Suhar: The North al Batinah Social Investment Forum sought collaboration between private businesses and social institutions, with a focus on promoting sustainable development and enhancing corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts across Oman.
Organised by the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s North al Batinah Branch, the event was held in the Wilayat of Suhar with over 350 participants from various sectors.
The forum was supported by the North al Batinah Governor’s office and Jusoor, the social investment arm of OQ, Sohar Aluminum, and Vale in Oman.
The event was inaugurated by Her Highness Dr Mona bint Fahad al Said, Assistant Vice-Chancellor for International Cooperation at Sultan Qaboos University and Chairperson of the Social Investment Center at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
A key highlight of the Forum was the Social Investment Award, where 29 projects competed in four main categories: Social, environmental, educational, and sports & health.
In ‘Social Sector’ category, Takaful Sohar Charity Team’s “A Home for Them” project, which provides housing support for those in need, bagged the award.
The winners under the ‘Environmental Projects’ category were ‘Sustainable Project 4th Edition’ (supported by BP Oman) and the ‘Local Dams Project in North Al Batinah’ (by the Omani Water Society).
Under Educational projects, two projects took top honours — Sohar Aluminum’s Technical Education Support Project, covering North al Batinah, Al Buraimi, and Musandam, and OQ Petroleum Industries’ sponsorship of the Liwa Science and Innovation Center. The ‘Future Engineer’ programme, supported by BP Oman, also stood out.
In Sports & Health, Bank Muscat’s “Green Fields” project and Vale Sohar’s sponsorship of the “Liwa Health Walkway” got awards.
Saeed al Abri, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s North Al Batinah Branch, underscored the forum’s importance, stating, "this forum reflects our collective vision to position social investment as a vital tool for sustainable development. It serves as a platform for balancing financial returns with positive social impact, and we are committed to making it an annual event to strengthen the private sector's role in community well-being and environmental sustainability." The forum featured two key panel discussions. The first focused on Social Business Investment and Priorities in Oman, with contributions from both public and private sector figures. The second addressed Legislation Supporting Social Investment, highlighting the need for policies that encourage private sector participation in social investments.
Several significant agreements were signed during the event, including a notable RO 1.4 million partnership for the Majees Bridge Project. The forum concluded with recommendations to establish a social investment committee and create guidelines that align social investment practices with Omani values.
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