Sharjah Chamber To Host Conference On Importance Of Local Products To Achieve Sustainable Development

Event to strengthen Sharjah’s efforts towards sustainable development and promote adoption and implementation of best practices

The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has recently announced that it will be hosting an event entitled “Industry in Sharjah and its role in sustainable development”, a combined conference and workshop aimed at tackling the important role that locally made products and services play in the emirate’s bid for sustainable development. The event, which is being organized in cooperation with the UAE Business Council for Sustainable Development (UAE-BCSD) under the theme “Get ready for tomorrow”, will be held from October 12 to October 13, 2010. The program is part of the local chamber’s strategic thrust to help attract more activities and opportunities for Sharjah’s business sector and bring the emirate one step closer towards its goal of achieving total sustainable development.

The event, which features a panel of renowned experts and leaders in the field of business, finance and development, will include important talks, lectures and discussions such as the adoption and implementation of more best practices to help achieve Sharjah’s 2050 vision; utilizing strategic business tools to foster business growth and achieving sustainable development through programs that focus on key factors like human resource development, the protection of natural resources and promoting the use of natural energy.

Hussein Mohammed Al Mahmoudi, Director General, SCCI, said, “The world today is faced with many challenges brought about by pressing concerns like climate change and population growth. These challenges have prompted a call for action and unity—encouraging the development and maintenance of stronger working relationships between the private sector, government agencies, authorities and the local community. What we need today is to implement radical changes in the technologies we use and focus on the development of green technology, policies and strategies to help achieve a more balanced and sustained growth for the UAE in general and Sharjah in particular. In line with this, the SCCI is organizing “Industry in Sharjah and its role in sustainable development”, a conference and workshop that complements the 2050 vision of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. The event not only aims to promote more sustainable practices in Sharjah’s business sector but also showcases the importance of local products and services in the emirate’s bid for development. The SCCI remains confident that the adoption of a sustainable methodology in the business community will complement our goal towards human resource development - the creation of a highly-skilled and competitive workforce that can help in attracting more investment opportunities into the emirate.”

“The adoption and implementation of sustainable practices play an important role in the overall effort to deal with the environmental, social and economic challenges that hinder our development. With this in mind, we should place strong attention to adopting best practices such as governance strategies and business ethics—concentrating on key areas like credibility, transparency and sound accounting, which can contribute effectively in helping achieve sustainability. The conference will gather some of the most prominent companies in the UAE and the Middle East region and will make a unified call for the adoption of sustainable practices in their corporate systems. Moreover, the SCCI remains steadfast in its commitment to organize key events and launch initiatives that seek to promote the importance and adoption of sustainability and help in the continuous effort to package Sharjah as an ideal tourist and investment destination in the Middle East,” Al Mahmoudi added.

The SCCI works closely with the UAE-BCSD in promoting the adoption of best business leadership principles and practices as a key factor in the bid to reach sustainability. Both the SCCI and the UAE-BCSD provide major support and assistance to participating companies and their operations, innovation; sparking growth in a community where sustainable development issues are taking the lead.

Established in January 2009, the UAE Business Council for Sustainable Development (UAE-BCSD) is a regional establishment affiliated with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). The council offers services and activities to companies and organizations desiring to positively contribute to sustainable development projects through enhancing the application of sustainable plans and stabilizing innovation and development culture within diverse business sectors in the UAE and Sharjah in particular.
 

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