RIYADH: French healthcare multinational Sanofi has signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi women’s charity Al-Oula to support vulnerable communities in the Kingdom.
The MoU is in line with Sanofi’s social impact strategy, paving the way for the company’s employees to support Al-Oula’s community-based initiatives in the Kingdom through volunteering activities.
The activities are organized within the framework of Sanofi’s WeVolunteer employee program, launched recently in the Gulf region, a statement from the company said.
The signing ceremony of the Sanofi and Al-Oula MoU was attended by Catherine Corm-Kammoun, consul general of France in Jeddah.
Jean-Paul Scheuer, MCO lead and general manager for specialty care at Sanofi Greater Gulf, said: “Our commitment to support the social and economic development of the communities where we operate is built through partnerships with local stakeholders, rooted in our belief that together, we can make a bigger impact.
“Our collaboration with Al-Oula is fully aligned with our integrated CSR strategy and will help create opportunities for our employees to contribute to the well-being of underserved communities in KSA.
“As a global healthcare company, we believe we have a responsibility to play our part in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Through WeVolunteer, we hope to help address those challenges and we look forward to working with the team at Al-Oula to drive meaningful impact and make a difference in the lives of people and communities.”
Dr Hala Al-Shair, chairman of the board at Al-Oula, said: “We are delighted to see Sanofi stepping up to support and contribute to our initiatives. By orienting their CSR strategy toward expanding access to education, healthcare and improving the well-being of underprivileged groups in KSA, Sanofi gives itself a real opportunity to make a positive impact on local communities while setting an example for other large companies to follow.
“Our partnership with Sanofi builds on Al-Oula’s commitment to collaborate with like-minded partners to drive education and empowerment for women and children in the Kingdom,” added Al-Shair.
Under the framework of the MoU, Sanofi employees in the Kingdom will volunteer their time in a range of community-based initiatives organized by Al-Oula, including delivering lectures and organizing campaigns to improve health literacy, promoting diabetes awareness, and inculcating a culture of hygiene among children and young adults.
Sanofi will also provide mentoring support to help improve access to education for children, including hosting English lessons and storytelling sessions.
