Saudi Rheumatism Association
Guided by the objectives of the Charitable Association for Rheumatism Patients, its pursuit of institutional excellence, and its commitment to delivering high-quality, specialized services in line with the standards of the Ministry of Labor and Social Development—and in support of Saudi Vision 2030, which calls for greater nonprofit-sector impact and contribution and enables the sector to become more institutional and sustainable—the Association joined the United Nations Global Compact. It is the first health association in the Kingdom to gain this important membership, which will help align its work and comprehensive plans with the ten universal principles covering human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption. This will help ensure that the Association develops in ways that benefit its service recipients and the broader community. The United Nations Global Compact is the world's largest voluntary initiative for advancing organizational social responsibility, with more than 128,000 corporate and nonprofit members in 145 countries. In this context, Association Board Chairman Dr. Mohammed bin Ahmed Hamza Omair explained that the new membership complements the Association's efforts to strengthen its institutional system through an integrated investment model that considers the social and environmental returns of different projects while embracing best practices at every level. Dr. Omair affirmed that adopting the globally recognized principles of development, policy disclosure, and governance under the United Nations Global Compact is consistent with the Association's commitment to continually developing and improving every aspect of its work. For her part, Board Vice Chair Dr. Wafaa bint Mohammed Suwairi expressedher pleasure at the results of cooperation between the Association and members of the United Nations Global Compact. She explained, “We look forward to sharing the Association's practices and achievements in developing practical solutions and effective strategies that can help overcome social challenges and serve rheumatism patients throughout the Kingdom.” By joining an elite group of organizations and charities participating in the initiative, the Association will gain access to a wealth of ideas and recommendations for advancing sustainable development across the region. It will also be able to draw on the United Nations' global network of expertise and relationships in sustainable-development matters. The Association will publish an annual report on its progress in implementing the ten principles and participating in partnership projects that support the United Nations development goals through the initiative's website. The Association is also preparing to adopt the Global Reporting Initiative, which provides general guidance on methods and mechanisms for reporting on sustainable-development progress. Reports issued by the Charitable Association for Rheumatism Patients will cover the returns generated by its community investments and charitable activities, as well as nonfinancial indicators relating to human rights, gender equality, community impact, environmental performance, and governance.
Published 25 April 2019
