It is safe to say that 2017 was most definitely a turning point for our CSR agenda. Looking back, it has truly been the turning point for CSR at BMMI. In the past five years, we have witnessed the transition, as CSR blossomed from simply nice to have, to a more strategic and fundamental priority across the Group.

We might still have a very long way to go, but we are certainly going in the right direction.

If you’re passionate or interested in being part of incremental change, challenging the status quo and turning business problems into opportunities - this is how we envision the year to pan out. As we embark on a new year, and as uncertainty heightens, these are some of the key trends we would like to share with all of you:

• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will still reign supreme: For those who are not familiar with the SDGs, they represent the United Nations’ effort in championing and creating a common set of development goals for all communities around the world. By aligning our efforts with the SDGs through to 2030, we will be very selective about the initiatives we take on. The 17 goals are broad and ambitious, encompassing social, environmental and economic aspects. For the specific list, you can read more here: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs

• Higher expectations from our SLG: We all know CSR is not just the responsibility of one individual or department. We all play a part no matter what our role in the Group is. Moving forward, we will all be held accountable when it comes to leading strategic initiatives. Don’t forget that CSR can be part of everything, from business model innovation, point of entry marketing and so forth. This means increased employee engagement as our leadership continues to broaden their influence across the entire value chain with the company’s business strategy, policies and talent pipeline.

• Magnified cross-division collaboration: Most of the issues we plan to tackle are too complex to be solved by a single entity. You will witness more partnerships developing across the Group to solve business problems through CSR. We will see a shift to a much broader purpose and we hope more of you will step up as advocates and problem solvers!

• A focus on the self: As much as we focus on the communities in which we operate, in the upcoming year, we aim to focus more on you. Our employees are our most valuable asset and we have come to grow very fond of ‘mindful play’. What does that mean? Well, paying greater attention to your wellbeing - from diet, exercise and stress reduction to mental health issues and work-life balance. Stay tuned for exciting initiatives coming your way!

Got that CSR mindset shift? Where do you see our efforts heading? Do you want to play a part in the movement? Just drop our CSR Executive Reem Al Tajer an email raltajer@bmmi.com.bh and spark up the conversation for real social impact.