NCB

The National Commercial Bank recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Department of Education, Madinah, to set up a speech and hearing laboratory at the Hope Institute. Mahmoud Turkistani, head of NCB community service unit, signed the deal with Dr. Bahjat Junaid, director general of Education in Madinah. Turkistani stressed that this initiative was part of the bank’s program to serve the community and support the education sector with the help of official bodies in various regions of the Kingdom. Junaid referred to the bank’s commitment to social responsibility in general and support of deaf students in particular and stressed that the Department of Education was ready for future cooperation with the NCB in implementing similar initiatives that serve the educational sector. The Department of Education will supervise the operation of the laboratory and ensure that students benefit from the scientific fields that they need during their studies.

GOSI

The General Organization of Social Insurance (GOSI) is planning to adopt a new version of Laserfiche document management system by the end of this year. The version 8 will witness a four-year relation between GOSI and the American company based in Long Beach, California, through their Saudi representative organization. Since the installation of Laserfiche system, GOSI has experienced smooth operations. According to Adel Al-Musallam, the document management system manager at GOSI, “the document management streamlines business processes, increases efficiency, ensures regulatory compliance, and assures prosperity.” GOSI is the first Saudi organization to adopt such developed system in the country, he said. According to GOSI, the application has smoothen their internal operations entirely, as they used to wait for days, sometimes weeks, before they could get one operation done.

CARREFOUR

Carrefour Hypermarket has launched reusable shopping bags as part of its campaign to reduce the consumption of plastic bags and check environmental pollution. The “first of its kind” initiative, undertaken in collaboration with the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME), marks Carrefour’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the countries where it is operating. “The initiative seeks to reduce the use of ordinary plastic bags and upgrade the environmental awareness among our clients and the public at large,” Christophe Rey of Carrefour Hypermarkets said in Riyadh. He underlined the need to encourage responsible public behavior in order to maintain a healthy environment. Abdullah Al-Ahmed, VP, Carrefour Hypermarkets Co, said: “Through this campaign, the company aims to spread awareness among the shoppers about the seriousness of the risks associated with the burning of plastic waste.”

LG

LG Electronics, the official sponsor of the Iraqi football team, underlined its support to the 2007 Asian Cup winners by honoring the squad members for their brilliant performance in one of the most tense football finals at a reception held in Amman recently. In commemoration of this victorious occasion and as a token of what the entire Iraqi team had achieved, the firm is planning to launch a promotional campaign in Iraq through which it will be engraving the players and their new found victory in the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. LG presented each of the 31 team members with a 32-inch LCD TV and a 42-inch LCD TV each to Captain Mahmoud, Coach Angus Vierra, president of the Iraqi Football Association, Hussein Said, and Najih Al-Hmoud, vice president of the Iraqi Football Association. Kevin Cha, GM, LG, Iraq, said that the Iraqi team carried with them the hopes and aspirations of the entire Arab world.

SIPCHEM

Saudi International Petrochemical Company (Sipchem) and its affiliates in Jubail Industrial City achieved another safety milestone of completing four million man-hours without lost-time injury on Aug. 4. This safety achievement is the result of commitment and dedication by all employees and also due to totally interdependent safety culture where teams and employees take care of each other. Ahmad Al-Ohali, executive president of Sipchem, congratulated all employees for the remarkable achievement and encouraged them to keep working hard with similar commitment to safety that will lead to more such milestones in the years to come. “Sipchem and its affiliates always endeavor to ensure that all their employees and property are safe and eliminate all injuries and unsafe acts and conditions,” he said.

SNAS/DHL

SNAS/DHL has received worldwide recognition as an investor in people. It claims to be the first company to achieve this global recognition in the Middle East. The company received its accreditation earlier this week in a letter of congratulations from Investor In People organization. By investing in people, SNAS/DHL will enjoy a higher level of performance, greater workforce stability and a level of continuity that assures preservation of the knowledge base, customer loyalty, and employee satisfaction in order to always lead the way and be in Pole Position. Nour Suliman, SNAS/DHL country GM, said: “We are very proud to receive this recognition as it is one of the highest levels in the HR industry and we are the first company to be awarded in the Middle East. This recognition is presented to companies that, among other things, can demonstrate the ability to have a good working environment, and recognize and celebrate success.”

STARBUCKS

The inviting aromas and tastes of Arabian and African coffees fill all Starbucks stores this summer with the introduction of its Arabian Mocha Sanani, Tanzania, Gazebo Blend and Rift Valley coffees. These coffees are a lot like summer itself, citrusy, floral and fruity, and available for a limited time only at its selected Middle East locations. These “high quality” coffees provide customers with a glimpse of Arabia and Africa and make it possible for coffee lovers to enjoy an unusual but delicious summertime treat. “Arabian Mocha Sanani from Yemen is considered one of the coffee world’s most exotic treasures,” said Antoun Abou Jaoude, marketing manager for Starbucks Coffee Middle East. Tanzania coffee possesses currant and berry flavors as well as lemony acidity and East African citrus, he added.