bias, networking skills and government policies will be discussed.
Community Organizations Dependence on Corporate Contribution
Dependency on corporates donations leaves many community organizations at the mercy of corporate
goodwill, and at the risk of economic or management decision reversals. Manzil learned the hard way
in 2009 when donors pulled out during the economic crisis. Operational difficulties were faced due to
reliance on charity. Hence the center redefined and centered its CRS approach to a social commercial
focus which allowed the organization solving social problems while using business methods. The center’s
strategic plan enabled to identify the organizational operational strength and provide the services in
return for resources needed to sustain. Contracting services to government and corporate entities allows
community organizations to leverage their expertise yet gain financial resources. Applying innovative
approaches to retain the existing sources of organizational funding and to establish newer frontiers was
Manzil’s survival strategy. None the less, some community organization remain entrenched in the philanthropic
model. The perspective to view CSR resource as a tool for development and not ‘charity,’ still ‘lacks’ and is a
major challenge threatening institutionalization of social value-focused CC.
There is no standard, proven method to meet this challenge of finding a way to increase financial security
without sacrificing the mission of the organizations. All organizations are different in terms of their missions,
philosophies, client base, skills, and experience. But increasing financial security is an important part of
planning for all. Becoming completely independent of donors may be a realistic goal for some while
trying to self-generate funds just to cover overhead costs may be more suitable for others. Still, others
may legitimately determine that relying on grants and donations, at least for now, is the best approach.
There is no right answer. It is up to each organization to consider all the funding options available and to
choose the most appropriate mix, just as they must determine which core activities and implementation
strategies are most appropriate for their mission and goal
The Problem of Cognitive Bias
Social affairs discussions tend to be confronted with already made up decisions. No matter how compelling
the reasoning or convincing the evidence, both parties tend to refuse to consider the other side based on
their experience. More specifically, this has affected a participatory development approach. Unfortunately,
mutual mistrust, knowledge and skills gap, and unspoken power dynamics can inhibit social service
organizations from communicating openly with companies they perceive more as funders than as partners,
while preventing corporations from understanding how they might benefit from the non-profit sector
beyond a halo effect.
Inadequate Networking Skills
Community organizations face different challenges in diversifying the key CSR opportunities due to a range
of factors around networking. Poor organizational visibility is a cause for concern. Organizational name,
logo, trademarks and technical skills are useful for initiating viable ventures. Windows of opportunities
usually exist within some corporations that at times, community organizations fail to exploit because
they are unable to communicate effectively about themselves (who they are, what they do, and their
achievements). Also, the ability to expand, adapt to organizational change and adopting new programs
is a challenge for many humanitarian organizations.
Government Policies
The government plays an important role in guiding enterprises to fulfill CSR. Government policy documents
are the footprint of the government in performing its functions, serving as the ‘mirror’ reflecting the ideas
of the government. Regulations, policy, standard setting, and government promotion actions of CC can
significantly affect corporate responsible business activities and strengthen the compliance with
regulations. The UAE government [Ministry of Economy] has issued several policies related to labor
rights, environment protection, health and safety, consumer rights etc., to regulate CSR practices.
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CSR Best Practices: Best practices are essential for designing a CSR program that aligns with company and national development
goals. Five best practices will be discussed in agreement with The Dubai Chamber of Commerce’s
annual (2011) CSR survey of executives. These are alignment with organizational identity, engage top
management, strengthen corporate governance, create partnerships and measure results (Booz &
Company 2013).
Alignment with Organizational Identity
Given that organizational identity focuses on how an organization differs from other organizations,
what constitutes CSR-identity alignment will differ from organization to organization. Emphasis in on
embedding CC into the company’s strategy and operations, highlighting the communication of values
internally and the establishment of performance measures. Boston research advises that the CSR
function must be integrated into the company’s mission. At the very least, a company’s businesses,
functional units, and partners must coordinate and communicate on CSR initiatives. Furthermore, the
commitment to CSR must be translated into specific goals that are embedded in corporate policies
and processes.
CSR-identity alignment also appears to benefit the organization directly from a strategic perspective
by enabling the organization to enact a given CSR initiative with greater effectiveness and speed,
which is likely to foster more strategic attributions of CSR among stakeholders and enhance the
credibility of the organization. In utilizing scarce resources effectively to help people develop their
potential and building self-reliant communities, businesses need to embed CSR practices into their
main operations Embedding CC into the company’s strategy leverage business capabilities. Thus,
to design effective CSR initiatives, executives need to leverage their company’s specific strengths.
If a company’s strengths play to national development needs, it has an obligation as a responsible
corporate citizen to contribute to achieving these goals through CSR initiatives.
Engage top Management
The Dubai Chamber of Commerce’s annual (2011) CSR survey of executives denotes that for CSR initiatives
to succeed, senior management must be visibly engaged and active in steering the company’s CSR strategy
both internally and externally. Boston college annotates that to gain the support of senior leaders and create
the most impactful programs, corporations need to connect CC to their business strategy. When CSR is
aligned with the strategy of the organization, it is also more likely to be an important issue on the agenda
of top management. This ensures that CSR is integrated into the roles of the top management team, and
potentially through the organization’s performance appraisal, measurement, and compensation practices.
Strengthen Corporate Governance
Corporate governance denotes the quality of the institutional order within a company. Good corporate
governance is a precondition needed to implement CC within the company. Companies can only live
CC and sustainability if management and employees support and sustain this process. Good corporate
governance enhances transparency around business decision making and makes internal and external
CSR initiatives much more effective. First, transparency encourages a candid discussion of CSR issues
with all stakeholders. Second, transparency requires the company to create clear guidelines for how
the business will respond to CSR issues.
Create Partnerships
Effective communication, consultation and collaboration with external stakeholders is one of the keys
to successful CC. Companies should tap into the credibility and expertise of civil society organizations,
public-private partnerships, and social business ventures. Partnering with social development institutions
and the public to create a meaningful impact on the wider community. Besides the traditional philanthropy
collaboration (one-way transfer of resources from a business to the community organization) a range of
partnerships can be forged depending on the extent of the collaboration. Reciprocal exchange partnership
is a relationship between a business and a community organization based on an exchange of resources
for a specific activity. Whereas independent value creation partnership implies that both partners have
individual goals but work together to generate desired value. Finally, in strategic partnerships partners
work together purposefully on a common problem which they would both like to see resolved. This is
the most dependent relationship between the partners, and value will only be created through a mutually
dependent exchange of ideas, resources, and efforts.
Measure Results
One CSR best practice virtually absent from UAE companies is measuring the results and impact of CSR
initiatives. The tradition often is to measure “inputs,” such as the money and employee hours spent, but
not outcomes. Companies need to begin measuring the results of CSR initiatives, so they can assess and
refine their approach. The contribution and difference made by initiatives must be measured. Introducing
policies and responsibilities is not proof of corporate citizenship performance. The incorporation of social
values in the capital market, through the socially responsible investments (SRI), is particularly significant.
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ConclusionCSR is a critical developmental component globally and is an important driver to forge sustainable
CC. Transition growth of CSR in the UAE is still evolving from corporate philanthropy to more resilient
self-sufficient society initiatives. The efforts to continuously improve on CSR commitment and culture
lie on the government, private sector, community organizations and the public. The case study discussion
has unveiled CSR opportunities, drawbacks and given recommendations for both corporates and community
organizations engaged in CSR. Though CSR is presented as a financial sustainability and funding diversification
model for community projects, the gains go far beyond financial advantages to empowerment through
information and knowledge transfer.
ReferencesBoston College Centre for Corporate Citizenship (20017). “The State of Corporate Citizenship”
Commonwealth. Accessed from https://ccc.bc.edu/
Booz & Company (2013). The rise of corporate social responsibility. A tool for sustainable development
in the Middle East. Strategy&
GULF NEWS (2018), UAE to set up corporate social responsibility fund Move aims to set regulatory
framework, define roles and responsibilities of authorities Published: 21:20 February 5, 2018, WAM CSR
to be compulsory for UAE companies
United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Building Linkages for Competitive and Responsible
Entrepreneurship (UNIDO, 2007).
YouGov (2015) The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on UAE Residents Politics & current affairs
SAFETY IN TRANSPORTATION OF LPG PRODUCTS ON ROAD
A CASE STUDY BY EMIRATES GAS
EMGAS was the first LPG bottling company in the region with operations established near the Maktoum
Bridge catering to UAE and Oman in 1974. EMGAS is fully owned by Emirates National Oil Company
(ENOC), a Government of Dubai company. Emirates Gas is the leading supplier of LP Gases in the UAE.
Established for over 40 years and a preferred choice of customers, EMGAS with a large fleet of modern
tankers has catered to the rapid industrialization of Dubai and ensured speedy and reliable gas service
to consumers. Apart from LP Gas, EMGAS has diversified to supply Propane and Aerosol Propellants for
various specialized requirements and applications.
Issue identification and solution implemented:
LPG in bulk and cylinders are transported in 49 vehicles and annually travel approx. 3.6 million Kms. Any
incident on road is potentially very hazardous because of the explosive nature of LPG. EMGAS wanted
to minimise / eliminate road incidents involving LPG trucks due to causes by EMGAS drivers and truck
condition. Also availability of LPG trucks is key to ensure timely deliveries and long outage of LPG trucks
is to be prevented.
The following road transport safety management system elements were identified and focussed for
performance improvement.
• Driver recruitment and deployment
• Driver Trainings
• Driver working hours and fatigue management
• Truck Standards and preventive maintenance practices
• Journey management planning
• Driver awards and recognition programs
• Transport safety KPI’s.
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EMGAS has changed its policy on deployment of contract trucks / drivers and mandated to use only
company trucks and drivers for all LPG transportation – Bulk and Cylinders. The quality of drivers has
been improved to a large extent by following a rigorous recruitment standard which helped in having
skilled and trained drivers on EMGAS rolls. The process includes:
• Driving Test
• Interview
• Pre-Employment Medical
The drivers were then inducted into the EMGAS setup by:
• Hazardous Material Transportation training done by competent outsourced agencies like Belhasa etc
• Having EHS induction training - on safe driving practices such as NO USGAE OF MOBILE WHILE DRIVING POLICY etc
• Training on internationally reputed Smith Defensive Driving system
• On the Job training where a new driver is groomed under a senior and experienced driver
• Duty rotation of drivers is ensured to manage driver fatigue
• Trucks are maintained by following stringent preventive maintenance schedules
• The performance of the drivers is monitored by online truck monitoring system and Safe drivers are awarded every quarter based on set safety criteria
Transportation safety is a key commitment of EMGAS to society in view of the potentially catastrophic
consequences in the event of an LPG truck involved in a road accident. EMGAS has ensured deployment
of trucks with best in class safety accessories and systematic maintenance practices. EMGAS has
standardised on deploying trucks with international safety standards.EMGAS trains officers of civil
defence and Police in handling road emergencies involving bulk LPG trucks. This is to ensure that
LPG experts of EMGAS and Civil Defence personnel work collaboratively in the event of road incident
involving LPG trucks in the interest of public safety. Very few number of incidents on the road and at
customer locations in Dubai are an indication that the above safety initiatives and programs of EMGAS
have paid off very well.
Challenges
• Driver Recruitment - Earlier it posed problems because of non-availability of LPG trained drivers which
has been overcome by enhancing the pay compensation and benefits. EMGAS ‘s compensation and
benefits to the Drivers has been one of the highest in the region. The working conditions of the drivers
have been improved with ergonomically structured seats and cabin for summer / long haul driving.
• Driver Training - It has been mandated that the drivers will have to undergo the following trainings
before they are inducted into EMGAS:
• Hazardous Material Transportation training done by competent outsourced agencies like M/s. Belhasa etc
• Training on internationally reputed Smith Defensive Driving system
• EHS Induction and regular driver briefings by the Plant Managers / Shift Supervisors
• Driver Health Screening- Drivers recruited by EMGAS are mandated to undergo pre-employment
medical health screening to identify any pre-existing medical conditions. Drivers also undergo periodic
health checks to ensure their medical fitness.
• Journey Management - Drivers trips are planned in advance considering road ban hours in each
emirate, driver working hours etc. Journey planning comprises of the following:
• Fixing the right route for easy and safe driving and drivers shall not change the chosen route
• Route risk assessment
• Delivery site conditions and specific requirements
Results / Impact
There has been only one driver injury during the last 5 years -2017.
Takeaways for companies (major learnings for other companies)
• Road accidents statistics show that more than 70% of the accidents are caused by driver error and hence any road transport safety measure should focus primarily on drivers
• Professional quality of drivers is key to ensuring road transport safety
• Investment in assets - trucks and maintenance pay off well
Year 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Total Truck Incidents 0 0 2 0 1 0
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AMLAK’S GO GREEN PROGRAM
A CASE STUDY BY AMLAK FINANCE PJSC
Company background:Amlak Finance PJSC is a leading specialized real estate financier in the Middle East. Since its establishment
in November 2000 as the region’s pioneer financial services provider, it has provided its customers with
innovative, Sharia-compliant property financing products and solutions designed to meet the rapidly
evolving market demands. It was first established as a private shareholding company in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, in accordance with UAE Federal Law. In 2004, it was converted to a Public Joint Stock Company.
The Company is licensed by the UAE Central Bank as a finance company. It is primarily focused on
financing and investing activities based on structures such as Ijara, Murabaha, Mudaraba, Wakala and
Musharaka. All activities of the Company are conducted in accordance with Islamic Sharia and within the
provisions of its Articles and Memorandum of Association. During 2007, Amlak expanded its operations
and launched its first international office in Cairo, which operates under the name ‘Amlak Finance Egypt
Company S.A.E.’ It also has business associations in Saudi Arabia under the name ‘Amlak International
for Real Estate and Finance Co’.Over the years, Amlak Finance has received a number of prestigious
awards. These achievements are a testament to the Company’s leading services, diligent corporate
values, and ongoing efforts toward innovation.
The most recent awards include:
• Global Islamic Business Award (GIBA)
• Best Shari’a Compliant Property Finance Company
• Best Islamic Finance CSR Company in UAE
• Dubai Chamber’s CSR Labels 2015-2018
• Most Innovative Takaful Product – Platinum Lifestyle Takaful
• Innovation in Islamic Finance
Today, through a variety of customized property finance solutions, Amlak Finance enables individuals and
businesses to achieve their goals of owning a property in the UAE. We remain committed to making a
positive contribution not just to our customers, but also the wider UAE community.
Tackling Environmental Issues Through Sustainability at the Workplace:
In light of the most extensive warnings by leading scientists and environmentalists on the risks of rising
global temperatures and climate change, Amlak Finance recognizes and shares the concerns of governments
and the public about climate change, and aims to reduce its carbon footprint and instill environmentally
friendly behavior in its staff. To address its environmental concerns, Amlak Finance established a Go Green
Program several years ago.
In 2018, and in line with the Year of Zayed, the company’s Go Green Program engaged our staff in a
number of green activities.
The Roundtable with Office Assistants activity involved a roundtable discussion, where the Office Assistants
shared creative and practical ideas on being more green at work. One of the ideas implemented was “Green
Weeks”, an initiative that takes place twice a year and engages one Office Assistant in monitoring paper, plastic,
and other waste output on a weekly basis. This initiative reduced plastic consumption during those weeks by
2,750 foam cups and 3,500 plastic cups. Another activity that complements reducing plastic consumption and
keeps plastic out of landfills is the Eco-Friendly Procurement initiative, which consists of using UAE-based
eco-friendly water bottles. To reduce its paper consumption, the company has implemented double-sided
printing for all company’s contracts. This initiative has been approved by the senior management and is now
successfully in place both internally and externally. As part of its Environmental Issues Awareness initiative,
the report on climate change released by Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) shared by the
company with all its staff and followed by a quiz to increase their engagement on environmental issues. As
a Sustainability Programme Partner, the company’s contributions will assist in addressing the UAE’s most
pressing issues around climate change and energy, marine and terrestrial conservation, and wildlife trade
through its Partnership with Emirates Nature (formerly known as Emirates Wildlife Society).
The objective of the contribution objectives is to support the conservation work that aims to protect the
UAE’s natural heritage. Furthermore, the company sought volunteers from its staff who are passionate
about CSR and Sustainability to form part of Amlak’s Sustainability Team, to empower its employees to
play their role in giving back to the community. The team regularly brainstorms ideas on how to be more
environmentally friendly, the initiatives decided by the team will be later implemented. In line with its
CSR strategy, ‘the CSR Dialogue with Amlak’ garners collaborations with business partners to improve
their sustainability performance, in order to support and foster community and marketplace relations.
As part of this initiative, Amlak’s CSR team provides an open channel to discuss CSR and sustainability
with partners, vendors, and other stakeholders, and possible collaborations in environmental friendly
activities with the stakeholders. Through these green initiatives, the company is making a difference
to society and is getting closer towards its objective of reducing its carbon footprint, promoting waste
management practices, and attune staff to green practices for future green initiatives.
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ChallengesThe key challenge the company faced was accustoming everyone to Green Weeks, since a number of
staff were used to having plastic water bottles, or drinking tea/coffee in foam cups for convenience.
The matter was addressed through encouraging environmentally-friendly behavior across all levels of
the organization.
This was done through several ways, including the following:
• Creating a top-down vision: To provide the necessary structure and sustainable vision to all staff.
Amlak’s leadership is clear that an environmentally-conscious workplace is critical to the company
• Creating a bottom-up change: By forming a steadily growing Sustainability Team, as well as by involving
Office Assistants in green initiatives, an open participation and ownership was encouraged from all
employees
• Strategy formulation that supports sustainability initiatives
• Regular communications on green initiatives in the workplace - communication is an important
aspect when implementing sustainability
• Raising awareness on the climate change risks across all levels of staff
• Increasing employee engagement and participation by introducing rewards for partaking in ongoing
CSR initiatives, through competitions, challenges, etc
• Providing solutions to manage changes: Eco-friendly water bottles were purchased for everyone at
Amlak from a UAE- based green eco-store
ImpactAs a result of the above mentioned actions taken to support implementing sustainability at the workplace,
we achieved a combination of qualitative as well quantitative results
• Behavioral change in the organization: Over time majority of employees switched to eco-friendly sustainable water bottles instead of drinking water from plastic cups. Also, majority of staff now bring their mugs from home for drinking hot beverages
• Reduced plastic consumption and reduced waste out-put during both editions of ‘Green Weeks’. First program was held in September 2018, and the second one was held in December 2018. Total waste output during those weeks was reduced by 2,750 foam cups and 3,500 plastic cups
• Increased employee participation in suggesting environmentally-friendly practices and taking initiative
• Involvement of Office Assistants, who felt included, heard, and were proud that their ideas were being implemented
• Following a feedback survey on Go Green campaign, there was a very high satisfaction rate from
staff on the initiative
• Support of local green business
Takeaways for companies (major learnings for other companies)
• Clear vision: A guiding vision of CSR/Sustainability, either in the form of vision, mission or corporate
values is important to set the foundation and encourage an ethos of environmentally-conscious
behavior in the organization
• Support from leadership is key: Introducing sustainability may often require a change in thinking or
attitudes, which starts from the leadership. Leaders play a key role in communicating the vision of
the company as well as the desired behavior and attitudes from staff
• Creating a participatory culture: by empowering staff through providing them with the opportunity and
platform to brainstorm ideas, collaborate, participate, and take ownership, can really make a significant
positive difference in implementing sustainability as well as improving corporate culture
• Regular communications & rewards: Regular two-way communications on ongoing CSR/green initiatives,
as well as by introducing rewards for winning participants in CSR challenges/programs can really improve
staff participation rate as well as satisfaction rate with current programs
