sustainability network case studies · abb uae, qatar and oman all participated in the appeal,...

CASE STUDIES...of Community Investment in the UAE

Sustainability Network

This case studies document provides practical insight into community investment activities in the UAE. Created by businesses for businesses this unique resource draws on the collective experience and expertise of the Community Task Group ABB, Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group, Aramex, Consolidated Contractors Company, DLA Piper, Henkel GCC, Johnson & Johnson Corporate Citizenship Trust (ME), Nokia, Pepsi Asia Middle East and Africa, Research in Motion, TNT Express with additional support from Dubai Chamber Centre for Responsible Business.

Task Group Members:

The publication is edited by Kate Willoughby, Dubai Chamber CRB.

All content is for informational purposes only. CRB cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omission or any liability resulting from the use or misuse of any such information

Dubai Chamber Centre for Responsible Business “How to Guide” Series

INTRODUCTION

COMPANIES ABB: FundraisingConsolidated Contractors Company: SponsorshipDLA Piper: Pro-bono servicesHenkel: Education partnershipLandmark Group: Awareness campaignNokia: Education partnershipPepsiCo: Employee volunteeringRIM: Education programmeSaeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group: Pro-bono servicesTNT: Global partnership

FURTHER INFORMATION

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3Dubai Chamber Centre for Responsible Business “How to Guide” Series

INTRODUCTION

Investing in the community is not just about giving money to charity. There are many other ways a company can play an active role in the community. However, in this part of the world, financial donations still make up the majority of corporate community investment. Research carried out by the Centre for Responsible Business in 2012 showed that 43% of Dubai-based companies cite financial donations as the most common form of involvement, with only 23% having an investment policy or strategy in place. Despite the low figures, there are some companies who are demonstrating what can be achieved with a little imagination.

In this document we reveal how 10 local and global companies are leading the change and making a difference in the UAE. These companies are: ABB, CCC, DLA Piper, Henkel, Landmark Group, Nokia, PepsiCo, RIM, Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Holding LLC and TNT.

Their case studies demonstrate how firms can move beyond financial contributions to active corporate involvement in the community through a range of activities, such as gifts in kind, pro-bono services, employee volunteering, fundraising, matched funding, charity partnerships, cause-related marketing and sponsorship and create an even greater win-win for companies and communities.


COMPANIES

ABBABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 135,000 people.

For ABB, sustainability is about balancing economic success, environmental stewardship and social progress to benefit all its stakeholders. Sustainability considerations cover how it designs and manufactures products, deals with customers and suppliers, assesses risks and opportunities, and how it behaves in the communities where it operates.

At the same time it strives to ensure the health, safety and security of employees, contractors and others affected by its businesses activities.

Community Activity On the 3rd October 2011, ABB Middle East launched an internal campaign to raise funds for the flood victims of Pakistan, specifically children under five years-old, and to provide basic lifesaving equipment.

Driver for the InitiativeABB seeks to be a “good corporate citizen.” Constant effort, vigilance and high levels of awareness are needed to raise standards which are consistent everywhere, even in difficult environments. This is a work in progress but when the floods in Pakistan occurred ABB knew it could engage its employees to help make a difference to a community in need. ABB also has approximately 170 employees in Pakistan and this is a key emerging market for the company so it was a cause that resonated with staff.

Management and MetricsThe appeal was managed by the Sustainability Team in the regional headquarters in Dubai and also included the support of Human Resources and Communications. ABB UAE, Qatar and Oman all participated in the appeal, which was communicated through internal emails and the intranet portal.

ABB launched the Appeal in co-operation with Save the Children to channel all the funds raised to ensure they went to children in need. ABB matched the value of employees’ donations dollar-for-dollar. ABB raised more than US$ 70,000.


Save the Children, with the support of ABB and other organisations, set out immediately to provide emergency lifesaving assistance to flood survivors in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, including emergency health care and shelter resources. Save the Children aid expanded to include emergency health and nutrition, shelter, food, water and sanitation, education and child protection.

Business BenefitsABB employees volunteered for the appeal which proved an effective mechanism to increase employee pride in ABB and help morale. It increased employee awareness of wider social issues and an understanding of the community ABB works in and serves. Partnering with a well-known and respected organisation like Save the Children helped build the brand and profile of ABB as a responsible business and a contributor to the community it operates in.

Company InsightThe fundraising campaign was a real success within ABB due to several factors. Firstly, employees were told from the beginning that whatever amount they raised would be matched dollar-for-dollar by the company, so employees were able to choose the amount they donated but this strategy inspired them to donate more as they knew ABB was contributing too.

Secondly, the simple fact that additional regional offices were included in the campaign and not just the head office created more momentum behind the fundraising and enabled more employees to contribute. As the campaign was so successful, in terms of the amount raised, employee engagement and the relationship with Save the Children, ABB is now seeking to focus its community strategy on education and infrastructure development and develop a long term partnership with the charity.

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Consolidated Contractors CompanyConsolidated Contractors Company, better known as CCC, is a major international construction company operating in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, C.I.S., and South East Asia, with its main office in Athens, Greece. Established in 1952, CCC has grown to become the largest construction company in the Middle East and one of the leading contractors in the international construction industry, with over 140,000 employees composed of more than 80 nationalities.

Community Activity As part of its CSR programmes, CCC UAE Area sponsored a public library development project implemented by Emirates Foundation.

Driver for the InitiativeDeveloping reading habits among the young generations of the UAE has been recognised as an important area to foster public/private cooperation by the Emirates Foundation. Knowledge development also enhances social cohesion among all segments of the population. As a result, several major private sector companies have joined together to promote various projects to improve literacy, of which CCC decided to sponsor and financially support the development of public libraries at schools in various regions of the UAE. CCC is committed to supporting efforts to develop a knowledgeable young generation who are capable of meeting the country’s underlying requirements and future challenges. The future of any country is in the hands of its young generation and public libraries contribute greatly towards enlarging the knowledge base of the young and old.

Encouraging students to read and use their local libraries not only adds to the enhancement of UAE education but it helps to preserve UAE culture and heritage. Public libraries also are a great opportunity to expand the knowledge base of female students as the library offers a relaxed and culturally conducive atmosphere. The region selected for this project was the Western Region as a number of major CCC projects are located here. CCC places a higher priority to support community development in regions where it is operating its projects.

Management and MetricsCCC has been part of the selection and screening committee entrusted with the responsibility of identifying eligible schools, reviewing the aide applications, vetting and subsequent approval by the Ministry of Education. The criteria selected for funding eligibility was based


on schools that demonstrate committed leadership, high quality feasible plans and the engagement of teachers, administrators and the community. The existing schools in the Western Region were classified into three categories: (a) having library facilities (b) having insufficient facilities (c) having no library facility. The funding support was extended to schools that provided sufficient proof of their capability to manage libraries and all schools carried out the task successfully. The development process was completed in a phased manner starting from 2009 to the end of 2011.

Business BenefitsThe libraries have been well received and heartily welcomed by the UAE authorities and the collaboration on this project with Emirates Foundation has helped CCC build on its relationship with the Government. The social commitment and community development programme helped CCC gain wider recognition among the Rulers and other top departments.

CCC benefited from significant positive press coverage, with national print and broadcast media featuring numerous reports throughout the life of the project. Live TV coverage was also gained during several ministerial visits to the schools. CCC is one of the oldest established companies in Abu Dhabi and a very well-known one too. A project such as this refreshes the company in the minds of the community and helps continue to build the brand and profile of the company.

Company InsightAlthough CCC had to compete with larger volume donors to Emirates Foundation from the oil and gas sector, CCC’s pragmatic approach towards the libraries project was highly appreciated by the charity, the Ministry of Education and of course the young and older generation of Emiratis. In an era where computer games and visual media are more popular among the young generation, diverting their attention to libraries was a difficult task. However developing these facilities close to their vicinity, opening them with a gala event and attracting wider media publicity helped to re-ignite an interest in the positive contribution libraries make to learning.


DLA PiperDLA Piper is a global law firm with over 4,200 lawyers throughout the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The firm’s experienced legal practitioners bring true international insight, combining it with local know-how to offer practical and commercial legal advice to its clients locally and globally. The firm helps companies do business anywhere in the world. DLA Piper Middle East has a presence in all six GCC countries - the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain - as well a group firm in Egypt, DLA Matouk Bassiouny. Its strong local presence complements its formidable global presence spanning 77 offices in 31 countries.

Community Activity In each office around the world, and all seven in the GCC, the firm makes a serious commitment to public service by dedicating time and legal experience to projects related to education, economic empowerment and equality. Its contribution ranges from major, multi-regional initiatives of a global concern, to local arrangements benefiting schools and charities. In 2011, DLA Piper donated more than 200,000 hours, through the firm’s pro bono and community investment programmes. From a fee perspective this is the equivalent of over US$100 million donated and the firm believes this makes it the largest provider of pro bono legal services in the world.

Having a presence in every GCC country enables the firm to contribute to the community through the provision of free legal assistance. At a local level, it provides free legal assistance to local non-profits such as INJAZ al-Arab, which works with students to encourage entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy. In addition, DLA Piper’s lawyers provide legal education in international law to students from the Faculty of Law at the UAE University. Its pro bono practice is managed by a full-time team demonstrating a strong commitment to this practice

Driver for the Initiative Pro bono is a key cornerstone of the firm’s values and beliefs. The legal profession is, at its foundation, about service: service to individuals, to organisations, and to private and public entities. Public service has a special meaning for the legal profession. It is the responsibility of the profession to ensure access to justice for all by meeting not only the legal needs of those who can afford a lawyer, but also the legal needs of those individuals and communities that cannot.


Management and MetricsPro bono clients receive the same high standard of service as commercial clients and by the firm empowering its lawyers to provide free advice it also motivates and inspires them to focus on delivering sustainable advice to all clients, regardless of depth of their pockets. Therefore all lawyers record their time against the firm’s pro bono clients and as such there is an accurate summary of the legal hours conducted and the value of this work.

Business BenefitsWorking alongside clients on its pro bono projects enables the firm to demonstrate shared values, address key social issues, develop stronger client relationships and provides clients with access to pro bono and community projects that their employees might not otherwise have had the opportunity to engage in. Potential clients are increasingly asking the firm to detail its corporate responsibility and pro bono work in its tender and pitch information. The firm knows that clients want to work with companies that share the same values and therefore its work in communities throughout the world can be the difference between why someone chooses DLA Piper over another law firm.

Finally the firm knows that pro bono is a key aspect of its learning and development by its lawyers applying their professional and legal skills in a totally different environment, such as a not-for-profit organisation, it develops their skills and experience and ultimately enables them to become better lawyers.

Company InsightIt is important to reward and recognise lawyers who participate and DLA Piper has changed its performance management process to reflect this. A key aspect of employees’ performance management reviews is the requirement to outline what wider contribution they have made. Employees who play an active role in the firm’s corporate responsibility and pro bono programmes receive greater recognition and reward, with wider contribution accounting for up to 10% of a DLA Piper employees’ bonus. Therefore the firm places a great deal of importance on not only what has been achieved, but also how it has been achieved.


Henkel For more than 130 years, Henkel has been a leader with brands and technologies that make people’s lives easier, better and more beautiful through its three main divisions of Home Care, Cosmetics, and Adhesives.

Globally, Henkel is ranked among the Fortune Global 500 companies, with over 52,000 employees worldwide, and products such as Persil, Pritt, Loctite and Schwarzkopf in more than 125 countries. In terms of sustainability Henkel was listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as the sustainability leader in the Nondurable Household Products sector. Henkel has been included in the FTSE4Good ethical index for 11 consecutive years and was named among the “world’s most ethical companies” for the fourth time in succession by Etisphere.

Community Activity Henkel partnered with Carrefour in Saudi Arabia, one of its key customers, to roll out a sustainability education drive with local consumers called Hand in Hand for a better tomorrow. School children were elected as Sustainability Ambassadors to educate Carrefour consumers in the store about environment protection and how every individual can make a difference. The assumption was that by teaching the new generation, Henkel was investing in the community’s future generation and the consumers in Carrefour would be more inclined to notice and pay attention to what a school child had to say.

Driver for the Initiative As a company committed to being a leader in sustainability, Henkel continually looks for ways to engage consumers on sustainability issues. Henkel saw an opportunity for its DAC household cleaning brand to partner with Carrefour in Saudi Arabia, a key customer for Henkel, to engage with consumers to increase awareness about the environment.

One of the key elements of the DAC brand strategy is sustainability and community wellbeing. The relevance of this campaign to the strategy was the perfect fit.

Management and MetricsThe DAC brand team worked with the sustainability team to develop the project idea. They then approached Carrefour Saudi Arabia and the partnership was developed after internal alignment.


The lead time from conception of idea to implementation of activity was six months, including the lead time of approaching Carrefour, aligning internally and contacting schools. The initiative was run in a total of six Carrefours in Saudi Arabia over a two week period of the campaign.

Forty children were trained about environmental protection thereby increasing awareness of the environment in the next generation.

Thousands of customers were also engaged and educated about environmental protection. At the same time, 12,500 eco-friendly bags were given to customers, which in turn will decrease the number of plastic bags used.

Business Benefits Henkel has strengthened its relationship with a key customer and has since worked with Carrefour again on a plastics recycling campaign. Henkel is looking forward to a continuous partnership.

Henkel benefited from increased brand profile through press coverage in Saudi Arabia and the company also benefited from improved brand reputation by winning the CHEP Middle East Industry Awards 2011 for Sustainability, in recognition for this sustainability project in collaboration with Carrefour.

Company InsightThe campaign was successful as the consumers were more intrigued and open to understanding when the children were speaking to them, in a culture where sustainability is not an important daily concern. Therefore by educating the future generation, they in turn educate the older generation. Henkel is looking for ways to run this in other markets in the future. The challenge Henkel continues to face is permanently changing the mindset of the consumers to a more environmentally conscious one.


Landmark GroupFounded in 1973 in Bahrain, the Landmark Group has successfully grown into one of the largest and most successful retail organisations in the Middle East and India. An international diversified retail and hospitality conglomerate that encourages entrepreneurship to consistently deliver exceptional value, the Group operates over 1,200 outlets encompassing over 18 million square feet across the GCC, India, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria and Pakistan. The Group employs over 40,000 people.

Community ActivityIn 2009, the Landmark Group launched the Beat Diabetes initiative to create awareness about diabetes in the countries it operates in. The initiative started in the UAE and was extended to Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and India in 2010 and to Saudi Arabia in 2011.

Driver for the Initiative Diabetes is spreading at an epidemic rate. According to the International Diabetes Federation, an estimated 19.22% of the UAE’s adult population suffers from diabetes. In fact, five of the Gulf states are among the top 10 countries affected - the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman; and there is very little awareness of the condition in most countries.

With a customer base spanning 17 countries, Landmark Group realised the inherent potential of its wide-ranging retail and hospitality concepts to reach a large number of people with an effective message for a healthy lifestyle.

Management and MetricsThe Beat Diabetes campaign is managed by the Group’s Corporate Communication and CSR team, and is directly overseen by Renuka Jagtiani, Vice-Chairperson of the Group.

While the Corporate Communications and CSR team at the headquarters in Dubai plans the strategies to be adopted across the region, the events and activities themselves are organised in a decentralised manner.

In all territories, the Marketing and Communications teams drive the initiative, with constant support and direction from the core team in Dubai. For budget purposes, each territory sets aside a certain percentage of sales every year for this cause.


The Group enjoys a strong and essential rapport with the media and known personalities, who act as effective mediums of communication to promote Beat Diabetes events. The campaign is captured in all the major media vehicles including print, broadcast and online in the respective countries. The Group also uses its outlets as a medium to give out information about the events. A dedicated Facebook page, which was established in November 2011, today has a following of over 12,000 fans, and the page gives supporters of the campaign a platform to understand the condition on a regular basis, which includes expert advice from medical partners.

Beat Diabetes. Join the Walk - Over 35,000 people in six countries (UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and India) joined the walk in 2011. This has grown from 12,000 people in 2010 (UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and India) and 5,000 people in the UAE alone in 2009.

Beat Diabetes. Take the Test - In 2011, over 40,000 people were tested through the free glucose-test drive in six countries. This number was 30,000 in 2010 and 8,000 in 2009.

Beat Diabetes. Get Active - In 2011, over 200 people participated in a yogathon organised in Dubai. A school outreach programme - Dubai School Football League in conjunction with KHDA was organised and children from over 90 schools were educated on the benefits of healthy living. BMI testing and health talks were conducted for the students.

Beat Diabetes. Eat Healthy - Ongoing attempts to raise awareness of eating healthy through the fitness and hospitality concepts with the Group, as well as through well-timed editorials in leading publications to maintain the momentum.

Beat Diabetes. Support the Cause - The International Diabetes Foundation’s Life for a Child project, to combat juvenile diabetes, was supported by Landmark Group through a fund-raising campaign during May 2012. Although the target was AED 500,000, the Group outlets attracted customer donations of over AED 710,000.


Business Benefit The Landmark Group is built on the foundation of ‘Creating Exceptional Value’ for all of its stakeholders. Giving back to the society, in big and small ways, is a part of the organisation DNA and this is what drives the Beat Diabetes initiative.

The initiative provides an avenue for employee volunteering, thus increasing the overall commitment of the company. The walkathons and glucose test drives welcome the participation of all the employees, which in turn increase their levels of awareness about the condition.

Furthermore, due to the expanse of its operations, customers expect the Group to be responsible towards the community and Beat Diabetes aims to meet this expectation.

Company InsightSince the 2009 campaign that began in the UAE, the Landmark Group has successfully extended its reach to six other countries - Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and India. Keeping with the passion to touch more lives with the Beat Diabetes initiative, the Group endeavours to extend this awareness drive to more countries, as and when is feasible. Diabetes Awareness is its core focus and the Group strives to ensure that there is maximum awareness created.

Renuka Jagtiani, Vice-Chairperson, Landmark Group “Beat Diabetes was launched in response to the alarming statistics of the incidence of diabetes in the GCC region and India. Diabetes is a condition which has no cure, but can be managed through lifestyle changes. The Group aims to drive this message through the Beat Diabetes initiative.”


NOKIANokia is committed to connecting people to what matters to them by combining advanced mobile technology with personalised services. More than 1.3 billion people connect to one another with a Nokia, from the company’s most affordable voice-optimised mobile phones to advanced internet connected smartphones sold in virtually every market in the world.

Community ActivityNokia operates the largest voluntary mobile phone ‘Take Back’ and recycling scheme, with 6,000 collection points, for example at Nokia Care locations, in nearly 100 countries.

To complement the scheme, Nokia runs campaigns and collaborates with society organisations in many countries, aiming to raise awareness about the importance of recycling and to activate people and communities to actually do so. In the UAE, Nokia has been collaborating since 2009 with Emirates Environmental Group, a NGO devoted to protecting the environment through means of education, action programmes and community involvement, providing recycling solutions to schools, universities, companies and private people.

Nokia has been collaborating with EEG to provide a new service to the civil society in the UAE that responsibly collects and recycles redundant mobile phones, batteries, accessories and chargers of all brands - and that brings the required environmental awareness to the young generation. This case study focuses on the school engagement component of Nokia’s collaboration with EEG.

Driver for the InitiativeNokia takes sustainability into account along the entire life cycle of it’s products, services and operations, aiming to minimise the environmental impact at every stage. Considering the entire lifecycle also means that Nokia aims - proactively and voluntarily - to elaborate solutions for the end-of-life management of mobile products before they turn into waste.

Nokia implements voluntary initiatives as part of the company’s strategy to strive for sustainability leadership.


In 2007, Nokia commissioned a study conducted in 13 markets to research recycling attitudes and habits with a particular focus on mobile phones. The study was replicated in 2011 and five MEA countries were included to provide a particular focus on trends and attitudes in this region.

The study revealed that in the UAE only 7% of people claimed to know that mobiles can be recycled.

By collaborating with EEG, Nokia aims for locally relevant, community engaging initiatives that activate people, increase the communities’ environmental awareness and provide the community with a fun opportunity to engage.

Management and MetricsNokia and EEG jointly developed, designed and brought to life a new environmental service and awareness channel to schools in the UAE. The initiative has been further developed year by year, aiming to solidly contribute to the creation of a holistic recycling society in the UAE.

The aim is to increase awareness about recycling, environmental protection and resource efficiency, and to involve and activate the next generation to participate in small every day actions for the environment.

EEG and the Nokia Sustainability Manager conduct recycling presentations and dialogue sessions in schools and universities across the UAE.

The sessions can, for example, be integrated into the schools’ environment days. They aim to inform, but even more so, engage students to discuss about the importance of recycling. Posters, brochures and presentation slides, created in close collaboration between Nokia and EEG, enable and activate schools to conduct their own internal awareness events.

EEG invites schools and teachers and coordinates the dialogue sessions and the collection services.

Nokia provides a responsible recycling channel for the material collected. During the first six months of 2012, a total of 10 dialogue sessions were conducted benefiting 1,070 students aged between 9 and 21.


Business Benefits Nokia strives for leadership in sustainability locally, regionally and globally. The company’s efforts for sustainability have been recognised by many organisations, such as the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index, the Greenpeace Guide to Greener Electronics, and the Newsweek Global 500 Ranking.

Nokia’s long-term commitment and holistic approach to create local recycling societies aligns with the company’s aim to build its reputation as a responsible company. Furthermore, credible holistic approaches shape the future towards more sustainable business practices and standards in the markets.

Company InsightEngaging the local community is an important step to raising awareness. Engaging the children and students is exciting, rewarding and always a great learning platform.


PepsiCoPepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than US$65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than US$1 billion each in annual retail sales. Its main businesses - Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola - make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo’s people are united by its unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and the planet, which it believes, also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. The company calls this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo’s promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimise its impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for its associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where it operates. Community activityPepsiCorps is a programme that was developed in 2011 to engage and inspire PepsiCo employees with the company’s performance with purpose sustainability vision and commitment.

It is a one month international experience that gives employees on-the-ground insights into societal challenges and leverages their business skills to make a positive impact on the world.

Driver for the initiative PepsiCo has a strong history in volunteering with employees across the globe engaging in community activities which the company encourages and facilitates. Employees in various surveys expressed the need to take a deeper dive and to live the company’s sustainability vision so programmes like PepsiCorps were developed as the logical way to fulfil this need.

This initiative complements the ongoing employee engagement in community work across various countries PepsiCo operates in and engages employees with the company’s sustainability vision of performance with purpose and to encourage them to engage in CSR. The aim is to also encourage employees to have a global mindset and to truly make the company a global one through this initiative.


Management and metricsThe programme is employee driven and was initiated by a group of employees from different functions based in the US and rolled out globally. PepsiCo partnered with a non-profit NGO, CDS Development Solutions that recruits, trains, places and supports skilled volunteers who provide management and technical assistance to small businesses, educational institutions, NGO’s, local governments and communities. CDS is also specialised in international corporate volunteer programmes and has run similar programmes with other multinationals.

The roll out was done through PepsiCo’s internal communication channels including the intranet, PepsiCo’s internal daily newsletter PEPLINE and also a series of videos explaining what the programme is all about, showcasing the first location, which was Ghana in 2011 and attracting employees to participate.

In 2011, 168 applications were received and 10 employees from across the world were selected. The application was online and the criteria was as follows:

• Eagerness to live Performance with Purpose- PepsiCo’s sustainability strategy• Leadership skills• Flexibility and adaptability• Creative thinking• Employee needs to be at a junior manager level• With the company for at least three years.• Rates well on annual evaluation for two years out of three

For the selected employees there was six weeks of pre-work for all participants, which allowed teams to maximise their impact during their time in country and included:

• Weekly one hour conference call / webinar• Learning about the project and team logistics, country background, social media training,

working on cross-cultural teams, etc

The participating employees went on a pilot project to Ghana to work on a project providing clean drinking water to the community, which aligns with PepsiCo’s environmental sustainability commitment.

CDS also set realistic deliverables based on employee expertise and conducted impact evaluations among employees and with the local NGO on the ground to evaluate the value added to the community and the impact on the participants as well.


Business Benefits The programme creates leaders with a global mindset and encourages cross-cultural collaboration. It builds leadership skills, perseverance and ‘can do’ attitude.

Employees gain customer insights through immersion, which means that by being in the community PepsiCo employees can gain first-hand understanding of the consumers they serve and therefore may be able to gain insights that can serve tailor products better suited to local taste.

PepsiCorps meaningfully engages employees in Performance with Purpose, PepsiCo’s sustainability strategy and vision.

Company Insight The project received great support and interest from employees across the globe and is therefore being launched again, but this time in two different locations, with projects tackling different problems in new communities. This will meet internal demand, doubling the number of employees able to be involved from 10 to 20 and will also enable Pepsico to expand their social scale and impact.


RIMResearch In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionised the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day.

Community ActivityRIM have developed the BlackBerry Academic Program (BAP) which is a global programme any education institute can register for online and then download all the teaching materials they need to run the courses RIM provide. It is the central element of RIM’s support for global education with over 670 participating institutions in more than 113 countries. http://us.blackberry.com/ataglance/academic

The programme supports students in gaining further knowledge of concepts related to mobile computing, such as networks, spectrum, efficient use of battery life and mobile application development. Its aim is to bring new opportunities and industry relevant mobile computing curriculum that will prepare students for the wireless world.

Driver for the InitiativeIn the current economic marketplace there is a strong demand for professionals with mobile technology skills. Research has shown there is a significant risk of lack of qualified information and communication technology (ICT) professionals to meet the global demand in the future. RIM wants to ensure that students are offered the opportunity to build up the relevant skills that will help them in gaining employment in their future careers.

Fostering innovation is at the heart of everything RIM does as an organisation and the company wants to inspire today’s youth to develop passion and relevant skills for growing industries such as theirs.

Management and MetricsTo run the programme RIM has built an online site that is available globally to academic institutions where they can become part of BAP and access the resources that are available to them through the programme. In the creation of the global offering RIM has provided employee time to build the course curriculum and teaching materials. There is a University Relations team based in RIM’s HQ in Canada that runs the programme.


Universities across the world can register online and then download all the teaching materials they need to run the courses RIM provides. They are modular so that an institution can choose how they fit it into their courses. By participating in BAP, universities have access to materials to train students in the essentials of mobile application development on the BlackBerry platform as well as the administration and support of BlackBerry technologies in an enterprise environment. When an institution joins BAP, RIM provides them with learning materials, devices, software and other resources that reflect the most current technological trends. BlackBerry smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets are provided to facilitate a vital hands-on learning experience.

Currently, 14 universities are utilising the curriculum in the UAE and it aids their students with their career preparation enabling them to gain knowledge and skills in high-demand topics that will appeal to future employers.

Business Benefits The programme increases RIM’s potential talent pool in the future and helps the company build the brand and become known as an employer of choice. There is the potential for local content developed in the UAE through skilled students. RIM improves its brand reputation through external press coverage showcasing RIM as a responsible business supporting education. It is an opportunity to build a local leadership position in education and thereby increase RIM’s reputation with key influencers.

Company InsightRIM strives to ensure content is relevant and provides up to date teaching materials in the ever changing mobile technology landscape and that it is utilised by as many students and universities as possible. In the UAE, RIM is striving to understand local needs and find ways to engage with local academic institutions to encourage them to utilise the programme and realise the benefits for their students. Registration to the programme is one aspect RIM use to measure success, however long-term, RIM wishes to see successful applications being created by UAE students that provide local content and relevance in the UAE.


Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah GroupFor over half a century, the Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group has been at the forefront of the growth of Dubai, driven by a commitment to customer service.

From modest beginnings in 1958, when the company was first established by brothers Saeed and Mohammed Al Naboodah, the Group today has diversified into four main sectors - construction, commercial, investments and real estate.

Community ActivityThe Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group’s IT department provides specialist support to the Rashid Paediatric Therapy Center (RPTC), Dubai, which offers high quality, integrated education services and therapy to children with special needs.

Driver for the InitiativeThe Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group’s IT department ensures that the RPTC receives best-in-class support and that their IT infrastructure is secure and delivers optimum performance. It is an opportunity for the Group to give back to the community in a practical and effective way, improving IT functionality and supporting the work of the administration team at RPTC.

Management and MetricsActing as RPTC’s external IT department, the Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group’s IT team is on call 8am - 6pm, Monday - Thursday, with additional telephone/remote access support available. The IT team provides software related support, including standardisation of operating systems, email configuration and anti-virus installation and maintenance, as well as hardware repairs, procurement advice, network consultancy and support.


The team also works with RPTC on its website design and maintenance. All calls and queries are logged by the Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group’s IT team, and tasks resolved every Wednesday (as stipulated by RPTC) by a dedicated IT engineer. An on-going evaluation programme ensures that the Group’s IT team continues to make a difference and delivers its KPIs.

Business BenefitsFor the Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group, involvement with RPTC has proved an invaluable experience and has helped to raise the profile of the business within the community. Staff are motivated by the inspirational work of the RPTC and relish the opportunity to bring their high level IT expertise to such a worthy cause.

Company InsightCommunity support does not always have to be a monetary donation. Sharing skills and giving time are of equal and often greater value, and help build long-term relations between the corporate world and the community.


TNTTNT Express is one of the world’s largest express delivery companies. On a daily basis, TNT Express delivers close to one million consignments ranging from documents and parcels to palletised freight. The company operates road and air transportation networks in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the Asia-Pacific and the Americas. It employs 77,000 people and runs a fleet of 30,000 road vehicles and 46 aircrafts. TNT Express made €7.2 billion in revenue in 2011.

Community ActivityThe World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. As per statistics, at least one in seven people in the world goes to bed hungry every night. WFP is always striving to find ways to fight this hunger by the most affordable and efficient means of transportation. Since TNT Express is one of the world’s largest delivery companies, it makes sense for both organisations to work together for this noble cause. TNT Express delivers and WFP serves as the aid implementer. Together they make a tangible difference in the lives of underprivileged children, men and women in the region and around the globe, driven by a shared vision of a world where each and everyone gets the food they need to live a happy, healthy life.

Driver for the InitiativeLogistics is at the core of WFP operations. Whether it is transport by land, sea or air, WFP brings aid in the fastest and most efficient way possible. Additionally, as the recognised and respected leader of humanitarian logistics, WFP is involved in all global crises, working with other UN agencies, governments and NGOs. Companies specialising in logistics services, such as TNT Express, can help improve the efficiency of WFP through critical logistics assistance, state-of-the art commodity-tracking and other supply chain methodologies and technologies.

TNT Express has been an active partner of WFP since 2002 when the company committed its knowledge, skills and resources to help WFP generate cash and in-kind donations


and tackle the greatest logistics challenge of all: fighting world hunger. Globally, the key objectives of the partnership were:

• Improve the lives of the hungry poor,

• Increase awareness of world hunger,

• Strengthen global image of both partners.

Management and MetricsSince 2002, the TNT Express /WFP partnership has evolved and now focuses on four main areas of work:

• Knowledge Transfer TNT Express has helped WFP Logistics deliver more effective and efficient aid to beneficiaries.

More than 70 TNT Express Specialists have worked on projects to strengthen WFP’s capacity and knowledge in transport optimisation, fleet management, aviation and customs, for quicker, safer and cost-effective interventions on the ground.

• Hands-on Support When an emergency strikes, TNT Express makes available its skilled staff, warehouses, aircraft and vehicles to WFP for a quicker and more efficient transport of emergency supplies where they are needed.

• Awareness & Fundraising Thanks to TNT Express employees fundraising initiatives, TNT Express has also contributed to feed poor school children and offer them a better classroom environment. It has helped build WFP’s awareness and profile among the general public, the business community and other stakeholders through Walk the World, the World Economic Forum and other fundraising initiatives.

• Transport for Good Finally, TNT Express and WFP work together in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. An HIV/AIDS prevention campaign was developed in collaboration with the North Star Foundation, and 15 mobile clinics were built in 11 African countries.

In the UAE

TNT has run various awareness and fundraising events throughout the year in aid of WFP. For example in 2010 under the patronage of UN Messenger of Peace and Chairperson of International Humanitarian City (IHC), HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and


Ruler of Dubai, TNT organised the “The End Hunger, Walk the World,” to raise awareness and funds and again in 2011 another walk was organised called “Yalla Walk the World”.

• The “The End Hunger, Walk the World,” had 1,500 walkers turn up raise awareness and the walk raised AED 43,000 for WFP.

• “Yalla Walk the World” took place with hundreds of walkers and managed to raise an amount of AED 19,920 for WFP

Globally

• In the nine years of the partnership (2002 - 2011) TNT Express has given US$83 million in support of WFP, including cash, in-kind contributions such as air lifts, staff deployed, advocacy and events support

• TNT Express’s employees around the world have raised US$22 million for school feeding all on their own steam, in hundreds of creative ways - from Walk the World to bake sales, from producing a cookbook to sponsored runs.

• 15 planes deployed in emergencies in Haiti, Pakistan and Philippines, just to cite the most recent crisis.

• Over 10 years TNT Express have deployed some 900 trained professionals to support emergency operations.

• Since partnership inception, TNT Express’s employees around the world have raised enough funds to provide some 88 million school meals, all on their own steam, in hundreds of creative ways - from walk the world to bake sales, from producing a cookbook to sponsored runs.

Business BenefitsInvolvement in the programme has helped to boost morale and job satisfaction, which can result in increased productivity. In the UAE specifically, the activities such as the walks provide opportunities for employees from different functions to interact and develop stronger bonds, helping create a positive and strong corporate culture.

Major corporate customers identify TNT with WFP and as companies increasingly seek their supply chains to be a responsible business and deliver CSR initiatives it helps TNT meet customer expectations and be a supplier of choice.

The partnership has produced positive publicity opportunities, in a world where corporate


social responsibility is becoming increasingly important and has helped build the brand and profile of TNT as a responsible business.

The WFP is able to pass local knowledge and experience from its work in remote countries to TNT and this knowledge sharing helps TNT in its global operations.

Company InsightTNT believes that this partnership has been successful due to senior management commitment, formal agreements and the identification of core activities.

Firstly, the high level management buy-in to the partnership and collaboration have been essential. This ensures the commitment of time and resources across both organisations and also conveys to employees that it is a priority for the company and encourages their participation.

Formal agreements such as a Memorandum of Understanding lay out the terms of the partnership for a specific period of time and builds in the opportunity for a comprehensive review of the partnership during the partnership period. Building in such features to the agreement prevents the partnership from continuing beyond its shelf life and also gives the opportunity for changes and restructuring.

Identifying core activities provides a clarity of structure to the partnership and supports the optimum allocation of resources and management with each core activity supported by one TNT Board Member and a WFP executive.


Please contact:

The Centre for Responsible [email protected]

The Centre for Responsible Business (CRB) is an initiative by Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry, which aims to raise the level of awareness, and encourage standards of good practice in organisational ethics, corporate responsibility and governance through the provision of research, training and advisory work for members and stakeholders.

The Sustainability Network, launched in 2010 by the Centre for Responsible Business, offers businesses in UAE the opportunity to demonstrate CSR, sustainability and corporate governance leadership and to network and share experiences.

To find out more please visit our website.http://www.dubaichamber.com/initiatives/crb

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