Officials participating in the webinar.
Qatar Chamber (QC) participated in a webinar about the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) – the world’s largest initiative for corporate sustainability.
The webinar was organised by the Kuwait & Qatar -UN Global Compact Office with the participation of the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry and several representatives of Qatari and Kuwaiti companies.
Director of Legal Affairs Department at Qatar Chamber Abdulaziz Al Kuwari attended the meeting alongside Deputy Director-General of Kuwait Chamber Hamad Al Omar, Manager of Kuwait & Qatar-UN Global Compact Rabaa Al Juma and Participant Engagement Manager for Asia Pacific – UN Global Compact Simiao You.
Speaking at the webinar, Al Kuwari assured the importance of informing Qatar and Kuwait business communities on the compact, noting that it is the world’s largest sustainability initiative.
He also said that the compact supports companies to do business responsibly by aligning their strategies and operations with Ten Principles on human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption; and take strategic actions to advance broader societal goals, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, with an emphasis on collaboration and innovation.
Al Kuwari stressed the Chamber’s keenness to join the compact as it is in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, pointing out that it would urge companies to join the compact and would hold seminars and workshops to promote this important initiative.
Also speaking at the event, Al Omar said the webinar comes within the framework of cooperation between Kuwait and Qatar Chambers, assuring that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) is paramount for business communities.
Al Omar indicated that the repercussions of COVID-19 on world economies reflected the leading role of companies in supporting governmental efforts towards achieving the UN’s SDGS for 2030, affirming the need to urge companies to join the UNGC and adopt its ten principles in their strategies and operations.
Al Juma went on to thank the Qatar Chamber for participating in the webinar, which highlights the UNGC that aims to create a sustainable world and open new opportunities for companies to promote sustainability worldwide. Al Juma also emphasised the leading role performed by companies in societies and their contribution in protecting climate, environmental and other UN SDGS, indicating that the compact represents a catalyst and reference for the company’s sustainability.
You also delivered a presentation on the importance of compact for corporate sustainability and how to join it, as well as series and platforms it offers for companies.
According to You, the UNGC was established in 1999 with the aim to establish a global platform for exchanging values and principles for a better world; and pointed out that it consists of ten principles in four pillars which are labour, anti-corruption, human rights and environment.
She called upon companies to align their activities and strategies with the UNGC Ten Principles to achieve goals of the sustainability development.
