JCCI is organizing the two-day event under the aegis of Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal.

“The social responsibility forum aims to translate social responsibility programs initiated by companies into effective strategies, in addition to drawing up a national plan for corporate social commitment in order to fight poverty by investing in human resources. It will also focus on the environment,” JCCI Deputy Chairman Mazen Batterjee told a press conference at the chamber’s headquarters in Jeddah.

Batterjee added that the forum is part of the JCCI’s efforts to make Jeddah a regional hub for conferences and other activities.

He said despite the low number of Saudi corporations, there were many instances of corporate social responsibility in the Kingdom.

“We hope that with the familiarization of the culture of corporate social responsibility, a number of problems facing society and economy will be solved with profit to all parties involved,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the Corporate Social Responsibility Center at the JCCI Ahmad Al-Hamdan said: “The chamber opened its first center for social responsibility in order to encourage all companies to adopt social development initiatives. The center also coordinates with companies to implement their initiatives in a manner that brings in excellent results.”

Al-Hamdan added that the activities of the center included organizing forums, exhibitions and other activities, apart from supervising the funds that would be set up for future activities.

Director of Business Development and Administration Affairs of the Mawad Al-Emaar Holding Faisal Al-Aqeel said his company was a strategic partner in the forum, adding that investment in corporate social responsibility was a long-term investment for growth.

He said goals of the forum included adopting issues related to the city such as finding new employment opportunities for youth, offering job training to them, environment development, and support to poor families and those with special needs.