The National CSR Fund – MAJRA hosted the ‘Impact Retreat’ event on November 29, in the presence of His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Chairman of MAJRA’s Board of Trustees, along with members of the Board of Trustees and private sector companies that received the Impact Medal for Social Responsibility. The retreat’s key goal is to motivate private sector companies to boost awareness and active involvement in social responsibility practices, in accordance with the UAE’s environmental, social, economic and governance indicators as well as the priorities and goals of sustainable development.

H.E. Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri emphasised that the country continues to lead in fostering social responsibility practices through innovative initiatives that seek to achieve a sustainable positive impact on society while expressing his appreciation for the directives of the nation’s wise leadership. Additionally, he pointed out that Impact Retreat serves as an ideal forum that convenes renowned private sector leaders and stakeholders to forge strategic partnerships and make concerted efforts that foster social responsibility through an elaborate national agenda that aligns with national priorities and sustainable development goals.

H.E. Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri said: “This initiative marks a significant step in boosting the private sector’s involvement in developing new frameworks and policies to address development challenges. It fosters innovation and teamwork,further supporting the creation of a balanced and sustainable economy that benefits the society and future generations in accordance with national priorities and sustainable development goals, such as the ‘National Sustainability Strategy’ and the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision.”

During the retreat, participants explored innovative ideas and initiatives and identified projects within the social responsibility agenda that have the potential to contribute to attaining the UAE’s notional objectives. Additionally, it provided a platform to promote communication and cooperation among relevant private sector stakeholders and enhance their involvement in developing policies and making decisions that would benefit society.

Sarah Shaw, Director of the National CSR Fund – MAJRA, said: “At MAJRA, we are committed to aligning the capabilities of the private sector with our country’s national priorities in the areas of corporate social responsibility, sustainability and sustainable impact. As part of our efforts to enhance awareness of CSR across businesses, we create an ecosystem that can measure the impact of CSR initiatives in the UAE and assess their effectiveness, as well as develop a framework to evaluate company contributions and the impact of these contributions.”

The retreat featured a variety of discussion sessions centred on five national priority axes, including education, arts, culture and history, the environment, health care, and technology, to develop proposed projects. The participants were divided into two main categories, with the first group, ‘main community segments,’ representing youth and students, women and girls, the elderly, people of determination, and families and the second group, ‘secondary community segments,’ indicating small companies, entrepreneurs, creative experts, third sector institutions and community members.

During the Impact Retreat, participants reviewed a wide array of innovative and creative ideas that help the Fund’s development initiatives and build new foundations for society. Over the course of the next three years, MAJRA will implement several selected initiatives in line with its goals of mitigating the pressing social issues and advancing the UAE’s vision of sustainability and prosperity.