Aramco Signs MoU to Empower Fishermen in Jazan

Visitors are seen at the Saudi Aramco stand at the Middle East Process Engineering Conference & Exhibition in Manama, Bahrain, October 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo
Visitors are seen at the Saudi Aramco stand at the Middle East Process Engineering Conference & Exhibition in Manama, Bahrain, October 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo
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Aramco Signs MoU to Empower Fishermen in Jazan

Visitors are seen at the Saudi Aramco stand at the Middle East Process Engineering Conference & Exhibition in Manama, Bahrain, October 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo
Visitors are seen at the Saudi Aramco stand at the Middle East Process Engineering Conference & Exhibition in Manama, Bahrain, October 9, 2016. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed/File Photo

Saudi Aramco signed on Thursday a memorandum of understanding with Nesma Holding and Albir Society to empower low-income fishermen in Baish, Jazan with required skills and mechanisms to allow them to have a sustainable income.

This falls under Aramco’s initiative entrusted with empowering productive households.

The MoU was signed by Aramco Vice President Nasser al-Nafise, Nesma Holding Co. Chairman Saleh bin Ali al-Turki and Albir Director General Mohammad bin Ali Fakeeh.

Aramco has made this initiative as part of its role in citizenship and to achieve its goals in building and developing local communities. The initiative aims at empowering 50 low-income Saudi fishermen in Baish, Jazan, by providing them with new fishing boats.

Nafise stated that this initiative is in line with Aramco’s citizenship strategy that aims at creating opportunities for nationals and empowering low-income nationals.

Nafise noted that Aramco is joining efforts with its partners Nesma Holding and Albir Society to lay the framework for the prosperous communities in a manner that accomplishes the Saudi Vision 2030 goals.

The initiative reinforces the beneficiaries’ income because it will boost fishing abilities by allowing the new boats to reach distant areas and remain safely for long hours in the sea as well as giving them better chances of catching more fish. It also entails specialized courses to train fishermen and enable them to deal with all circumstances at sea.

The initiative falls under a basket of programs that were launched by Aramco in various regions in the kingdom to empower productive households in local communities.



Global Corporate Social Responsibility Kicks off in Riyadh

The inaugural Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Forum kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
The inaugural Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Forum kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
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Global Corporate Social Responsibility Kicks off in Riyadh

The inaugural Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Forum kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)
The inaugural Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Forum kicked off in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)

The inaugural Global Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Forum kicked off in Riyadh on Monday under the patronage of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Organized by the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development under the theme "From Commitment to Impact", the forum aims to promote social responsibility initiatives.

In opening remarks, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Eng. Ahmad bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi said: "Saudi Arabia's goal for this forum is to serve as a global platform for dialogue on social responsibility, enabling us to meet, exchange expertise, and discuss challenges, solutions, and opportunities to expand private sector involvement in sustainable development. Together, we aim to set a global model for creating new partnerships between the public and private sectors."

Saudi Arabia's achievements in the field of social responsibility represent an "inspiring transformation and empowerment story", with social responsibility recognized as a strategic objective in the Saudi Vision 2030, that of "promoting corporate social responsibility", he added.

This has led to the developing tools and enablers that would drive strategic transformation in corporate social responsibility, including the establishment of a Social Responsibility Committee by a Cabinet decision, formulating a social responsibility strategy, launching a national social responsibility platform to lead transparency in social responsibility.

It also led to declaring March 23 as an annual Social Responsibility Day, highlighting private sector initiatives, issuing a corporate social responsibility guide, developing a social responsibility index in the Saudi market, and establishing a unified national identity for social responsibility.

Al-Rajhi cited a significant increase in corporate social responsibility engagement across Saudi Arabia. These contributions to social spending jumped from 1.19% in 2019 to 4.15% by the end of 2023, while the percentage of large companies with CSR programs jumped from 30% to 65% during the same period.

This progress is reflected in Saudi Arabia's improved global ranking, climbing to 16th place in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024's Social Responsibility Index, up from 41st in 2021. Al-Rajhi was confident that Saudi Arabia will be among the top CSR countries in the world by 2030.

At the forum, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development aims to engage decision makers from the private sector, government representatives, development organizations, and experts in social responsibility and sustainability in discussions on challenges and opportunities for growth.

The forum seeks to foster innovation, shape the future of social responsibility on a global scale, encourage excellence and competitiveness, facilitate partnerships among public, private, and non-profit sectors, and expand opportunities for international collaboration in this field.