Business & Money | Tuesday 7 April, 2015 3:10 pm |

On 16th April 2015 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the Pearl Initiative, the leading independent private sector-led not-for-profit organisation working across the Gulf region to encourage better business practices, and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative with 8,000 corporate signatories and 4000 other stakeholders in over 160 countries, will hold their inaugural Forum in the Gulf Region under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.

The event is expected to bring together over 500 regional and international business leaders, representatives from UN organisations, government and civil society around the theme ‘Corporate Accountability Matters; Business Integrity and Value Creation Beyond 2015’. Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State and Board Representative Higher Committee & Director General Bureau, Dubai Expo 2020, will give the keynote address.

“Improving corporate accountability, transparency and governance is fundamental to fostering future competitive economic growth, spurring job creation and enhancing sustainable social development in the Gulf Region,” said Badr Jafar, Founder of the Pearl Initiative. “Through our partnership with the UN Global Compact, and events such as this Forum, we aim to raise this awareness amongst regional business leaders, and encourage more measures that will lead to greater levels of corporate accountability and transparency.” Jafar added.

Designed to advance corporate sustainability and responsible business practices, this one-day event aims to enhance the role of the Private Sector in making progress towards regional competitiveness and the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

Georg Kell, Executive Director, United Nations Global Compact commented, “There have been significant steps taken in the region to usher in an era in which businesses are far more aware of their potential to impact their communities, and we are pleased to play a role in fostering greater understanding through our partnership with Pearl Initiative. As a regional business hub, Dubai and the UAE as a Country is the ideal location to host the first Pearl Initiative and United Nations Global Compact Forum in the Gulf Region.”



The inaugural Forum will begin with a video address from the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon, and include keynote speeches and panel discussions from international and regional business leaders including Sir Mark Moody Stewart, President & Chairperson, Foundation for the UN Global Compact, Sheikha Hanadi AlThani, Vice Chairman of Nasser Bin Khaled AlThani & Sons Group, Mahmoud Al Kooheji, CEO, Mumtalakat and Nasser Al Nowais, Chairman, Rotana Hotel Management Corporation.

The Forum will also mark the launch of Pearl Initiative’s “Women’s Careers in the GCC: The CEO Agenda”. This extensive research report, which polled more than 600 business women across the GCC, aims to inform all business leaders about the existing landscape of women in business in the region, and provide insights and recommendations for attracting, retaining and developing more women into senior company positions across the GCC. The key findings of the report will be revealed at the Forum.

"It is our pleasure to sponsor this event. In today’s interconnected global economy, the long-term value and success of any business is linked to the integration of environmental, social and governance issues into corporate management and operations. Events such as this help promote the importance of these topics among the regional business community,” said Dr. Faysal Alaquil, Director of Business Development & “Binaa Wa Amal” Division at CPC.

“Supporting an event such as the Pearl Initiative and United Nations Global Compact Regional Forum not only demonstrates CCC’s commitment to sound business principles but also raises awareness amongst the business community about the importance of corporate responsibility,” said Samer Khoury, President, CCC.

The Forum’s premium partners are Al Jomaih Group, Bank of Sharjah, Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC), Chalhoub Group, Construction Products Holding Company (CPC), Crescent Petroleum, Habtoor Leighton Group and Majid Al Futtaim, and the forum’s venue partner is the Dubai World Trade Centre. For more information and to register for the Forum, please visit: http://www.pearlinitiative.org/