Morocco’s BMCE Bank, ACWA Power among 2020 Arabia CSR Awards recipients

Morocco’s BMCE Bank and ACWA Power Maroc won honors at the 13th Arabia CSR Network Awards, regarded as the ‘Green Oscars of the Middle East’.

 

The awards recognize the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of green champions from across the region.

 

BMCE Bank Group won the CSR award in the category of Financial Services, while ACWA Power Maroc won in the Partnerships and Cooperation category.

Arabia CSR Network’s award initiative, launched in 2008, aims to advance corporate social responsibility and sustainability in the Middle East.

This year, the twenty award winners were selected on the basis of international benchmarks such as the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Principles, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) model, and the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The Dubai-based network selected BMCE Bank and ACWA Power Maroc for their respect for certain of these global principles.

 

In July 2019, BMCE Bank demonstrated its commitment to these principles when it announced its decision to contribute to the financing and development of Tangier’s Tech City, a business hub designed to create 100,000 job opportunities and house 300,000 people, the Morocco World News website recalled.

 

In January, e-recruitment website ReKrute named BMCE Bank 2019’s most attractive employer in Morocco. BMCE also came first in ReKrute’s list of the 25 most attractive companies in terms of employment.

 

ACWA Power also focuses on principles of sustainability. It is a water desalination and power generation company operating the Noor Power Plant, the world’s largest concentrated solar power (CSP) farm.

 

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, ACWA Power Maroc decided to support residents near the Noor solar power station ACWA operates. The company purchased and distributed 47 tons of basic goods, including food and hygiene products, for locals, mwn added.

 

In 2018, ACWA Power collaborated with Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (WOCAN) to support the women around the Noor Power Plant as a corporate social responsibility project.

 

WOCAN is a women-led international membership network of female and male professionals and women’s associations.

 

The collaboration between the two aims to quantify and monetize the social capital created by women, to recognize and reward their contributions to sustainable environments and communities, according to the organization.

 

Arabia CSR Network selected BMCE Bank Group and ACWA Power among applicants from nine Middle Eastern countries working in 34 different sectors, including Automotive Industry.