Saudi Arabia, the beating heart of the Arab world and an investment powerhouse and hub connecting three continents, is a kingdom guided by harmony, peace and respect.

As we commemorate the 91st Saudi National Day, Procter and Gamble wants to take a moment to express how proud we are to be a partner and a contributor toward the Kingdom’s social and economic prosperity.

It was more than six decades ago that we began an extraordinary and humbling journey in Saudi Arabia, evolving to become the first consumer goods production facility in the Kingdom. This enabled us to distribute first across the Kingdom and, later, export products produced in Saudi Arabia by Saudi manpower across more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe every year.

This growth would not have been possible without the strong partnership we formed with our local partners the Abu Dawood family, whose continuous support has shaped P&G brands into what they are today. In 1982, with support from our partners, we introduced more brands to the region.

With this partnership, we were able to empower Saudis and create new opportunities for the Saudi people. We evolved steadily, with dedication and determination, using our differences and uniqueness to derive strength to grow and expand.

Together, with trusted partners, we have designed a diversified portfolio of products that enables P&G to grow consistently and reliably, and we’ve developed the core strengths — consumer understanding, brand-building, innovation, go-to-market capability, and scale — that are needed to win in the Kingdom and beyond, and to inspire generations to come.

Made by Saudi talent

At the heart of P&G’s design for growth is our capability to innovate — broadly, reliably, and successfully, year after year, in every part of our business. We innovate across more categories and on more leading brands than any other consumer products company. And our businesses are run by women and men who are not only globally experienced general managers, but highly skilled innovation leaders too.

We are particularly proud of our women leaders in Saudi Arabia, with their meaningful presence in our plants and organization, as they leave their mark on our history, by leveraging their leadership strengths to become our ambassadors for the future. We now have more than 40 percent women holding leadership roles in the organization, including our first female sales director in Saudi Arabia.

We also firmly believe in private sector contributions to the socioeconomic development of Saudi Arabia by developing the local workforce. In the Kingdom, our HR strategies and plans are focused to achieve Saudization targets by customizing a number of bespoke training courses for staff to improve their capabilities and competencies. Our forward-looking policies aim to develop employees, providing Saudi nationals with excellent career opportunities and on-the-job training programs.

We have brought our international best practices to bear and set exemplary standards for others to follow in nurturing Saudi talent. We give the highest priority to creating opportunities for the professional growth of our employees. Our greatest assets are our people, so we spare no effort in ensuring the wellbeing of our employees in Saudi Arabia by helping them to develop themselves in their personal and professional lives.

Made for Saudi

Today we are a rapidly growing family, and we stand tall because of our employees, our partnership, our leaders and our achievements. This is an exciting time for P&G, but our rapid growth has presented real challenges with space, both to accommodate new equipment required to manufacture an ever-expanding range of products, and the number of people that we recruit for all aspects of our business.

Our philosophy is fundamental to our business success in Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East region. In our journey to this point, we overcame many difficulties, adapted to drastic changes, and blazed bold paths forward. As we look toward the future, we are committed to this resourcefulness and resolve more than ever.

We continue to honor our commitment to our leaders and to extend better service to our communities. We will continue to step up to achieve recognition to remain one of the world’s most efficient P&G plants.

We are proud to call this great nation our home — congratulations on Saudi Arabia National Day, innovating and evolving since 1932.

• Mohamed Faheem is P&G’s senior vice president — Saudi Arabia.