Reinforcing its commitment to shaping a better quality of life for people and communities around the Gulf region, Sanofi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Al Oula, the first charitable organisation established in Saudi Arabia, to support vulnerable communities in the Kingdom. The MoU comes in line with Sanofi’s social impact strategy, paving the way for Sanofi employees to support Al Oula’s community-based initiatives in KSA through volunteering activities organised within the framework of the company’s WeVolunteer employee volunteering program, launched recently in the Gulf region.
The signing ceremony was attended by H.E. Catherine Corm-Kammoun, Consul General of France in Jeddah.
Jean-Paul Scheuer, MCO Lead and General Manager for Specialty Care at Sanofi Greater Gulf said, “At Sanofi, our commitment to support the social and economic development of the communities where we operate is built through partnerships with local stakeholders, rooted in our belief that, together, we can make a bigger impact. Our collaboration with Al Oula is fully aligned with our integrated CSR strategy and will help create opportunities for our employees to contribute to the wellbeing of underserved communities in KSA. As a global healthcare company, we believe we have a responsibility to play our part in addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Through WeVolunteer, we hope to help address those challenges and we look forward to working with the team at Al Oula to drive meaningful impact and make a difference in the lives of people and communities.”
Dr Hala Al-Shair, Chairman of the Board, Al Oula also commented, “We are delighted to see Sanofi stepping up to support and contribute to our initiatives. CSR is a powerful tool for companies to make a difference in society. By orienting their CSR strategy towards expanding access to education and healthcare and improving the wellbeing of underprivileged groups in KSA, Sanofi gives itself a real opportunity to make a positive impact on local communities while setting an example for other large companies to follow. Our partnership with Sanofi builds on Al Oula’s commitment to collaborate with like-minded partners to drive education and empowerment for women and children in the Kingdom.”
Under the framework of the MoU, Sanofi employees in KSA will volunteer their time for a range of community-based initiatives organised by Al Oula, including delivering lectures and organising campaigns to improve health literacy, promote diabetes awareness, and inculcate a culture of hygiene among children and young adults. Sanofi will also provide mentoring support to help improve access to education for children, including imparting English lessons and hosting storytelling sessions designed to get the kids involved.
With a focus on building strong and enduring relationships with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), WeVolunteer creates opportunities for Sanofi employees in the Gulf region to support volunteering activities organised by the company or its partners across four essential pillars: Affordable Access, to advance Sanofi’s commitment to ensuring global access and affordability to healthcare; Vulnerable Communities, focused on health and community education initiatives for vulnerable groups; Healthy Planet, to promote activities aligned with the care of our planet; and, Beyond the Workplace, to provide support for underserved communities.
