Arabia CSR Network to discuss sustainability reporting in Gulf institutions

Arabia CSR Network, the Middle East region’s leading training service provider and think tank, will discuss the developmental process of sustainability reporting in Gulf institutions during the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards launch event in the UAE’s capital city in September.

Titled ‘GRI Standards Launch Event Abu Dhabi,’ the free-of-charge gathering at the InterContinental Hotel Abu Dhabi on September 19, 2017, will feature global experts who will lead interactive and detailed discussions on the benefits of the new GRI Standards, which will replace the soon-to-be-phased-out GRI G4 Guidelines. The GRI Standards are the world’s first global standards for sustainability reporting.

GRI helps public and private businesses to better understand and report their impact on critical sustainability issues such as climate change, human rights and corruption. GRI said it was addressing the changing landscape of report regulation with the implementation of the new standards, which also reflect the body’s evolving framework structure. The Arabia CSR Network is GRI’s Certified Training Partner in the UAE, with its President and CEO, Habiba Al Marashi, being an active member of the GRI Stakeholder Council, and a certified training partner for the Global Sustainability Reporting Initiative in the UAE since 2011.

Al Marashi said, "The Arabia CSR Network is excited to be playing a major role in this important and landmark upcoming event in Abu Dhabi. Participants from the Gulf region will be given the opportunity to tackle the new GRI Standards with international experts and their peers, who seek to be updated on the latest developments in the sustainability reporting landscape. The exchange of ideas and knowledge will encourage better appreciation of the value of the new standards. Even if they are just reporting for the first time or are already seasoned reporters, all participants will have an ideal venue to participate in the many learning and networking opportunities under one roof. Experts will be on hand to answer their questions and effectively help them make the necessary transition."

Arabia CSR Network is committed to equipping Arab organisations with the right competencies for effective corporate social responsibility implementation. As part of its mission, it provides relevant training sessions to various regional institutions to raise their knowledge on how to report in compliance with the new GRI standards. This is also a reflection of its support for the ongoing shift to a knowledge-driven economic framework in the UAE and the rest of the Middle East region.