CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
http://www.mepmiddleeast.com^ August 2019^ |^ MEP Middle East^15
CSR initiatives into action to better people’s
lives, build development infrastructure, and
protect the environment.”
To help fuel the movement, the ministr y
has positioned itself as a conduit to connect
uninitiated fi rms with ventures that fulfi l
CSR remits; ranging from renewable energy
schemes to marine conser vation projects.
Becoming the world’s most philanthropic
countr y will certainly be a marathon, not
a sprint, especially at a time when a sharp
focus is on the cash fl ow narrative in which
the construction industr y fi nds itself em-
broiled.
The subject was heavily debated at the
annual MEP Middle East Conference in
April, during which industr y experts called
for regulation to protect them against inhibit-
ing and risky ‘pay-in, pay-out’ models.
The establishment of “proper mechanisms”
to ensure fi rms are paid in line with sched-
ules agreed in contracts was seen as the best
way to move for ward.
Without effective regulations protecting
cash fl ow, it is easy to see why perceived
extraneous – some still argue superfi cial –
business objectives fall by the wayside.
It is hard to argue with the unvarnished
expression “cash is king” and in this day and
age the bottom line matters most. However,
the fi rst step of a CSR journey doesn’t have to
be the most daunting.
Interdisciplinar y fi rm KEO, with offi ces
across the GCC, as one example, has forged
a vast calendar of events centred around
the theme of social good – suitably entitled
KARES.
Staff are actively encouraged to participate
in World Blood Donor Day and skip lunch
so that an undernourished child can instead
receive a meal on World Hunger Day.
“Corporate social responsibility isn’t just
about not printing a report or switching
off the lights,” explained managing director
of corporate business development, Brad
Batcheller.
“It’s about cultivating relationships with
staff, clients, vendors and other interested
parties, encouraging them to work togetherto create a long-term commitment to people
and the world around us.”
For some companies, CSR has been woven
into their legacy goals.
Engineering consultancy fi rm Aurecon has
a particular focus on building stronger com-
munities through education programmes.Interdisciplinary company KEO actively encourages its employees across the GCC to make a donation on World Blood Donor Day and give up a meal on World Hunger Day.
Corporate social
responsibility isn’t just
about not printing a report
or switching off the lights
Brad Batcheller, KEO’s managing director of corporate
business development.