Bahrain, Gulf Daily News, Local News, 17-02-2008, Sunday

Website backs social causes By REBECCA TORR WEBSITE promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been launched in Bahrain. It can be found at www.bahraincsr.com and has been created by Al Badeel for Training and Development. The main aim is to raise awareness about CSR and to help connect local companies with projects that need support. According to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, CSR is "the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large". Al Badeel CSR adviser Sama Al Alawi said the website will be used as a forum where companies can find out the needs of the society. "Instead of companies donating here and there they will be able to find out what donations the country needs," she told the GDN. "They will be able to go to the website and see all of the donations in Bahrain and find research, studies and courses in CSR." The CSR website in Arabic and English aims to enhance the concept of social responsibility within Bahrain and the GCC community by recording contributions companies make to societal development programmes. It will record news and national and international studies and reports on social responsibility. It will also publicise and organise training courses, conferences and seminars on social responsibility. The launch ceremony was held under the patronage of InJAz Bahrain chief executive director Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa. Shaikha Hessa also presented an award to Former Bapco president and Gulf Air board member Dr Mustafa Al Sayed in recognition of his contributions to CSR. Dr Al Sayed's support includes the contributions he made to the publication of Bapco 75 Years of Social Responsibility, this year to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the discovery of the first oil well in Bahrain. Shura Council chairman Dr Ali Saleh Al Saleh, Al Badeel vice-president Dr Khalid Jassim, Al Badeel adviser Dr Abdulsalam Al Jishi and Al Badeel managing director Mona Al Sayed also spoke at the event. Al Badeel, is a Bahrain-based organisation that specialises in training, consultancy and education, event arrangement, studies, documentation, and information systems.