SEKEM Report on Sustainable Development 2009
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For the third time now, the SEKEM group has published a comprehensive annual report containing news and achievements related to all dimensions of sustainable development. As in the previous year, the report is compiled in accordance to international GRI guidelines, and structured along the "Sustainability Flower", with four dimensions: cultural life, societal life (encompassing the rules and conventions of society), economic life, and ecology, in which all human activity is embedded.
The Report 2009 provides an overview on SEKEM, from its holistic vision for sustainable development to its various institutions and specific projects. It outlines the specific approach of SEKEM to each dimension and informs about news of the year 2009. It presents a lot of interesting facts & figures – ranging from the composition of employees, the consumption of resources, or the investments in education to the ‘CO2 footprint’ of the company.
The report gives the results of a critical self‐assessment, and defines clear targets for improvement. In this year’s report, all information is broken down for the separate SEKEM companies. In addition to enhanced transparency in communication, this brings substantial advantages for the SEKEM internal management.
The SEKEM Report on Sustainable Development 2009 shows the results of an extensive data collection and evaluation exercise. This is conducted not only to inform our interested friends and partners worldwide. The annual reporting helps to critically evaluate our activities, and to identify room for improvement. Like this, SEKEM demonstrates how companies can assess the actual value to society that is created by their activities, while at the same time improving internal management by integrating a broad range of extra‐financial information in their monitoring and reporting.
SEKEM aims to serve as a role model for sustainable development, not only for Arab business leaders and the MENA region. Our holistic business model sets us apart from sustainability related efforts of other corporations, while at the same time our professional approach to corporate sustainability management leads the way for other organic pioneers and social enterprises.
SEKEM – A Community for Sustainable Development
Sekem was founded 1977 by Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish, some 60km in the north east of Cairo. With the practices of bio‐dynamic agriculture the former desert was turned into fertile soils. Today, the eight companies of the SEKEM Group employ about 1,500 people, cultivating and processing biodynamic raw material and producing healthy and environmentally sound food products, textiles and phyto‐pharmaceuticals. Yet, the SEKEM vision of a sustainable community contains much more. Today a hospital offers medical services for employees and reaches 30,000 people in surrounding rural communities. Schools, a training center and a research academy provide education and human development. Adult learning, social and cultural activities are an integral part of SEKEM to develop social forms which reflect human dignity and to strive towards higher ideals. The Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development is currently established to provide students with holistic solutions for the future. In 2003 the SEKEM Initiative was honored with the Alternative Nobel Prize for its business model which integrates social and cultural development, and with the “Outstanding Social Entrepreneur” award by the Schwab Foundation. More information on www.sekem.com
Download the Sekem Report on Sustainable Development 2009
