OCGS to organise first Sustainability Conference

MUSCAT: To encourage concepts of governance and sustainability in all institutions in Oman, the Oman Centre for Governance and Sustainability (OCGS) will hold its first Sustainability Conference on December 4 at the Oman Convention Centre, under the patronage of Dr Yahya bin Mahfoudh Al Mantheri, Chairman of the State Council.
The conference will be attended by ministers, undersecretaries and representatives of businesses, along with decision makers in sustainability from Oman and abroad.
The conference will cover topics such as social responsibility, general and private partnerships for social impact, and social innovation, with the participation of prominent speakers from Oman and abroad, as well as chief executive officers of sustainability institutions.
Sayyid Hamid Sultan Al Busaidy, Executive Director of OCGS, said the conference will witness the launching of the “National Policy Charter in Sustainability and Social Responsibility” which aims to be a benchmark for all institutions in developing best practices in sustainability.
The conference will include discussion sessions on “Developing Sustainability Strategies in Oman”, which will address the steps adopted by the Sultanate to include sustainability in its 2040 Vision, as well as discussions about the national goal to align sustainability plans with United National Millennium Development Goals. The second dialogue session will be entitled “Social Strategic Investment Programmes”. This session will address the concept of social responsibility and explain the difference between it and social investment in companies.
The third discussion session is named, “Public and private sector partnerships and measuring the impact on the community”. The session will discuss the role of the different sectors and importance of cooperation for the mutual benefit to ensure sustainable development. The fourth session will be “Disclosure and Reports on Sustainability”. This session will discuss the importance of disclosure and transparency on the performance of those companies in the capital markets and the role of disclosure in expanding the confidence between the institutions and participants.
The conference is a valuable opportunity for companies to take part, to show their role in social responsibility and sustainability, and their contribution to the nation’s economy.
OCGS had previously organised a workshop on preparation of unified national policies in social responsibility and sustainability, attended by 55 persons representing 36 institutions from the public and private sectors.
OCGS is an independent non-profit institution with the aim of spreading the concept and culture of governance and sustainability.