The seminar aims to enhance awareness of the Abu Dhabi-based industrial businesses to ensure their Environment, Health and Safety systems in their facilities

 

Abu Dhabi, June 29, 2010: In line with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy, the Higher Corporation for Specialized Economic Zones (ZonesCorp) organized a seminar to enhance the awareness of industrial businesses in Abu Dhabi about the important utilization of Environment, Health and Safety management systems. The “Industrial Sector EHS Management System” seminar, which took place in Abu Dhabi Hilton Hotel on June 28, 2010, is one of a series of seminars that ZonesCorp is arranging across the industrial sector in Abu Dhabi to highlight the influences of business operations on the community.

As the EHS regulatory authority of all industrial activities in Abu Dhabi, ZonesCorp plays an effective role in ensuring that all the companies operating in the Emirate are undertaking their responsibilities towards community and that they are committed to environment protection and assurance of health and safety procedures in their plants.

“These awareness seminars are being conducted in line with the initiatives of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council to make sure that the industrial entities in the Emirate are adhered to the industrial sector EHS regulatory requirements set by Abu Dhabi EHS law (Executive Council Decree No. 42 of 2009),” said HE Mohamed Hasan Al Qemzi, CEO, ZonesCorp.

He pointed out that conducting such awareness programs by ZonesCorp is part of the Corporation’s CSR policy that encourages operating plants in industrial cities to contribute to the protection of environment and minimize the amounts of negative impacts and losses they could cause.

“Inadequate EHS awareness may lead to non-compliance and, eventually, to incidents that could have serious impacts on environment, assets, workers and the community at large,” Al Qemzi said. “One of the key objectives of EHS awareness program is to improve organizations’ compliance to applicable EHS regulations and thus reducing EHS incidents and losses.”

Through such awareness seminars, ZonesCorp encourages Abu Dhabi industries to establish, maintain, implement and improve their EHS management systems with measurable performance indicators. Industries’ levels of adherence to EHS requirements can directly influence their financial performances while demonstrating a high level of social commitment by the businesses, Al Qemzi added.

“ZonesCorp believes that excellent and sustainable performance in Environmental Health and Safety management is a cornerstone of the best performing industrial sector in the world,” he said. “ZonesCorp’s strategic objectives focus on development, implementation and continuous improvement of EHS performance standards by instituting global best practices.”

An increasing number of companies of different kinds of industry are operating in ZonesCorp’s cities. The corporation played a vital role in attracting these diversified industries where foreign investors benefited from the integrated infrastructure, flexible legislations and easy licensing, and diversified centric services for investors and foreign laborers alike. These potentials have also helped strengthening the Emirate’s position as an ideal destination for industrial investments that enjoys a sustainable economic growth.

A total of 346 industrial enterprises have established operations in ZonesCorp by 2009. In the first quarter of 2010, ZonesCorp has recorded 574 permanent licenses across several industries with a total invested capital that stood at AED 27.2 billion.

ZonesCorp is already involved in 5 out of 10 strategic manufacturing sectors identified in Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030. The enabling sectors include construction materials, machinery, electrical equipment, food and beverage. The other sectors which ZonesCorp is focusing on include energy, oil and gas services, metals, aerospace and defense, healthcare equipment and services, transportation, trade and logistics.

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About ZonesCorp:

The Higher Corporation for Specialized Economic Zones (ZonesCorp) is a government-backed entity that was established in Abu Dhabi in 2004 to enhance and develop the industrial sector. ZonesCorp is directly responsible for the establishment and management of specialized economic zones in Abu Dhabi, committing to develop the industrial infrastructure in the capital, cultivating a business climate conducive to growth and driving the diversification of the economy. The Corporation provides customer-centric services including a One-Stop Shop, a foreign labor service centre, and quality workers’ accommodation. ZonesCorp targets to leverage on an enhanced financial capability by procuring new specialized clusters through Public-Private Partnership management structures and involvement of the ZonesCorp Infrastructure Investment Fund. The current and future projects include 5 industrial cities in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, in addition to construction and building materials production city and other quality workers’ accommodation cities.

 

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