Bel Group joins CCI France UAE in calling for all French companies in the country and the region to ‘shoulder their environmental responsibilities’ and join the Global Compact Network UAE to drive real impactful change
Dubai: Bel Group, the global leader in dairy branded cheese and a major player in healthy single serving portions, has signed on to engage with the Global Compact Network UAE, a non-binding UN organization that encourages businesses to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation. The signing ceremony, held at the French Pavilion at Expo 2020, was done in tandem with a full-day conference focusing on climate change and sustainability, attended by regional government and business leaders, including H.E Eng. Saif Mohamed AlShara, Assistant Undersecretary of the Food Diversity Sector at the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Nathalie Kennedy, Consul General of France in Dubai and Northern Emirates, along with CCI France UAE, member of the global network of French Chambers of Commerce Abroad (CCI France International).
Expressing his appreciation to Bel Group for recognizing the strong correlation between climate change and food security, H.E. Eng. Saif Mohamed AlShara said “The vital food and beverage industry can play an important role in reducing global emissions and mitigating the impacts of climate change on food security, helping meet the ambitions of SDG 2: Zero Hunger and other related goals.” Continued H.E. Eng Al Shara: “Today’s signing makes us confident that we are together on the right path towards achieving the sustainable future to which we aspire, and we hope that many more companies will follow the example of Bel Group and join this impactful global effort.“
“At Bel Group, sustainability is at the core of our ethos,” said Cecile Beliot-Zind, Bel Group’s Group Executive Vice President, who is in Dubai for the ceremony and conference. “As a member of the Global Compact Network for nearly two decades now, we have taken a science-backed, robust, and measurable approach to mitigate our own environmental footprint by cutting down on carbon emissions and water usage – a commitment we have made across all markets we operate in. By engaging with the Global Compact Network UAE, we can translate our expertise to the region, and join other business leaders in balancing the needs of the planet with our financial obligations to our stakeholders.”
Eng. Waleed Salman, Chairman for the Global Compact Network UAE, hosted by the World Green Economy Organization, underscored the important role that the private sector has in fostering change and driving environmental responsibility. “An alarming report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last year alluded to the fact that the region may become uninhabitable by the end of the century if action is not taken immediately to mitigate climate change and its ramifications,” explained Eng. Waleed Salman. “Real change – real concrete actions – have to happen now and the private sector should be leading these efforts. Furthermore, the Global Compact Network UAE is proud to be supporting businesses building climate resilience and become leaders at the forefront of the climate movement”.
Garo Matossian, Bel Group’s Middle East Cluster General Manager, further reiterated the brand’s commitment to sustainability and Bel’s role in the UAE and the entire region, especially in light of the brand’s engagement with the Local Network.
“The UAE’s leadership, in addition to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, have taken the helm of the regional sustainability agenda by announcing their own ambitious net zero targets, ” explained Matossian. “While governments are driving the agenda, the responsibility to deliver on Net Zero falls on businesses and corporations from across the value and supply chain – particularly in the food industry. Today’s commitment to adhere to the UN Global Compact principles-based approach to responsible business is testament to our firm and unfettered responsibility in supporting the region’s sustainability and climate action visions, and I urge all our suppliers, distributors, and retailers – and even our competition – to engage in this approach in order to work together on reducing our environmental impact in the country together and inspire other businesses – and even residents – to do the same.”
The call for French companies in the United Arab Emirates and the region to join the Global Compact Network UAE was underscored by CCI France UAE and supported by the UAE Local Network.
“The UAE – and the region as a whole – has been home to a multitude of French firms for years, and we owe it to our hosts to join them in their journey to achieve net zero emissions by 2050,” said Agnes Lopez Cruz , Managing Director of CCI France UAE. “I therefore call on all French companies to follow Bel Group’s lead and shoulder their environmental responsibilities in the UAE and the GCC.”
Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, Majid Al Futtaim’s Chief Sustainability Officer and Vice Chairman for the Global Compact Network UAE also shared the participants’ sense of urgency to take action: “It is our responsibility to mitigate unsustainable practices of the past, “green” our current economy and living spaces, and clear the path for a better shared future. To manage this climate crisis effectively, we need global and regional climate action collaboration and a unified vision to make impact. Under the guidance of the UAE’s visionary net-zero commitments supported by the Global Compact Network UAE, businesses around the globe have the opportunity to reshape the way they operate and transform the way they work. Today’s event is a prime example of joining forces for global climate action.”
About Bel Group:
Founded in 1865, Bel is a family company. The Group is a world leader in branded cheese and a major player in healthy single serving portions Its international development draws on a portfolio of positive brands, which attract consumers in more than 120 countries through an ambitious and sustainable growth strategy. Guided by its corporate mission, Bel Group aims to promote healthier, responsible, and accessible food for all consumers worldwide by offering them a range of healthy snacks that enable everyone to enjoy the goodness of dairy, plant-based, and fruit products. The group has 29 factories located in numerous countries and has been operating in the Middle East for over 70 years.
About the UN Global Compact and the Global Compact Network UAE:
Launched in 2000 as a special initiative of the UN Secretary General, the UN Global Compact provides a framework for developing a more sustainable and responsible business. It is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with the ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption.
To deliver on its mandate, the UN Global Compact operates through its 69 Local Networks. Hosted by the World Green Economy Organization, the Global Compact Network UAE is one of the five Local Networks in the region and operates through a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UN Global Compact HQ (HQ). It was established with the ambition to mobilize the private sector to adopt the Ten Principles and the Sustainable Development Goals and foster change through a local lens.
About CCI France UAE:
CCI FRANCE UAE is a private organization under local law, result of the strategic alliance between the French Business Council Dubai & Northern Emirates and the French Business Group Abu Dhabi. CCI FRANCE UAE represents a community of more than 800 members, from SMEs and multinationals.
With more than thirty years of experience in the UAE, CCI FRANCE UAE’s main missions are to:
- Strengthen and promote Franco-Emirates relations, through its privileged relationships with local governmental entities.
- Support French-based companies in their set-up and business development in the UAE,
- Animate French and Francophile companies by offering networking opportunities, sectorial and functional events with high added value.
- Promote member companies within the business community in the UAE.
CCI FRANCE UAE is member of the CCI France International network which includes 126 chambers in 96 countries. Our entity represents today the largest French, Francophone and Francophile business community in the Middle East.
