TECOM Group, a member of Dubai Holding, and a thriving ecosystem consisting of 11 business communities that has been recognised as an integral driver of Dubai’s knowledge and innovation economy since 1999, became one of only four organisations across the region to receive the Advanced CSR Label from Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Dubai Chamber).

The award recognises companies in the GCC region that implement outstanding CSR and sustainability practices across seven impact areas, including Workplace, Marketplace, Community, Environment, Stakeholders’ Involvement, Steering and Governing. Dubai Chamber commended TECOM Group for its efforts to integrate socially responsible business practices into its operations.

His Excellency Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chamber, presented the Advanced CSR Label to Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Commercial Officer of TECOM Group, in a special ceremony held at Dubai Chamber on 28 February.

The recognition is testament to the success of the Group’s endeavours to enhance its brand reputation through active involvement in CSR activities, in addition to its revised CSR strategy that comprises a CSR framework, a CSR strategy map and relevant KPIs.

Speaking on the award, Abdulla Belhoul said: “TECOM Group is an integral contributor to establishing Dubai as one of the smartest and most sustainable cities in the world in line with Dubai Plan 2021. Sustainability and social responsibility are at the core of our business as we develop industries, enable companies to thrive and attract talent from around the world.”

He also highlighted TECOM Group’s continued commitment to empowering its employees, nurturing its community and advancing best practices as the key tenets of the sustainable and diversified growth of Dubai’s economy.

Belhoul added: “The award marks a new high for TECOM, whose achievements are not solely business-centred but also geared towards building and engaging the surrounding community. Over the past year, we have developed a new CSR framework to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders within our business ecosystem and ensure that we operate in an ethically responsible manner.”

His Excellency Majid Saif Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, congratulated TECOM Group for receiving the Dubai Chamber Advanced CSR Label, which he described as a symbol of CSR excellence and best business practices. He expressed his confidence that the company’s achievements would inspire other businesses to embed sustainable practices within their operations and reach new milestones.

As a champion of the energy-conscious and responsible approach to doing business, TECOM Group is dedicated to achieving sustainability through improving operational efficiencies and reducing its environmental impact while generating value. The Group has an ongoing waste management partnership with Bee’ah, the UAE’s leading integrated environmental and waste management company, and compiles metal, paper and plastics recycling reports.

Furthermore, as part of its corporate social responsibility mandate, TECOM Group has launched several community outreach initiatives with a focus on education and health since 2017, and established productive partnerships with local charity and humanitarian institutions. Notably, the partners of Dubai International Academic City and Dubai Knowledge Park provided scholarships worth a total of AED35 million to more than 2,800 students in the UAE. In 2018, the Group launched WeWalk, an annual charity walkathon that aims to support community initiatives. In its first edition, the event helped raise funds to provide life-transforming support to children and adults with determination, in collaboration with Al Jalila Foundation that transforms lives through medical education and research. In its second edition this March, WeWalk supported the cause of autism in collaboration with Dubai Autism Centre (DAC).

The Dubai Chamber Advanced CSR Label also acknowledged the superior quality of TECOM Group’s HR policies and procedures, employee training and development programmes, employee recognition schemes and employee engagement activities. In 2017, the Group trained around 88 per cent of its employees on their chosen learning paths, delivering over 180,000 training hours in more than 900 trainings through TECOM Learning Hub.