Aliging Profit with Purpose - Global Goals Yearbook 2019

THE FUTURE IS PEOPLE
The core pillars of economic growth always include health and education as drivers for
developing human capital. In Egypt, this is a principle that has shaped the government’s 2030
vision and will continue to shape visions for centuries to come. While on a macro level, the
government continues to increase fiscal spending on health and education coupled with
supporting reforms, on the micro front, the private sector has been enthusiastically embracing
this principle through various sustainability efforts. At Elsewedy Electric, this principle is not
just embraced, it also forms the corporate ethos of the company’s expanding operations.
By Manal Hassan, Elsewedy Electric
As the most populous country in the
Middle East, Egypt has a wealth of
human resources that can be properly
utilized to jumpstart a once flourishing
and ever-promising economy. With a
growing population, however, there is
a growing need for better services and
facilities to provide for the creation of a
healthy, skilled, and educated workforce.
This is not only necessary for economic
development, but, more importantly,
also for a prosperous and content society
at large. Challenges exist in developing
human capital in Egypt, but these
challenges also present opportunities
for companies to play their part in supporting
the communities in which they
operate – and from which they benefit.
This guiding principle – that the future is
truly “people” – drives Elsewedy Electric’s
approach to its CSR efforts. With a measured
focus on health and education, the
company has undertaken various CSR
initiatives to support the development
of its community. The group’s CSR goes
beyond donations and acts of philanthropy
and looks at the social impacts of
activities by all stakeholders. Although
charity can ease financial burdens and
provide other short-term benefits, real
sustainability is rooted in long-term
change. At Elsewedy Electric, CSR practices
take into account the economic,
environmental, and social impacts of
all activities.
On the health front, Elsewedy Electric’s
methodology begins with a wellresearched
understanding of the challenges
present in the sector. Not only
are upgraded facilities required, but the
training of medical and administrative
staff is equally vital to the proper use
and maintenance of those facilities and,
ultimately, for the general improvement
of patient care. This understanding has
allowed Elsewedy Electric to implement
comprehensive initiatives consisting of
physical support for facility upgrades as
well as training programs to ensure the
proper use and upkeep of donated equipment.
For example, Elsewedy Electric
has supported seven nursing institutes,
allowing them to accept more students,
who are provided with access to a large
range of books and resources related to
nursing, including medical dictionaries.
Not only were the nursing schools provided
with infrastructural upgrades, but,
more importantly, they were provided
with educational resources.
Elsewedy Electric’s support to these institutes
has ranged from establishing
an engineering consultant office within
the institute to build new classes and
other facilities, to providing dummies,
paradigms, and various training tools for
teachers and students, and supplying the
bookstores with more resources.
To date, Elsewedy Electric has supported
seven nursing institutes, namely: The
Abbasiya Technical Institute for Nursing,
the Nursing Institute of the Chest
Disease Hospital, the Nursing Institute
of the Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Doweqa,
the Nursing Institute of On Almasryeen
Hospital, the Nursing Institute of Boulaq
Al-Dakroor Hospital, the Nursing Institute
of Alwarak Hospital, and the male
Nursing Institute of Al Moatamadyia
Hospital.
Not only has Elsewedy Electric provided
all of the abovementioned support to
nursing institutes, but it has also built
and equipped the entirety of the Legislation
Association Main Hospital, a
facility that offers free treatment to its
community.
On the education front, Elsewedy Electric
has adopted a holistic approach to its CSR
programs. In 2011, Elsewedy Development
established the Elsewedy Technical
Academy (STA), under the supervision
of Egypt’s Ministry of Education. STA
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Global Goals Yearbook 2019