SBWC organises the third Roundtable talk with AUS’s SBA

October 14, 2025 / 12:43 PM

Sharjah24: The Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC), in collaboration with the American University of Sharjah’s (AUS) School of Business Administration (SBA), hosted the third Roundtable Talk under the theme “CSR and Social Entrepreneurship: Pathways to Vision and Opportunity.” The discussion highlighted the need to improve Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and encourage companies across the UAE to actively contribute to community development. The event brought together government officials, industry experts, and entrepreneurs to share insights on promoting a more socially responsible business culture.

Strengthening UAE’s CSR and social enterprise landscape

The forum was attended by Maryam Bin Al Shaikh, Director of SBWC, who inaugurated the event and reaffirmed the Council’s dedication to supporting initiatives that strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem and enhance Sharjah and the UAE’s position as global business hubs.

Distinguished speakers included Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations in Sharjah and Co-founder of Seafood Souq; Sara Shaw, Director of the National CSR Fund “Majra”; Dr Jamal Maalouf, Assistant Professor of Management, Strategy, and Entrepreneurship at AUS; Salma Gharama, Director of Social Business at the Authority of Social Contribution (Ma’an); Ceylan Oren, Co-founder of The Waste Lab; Nadine Zeidan, Sustainability and Impact Expert and Founder of MENA Impact; Dr Saeed Al Hassan, Founder of Manhat; and Dr Narjess Boubakri, Dean of SBA, who moderated the session.

Empowering social entrepreneurs and investors

Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi highlighted the significance of empowering investors to back social entrepreneurship, stating that “it is more about educating investors and less about educating entrepreneurs.” He promoted the development of social enterprise angel investors to create meaningful impact in the UAE economy.

Sara Shaw outlined the three pillars of social entrepreneurship—policy governance, capacity building, and financing—and called for increased private sector involvement, particularly in promoting female leadership and community participation.

Dr Jamal Maalouf described social entrepreneurs as innovators capable of transforming CSR initiatives into sustainable business practices that generate measurable social impact and economic growth. Salma Nasser Ghramah emphasised the need for adaptable models that suit different stages of a startup’s lifecycle, stressing the importance of transparency and investor trust.

Building awareness through education and collaboration

In her closing remarks, Dr Narjess Boubakri highlighted the importance of impact investing and emphasised the need for early financial literacy education to close awareness gaps. She advocated for structured pathways that help young people develop entrepreneurial skills, facilitating smoother transitions from education to business creation.