Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Introduction

Organizations operating in the MENA region face increasing pressure to align with sustainability standards and demonstrate accountability toward society and the environment.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to an organization's structured commitment to integrate social and environmental concerns into its strategic and operational decisions.

This course targets executive leaders, team managers, and professionals in human resources, corporate affairs, sustainability, marketing, and project management across key sectors.
Participants will gain structured tools to design, implement, and assess CSR programs aligned with international best practices and local operating environments.

Course Objectives

• Define core concepts and principles of CSR.
• Analyze the relationship between CSR and organizational performance.
• Evaluate global CSR models and adapt them to local contexts.
• Develop CSR programs aligned with corporate strategy.
• Apply tools to measure social and environmental impact.
• Integrate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into CSR planning.
• Improve stakeholder engagement processes.
• Build sustainability reporting systems based on recognized standards (e.g., GRI).

Course Outlines

Day 1 – Fundamentals of CSR

• Definition and institutional relevance of CSR.
• Evolution of CSR globally and regionally.
• Differentiation between philanthropy and institutional sustainability.
• CSR's impact on governance and organizational reputation.
• Sector-specific CSR practices in MENA.
• Overview of governance frameworks influencing CSR design.

Day 2 – Building a CSR Strategy

• Assessing current organizational CSR status.
• Identifying high-priority impact areas.
• Aligning CSR strategy with business goals.
• Developing an execution roadmap with clear metrics.
• Gaining leadership buy-in.
• Integrating CSR into risk and compliance structures.

Day 3 – Implementing Social and Environmental Initiatives

• Designing and deploying CSR initiatives.
• Managing human and financial resources.
• Engaging employees in CSR delivery.
• Partnering with NGOs and community stakeholders.
• Embedding CSR into core business operations.
• Case study: Designing a CSR initiative.

Day 4 – Measuring Performance and Reporting

• Key performance indicators for CSR initiatives.
• Quantitative and qualitative impact measurement tools.
• Building sustainability reports based on GRI standards.
• Analyzing data to drive program improvements.
• Benchmarking against international norms.
• Documenting and standardizing reporting outputs.

Day 5 – Stakeholder Engagement and Final Review

• Identifying and categorizing stakeholder groups.
• Developing a structured stakeholder communication plan.
• Managing CSR-related reputational risks.
• Final presentations of participant projects.
• Post-course evaluation and certification.
• Review of reporting outputs and discussion.

Why Attend this Course: Wins & Losses!

• Gain structured knowledge of CSR planning and execution.
• Learn how to build and assess effective CSR programs.
• Improve alignment with compliance and sustainability expectations.
• Strengthen stakeholder trust and institutional transparency.
• Exposure to real-world CSR models applicable to the MENA context.
• Content tailored to multiple career levels.
• Application of GRI-based reporting frameworks.
• Alignment with SDGs and institutional governance.

Conclusion

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a critical element in modern organizational management and long-term sustainability.

This course enables participants to design strategic CSR frameworks, measure outcomes using standard performance tools, and implement institutional approaches that integrate CSR across operations.