Suliman S. Olayan School of Business at the American University of Beirut said it was planning to hold a conference on September 3 at the School’s building to announce the official launch of a local network for the United Nations Global Compact networks. The initiative is aimed at establishing an equitable employer/ director-employee/staff relationship based on 10 principles of business ethics including the respect for human rights and the rights of workers as well as protection of the environment and fighting corruption.
Professor of management at the school of business, Dima Jamali, who was elected at the UN based network as its representative in Lebanon, pointed out that the purpose of the project is to break the ‘vicious circle of the traditional employer-employee relationship. “The endeavor of institutions to make profits is legitimate, however, it should observe the profession’s ethics arising from mutual respect between the two parties,” Jamali said. She disclosed that some 37 local institutions have been accepted by the New York headquarters as members in the Lebanon network on the basis of their commitment to apply the above principles. She stressed that “employing such principles constitutes an essential incentive for increasing the productivity of employees and inspiring confidence between them and their managers”. Jamali announced the start of preparations for next year’s action plan aimed at promoting awareness in society on the importance of corporate social responsibility, adding that she was looking forward to a constructive dialogue between the public and private sectors to craft common grounds.”
(Source: An Nahar, September 1, 2015)
