Thinking differently about water resources management is a requirement if society is to improve the management of natural resources and achieve the goal of food and energy security. To support a change in thinking, investments are required to build knowledge and lead to institutional reform. Collaboration among policy makers, managers and extension services is needed,…
FOOD + WATER + ENERGY + CLIMATE CHANGE + POPULATION GROWTH With its semi-arid / arid climate, the MENA region is the world’s most water scarce region. While the area has long been under pressure to adapt to water security and has developed various technical solutions and industrial mechanisms to deal with environmental constraints, water…
Water is emerging as the number one global concern in terms of development; the global population is growing fast and estimates show that with current practices, the world will face a 40% shortfall between forecasted demand and available supply of water by 2030. By 2025, 1.8 billion people, approximately 25% of the global population, will…
At the first annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) conference in the UAE on 12 June, Mohammad Ahmad Bin Abdul Azis Al Shehhi, Undersecretary for Economic Affairs in the Ministry of the Economy, made the announcement that by the end of 2017 it will be mandatory for large corporations in the UAE to declare their CSR…
There are undoubtedly different ways of measuring the desired social impact of CSR initiatives, as was evident from the methods used by organizations in the research. In general, however, there is a tendency to utilize a balanced score card with specific KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). The importance of measuring the long-term impact resurfaced throughout the…
A green economy contributes to societal progress and human well-being. Redirecting investments towards goods and services meets the basic needs of society, such as access to clean energy, safe water, healthy choices, employment opportunities etc., strengthening human and social capital. In developing a green economy, it is important to ensure that policies and progressive strategies…
Globally, we are moving towards a greener economy. Governments and businesses are not only declaring a commitment to sustainable models of operation, but are actively implementing national-level strategies to coordinate this transition. Embracing nature’s value in the Middle
SDG 3: Health and Sustainable development: Health is inextricably linked to sustainable development. The health of the population is an outcome of sustainable development as well as a means to achieving sustainability. Environmental degradation, mismanagement of natural resources, and unhealthy consumption patterns and lifestyles impact on the health of the population. Ill health hampers poverty…
A typical SME in the MENA region: Has a simplified internal communication system that is usually informal Has control over business operations and decisions residing with one or two persons who are often family members Is privately owned Globally, there are around 36-44 million formal SMEs, 65-70% of which are in emerging markets. In the…
Over the past few weeks, we have been conducting an informal poll on our website, on the challenges of Eco friendly product promotion. A common theme we hear from our clients is that there is still resistance from their customers on paying premium prices for green products. We wanted to find out the reasons behind…
International governments have started implementing the principle of corporate social responsibility (CSR) into policies and strategies affecting all sectors of society, in order to ensure that both the public and the private sectors adopt practices and methodologies that demonstrate a sense of responsibility towards society, the environment, and the economy. The United Nations Secretary-General recently…
Education to Employment Bridge Saudi continues to build Employment – Education Bridge In Pursuit Of Knowledge based economy. In Saudi Arabia, like many countries, companies are keen to demonstrate their commitments towards improving the connection between school leavers and the jobs market. Not only does this commitment demonstrate an understanding by companies of the gap…
