Recent studies show that 86 per cent of executives believe working across different departments in their current leadership role is extremely important

July 15, 2010

SKOPOS Consulting, a leading Organization Development (OD) solutions firm in the Middle East and Africa, has called on businesses and organizations in the Middle East to focus on executive coaching to improve the performance of executive employees and stay competitive in the current environment. SKOPOS Consulting referred to recent studies that have shown that the development of leadership skills, multi-tasking skills, and particularly soft skills development from managers can have a significant impact in boosting performance across all levels of the organization. SKOPOS Consulting also pointed out studies showing that 92 per cent of managers feel that the ability to work across different departments becomes more important as they rise through the ranks.

Dr. Hussein El Kazzaz, Managing Director of SKOPOS Consulting, said, “Executive Coaching must form an integral part of a company’s strategy for Organizational Development. This is because Executive Coaching is a more effective development approach than training in unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance. Executive Coaching can guide new managers rising through the ranks of an organization that may have a gap in inter-personal skills or basic management skills required in their new roles. Coaching in the past was intended for problematic leaders, whereas today about 90 per cent of coaching is aimed at high achievers to release their further potential.”

“The Middle East is a priority area for SKOPOS Consulting because of the region’s strong business and growth potential. The executive coaching solutions offered by SKOPOS are customised to serve as a powerful tool in boosting executives’ effectiveness and performance in the GCC,” added El Kazzaz.

Organizational Development through executive coaching is particularly important amongst GCC countries, because many regions of the Gulf are focusing on nationalization policies for their local residents. The UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman in particular are pursuing nationalization policies to empower their local population.

SKOPOS Consulting has also noted that increasing numbers of firms in the Middle East and North Africa region are seeking executive coaching solutions to help with employee retention. This is crucial considering that employee turnover has been proved to be a costly and time-consuming exercise, which affects the performance effectiveness of business organisations.

SKOPOS Consulting uses both soft and hard management tools to implement organizational change with its clients in the Middle East and Africa. The company utilizes a mix of coaching, conflict management, team building, leadership development, communication, succession planning, performance management and other proven organisational development tools to help its clients become highly effective. Originally founded in 1991 in San Jose, CA, SKOPOS Consulting moved to establish its Middle East presence in 2002. It is now fully owned, managed and operated independently by the Middle East team. It currently offers its services across a range of industries, including technology, government and telecommunications. The company has offices in Dubai, Cairo, Bahrain and Kenya.

DUBAI AIRPORT FREEZONE AWARDS COMPANIES FOR OUTSTANDING ECOLOGICAL, HEALTH AND SAFETY CONTRIBUTIONS

Green Technologies FZCO and Smiths Detection(Middle East) FZE scooped the lion’s share of  the second Dubai Airport Free Zone’s Environment, Health & Safety Business Awards recently instituted for organizations operating within the Free Zone premises.

Airbus Middle East and Italian iGuzzini Lighting manufacturer were named the winners of the first Business Award last year in the area of Health & Safety and Environment respectively. 

This year Green Technologies FZCO has been awarded for their achievements in the area of Environmental Management while Smiths Detection Middle East FZE  recognized for their Health & Safety Management.

Addressing the ceremony the Assistant Director General, Mr. Nasser Al Madani said, “The key objective to initiate this award for the second time is to promote excellence in environment, Health and Safety and create an interactive platform and knowledge sharing between our clients.”

 “The award will contribute towards encouraging companies operating in the Free Zone to improve their current environment, Health & Safety standards and introduce new measures to strengthen their commitments towards these issues, added Al Madani.
 
“We strongly believe that, competitiveness and improvement of image amongst stakeholders will be enhanced. In addition the companies will be able to practice their corporate social responsibilities and reinforce legal compliances, added Al Madani.

The Executive Director of Human Capital, and Strategy at Dubai Airport Freezone – Mr. Yousuf Behzad said, “We are glad to recognize the contributions of participants and believe it is important to encourage by such acknowledgement, especially as we work towards attaining our Quality, Health, Safety and Environment goals”

 “A couple of weeks before the applications are submitted, we organize a number of orientation sessions for our clients to give them more detailed information and answer the queries raised,” said Behzad

He said: “The award instituted is a great opportunity for companies to measure themselves and reinforce Health, Safety and Environment awareness within the organization. It also allows opportunities to learn benchmarked standards and best practices that are successful and followed by other companies.” 

Widely recognized as trend-setters among Free Zones in the region and around the world, Dubai Airport Freezone was recently rated the second best free zone worldwide, after Shanghai and the leading free zone in the Middle East by a survey conducted by FDI magazine of the Financial Times.

Tefal - the inventor of the non-stick cookware announced a pioneering new development that enables consumers to create great tasting meals.

“Tefal ensures that consumers get the convenience and versatility they seek in a product without compromising the environment,” remarked Nathalie Fata Haddad, Product Manager Tefal. “While performance and user-friendly features remain a top priority for Tefal, sustainability is playing an increasingly important role in the consumer’s buying behaviours and we are ensuring we meet their demands,” she said.

Since 2003, the global environmental management system established by the Groupe SEB particularly aims to reduce waste and emissions and to control water and energy consumption on its sites.

All Tefal products answer the most stringent standards in public health. Tefal’s mission is to propose ingenious, safe and qualitative products to guarantee healthy cooking.

The exclusive Tefal Thermo-Spot® informs you when the correct cooking temperature is reached, being 190ºC. Thus the Thermo-Spot® enables the nutritional properties of food to be preserved and prevents the formation of bad fats. A third but significant feature of Thermospot  allows the user to avoid overheating the pan thus ensuring a better durability of the pan.

The new generation of Tefal coatings guarantees the longevity of the products. Tefal’s cookware products are characterized by incomparable non-stick performances and an exceptional resistance to abrasion and scratching by metallic utensils.

Tefal guarantees the total safety of its products for the health of its consumers with clear information on all packaging. The eco-information explains the absence of PFOA, cadmium and lead in all the products. They are regularly controlled by strict quality tests, and their excellence has never been disclaimed. Tefal confirms that all its cookware is 100% PFOA-free, lead-free and cadmium-free in all its non-stick coatings and enamels.

The respect of environmental norms and regulations is at the centre of Tefal’s concerns that anticipate them and acts actively to involve its suppliers. As a result, Tefal is member of the Global Compact and since 2007 all its sites have been ISO 14001 certified.

Through organic growth and acquisitions, TEFAL has become the leading non-stick cookware manufacturer worldwide and a world leader in pressure cookers, electrical cooking appliances, food and beverage preparation, irons and scales.  With a presence in more than 120 countries, Tefal’s history is marked with world-class innovations and its mission is to offer ingenious products to make cooking simpler and more rewarding. Tefal is dedicated to understanding the consumer’s needs and bringing innovative solutions.

Dubai, June 5, 2010: Children choose to paint with the color green to depict their idea of an ideal and natural environment, at the ENOC booth in Dubai Festival City. The campaign aims to raise awareness on World Environment Day, celebrated, across the world on June 5, through educating people about climate change and key environmental issues. ENOC collaborated with Dubai Silicon Oasis to highlight the importance of preserving and sustaining our environment by inviting children to participate in a drawing competition. Children with the best artwork received gift vouchers.
 
ENOC also showcased its environmentally-friendly products and services, such as Protec Green and Protec X-treme Energy. It also explained to passersby how the Waterless Carwash service functions and displayed images of the ENOC Green Station, set to open by the end of 2010. 
 

Dubai, UAE; March 3, 2010: His Excellency Shaikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior, Bahrain, honoured ENOC for its efforts and initiatives in implementing environmentally safe practices across its operations, at the 9th Professional Development Conference and Exhibition held in the Kingdom recently.

The conference, organised by the American Society of Engineers, is one of leading environment, health and safety conferences in the region and was attended by professionals who shared best practices and addressed key challenges faced by the industry.

Saif Al Falasi, Group General Manager, ENOC said: “This award is a testament to ENOC’s dedication towards operational excellence and adopting the best safety practices. ENOC upholds environment, health and safety compliance as an inherent part of our business planning, strategic and objectives.”

ENOC shared the company’s best safety practices and highlighted how ENOC Lubricants’ eco-friendly range of engine oils help address energy and environmental concerns.

“A UAE Free of Plastic Bags” subject of presentation

DUBAI:  The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Environment Authority, held a workshop to educate Ministry staff about the severe environmental dangers posed by the widespread use of plastic bags. The workshop was held at the Ministry headquarters in Abu Dhabi and discussed ways to minimize plastic usage and methods of proper disposal in an ecologically-friendly manner, in order to save the environment.

Dr. Shaza Ismail, Coordinator of  Environmental Programs at the Abu Dhabi Environment Authority presented the workshop in the presence of Khalifa Al-Saadi, Head of the Services Section in the Ministry and a number of Ministry staff from various departments.

The seminar was held as part of the Ministry’s mission to raise environmental conservation awareness among its staff, in line with the Strategic Plan to develop the quality and knowledge of the workforce, raise cultural community awareness and promote practices that go towards building a cohesive all-inclusive community.

During the workshop Dr. Ismail drew attention to the widespread practice of improper disposal of plastic through existing means of waste collection, and elaborated on ecologically-friendly disposal methods. She underlined that the UAE is keen to be free of plastic bags and that this message would be communicated to society at large through a series of programmes being planned across the country in the next few months.

Dr. Ismail said that individuals play a significant role in reducing the problem of environmental pollution caused by the unabated consumption of plastic bags. Replacing plastic bags with those made of cloth and other recyclable materials while shopping, using glass containers and bottles instead of plastic ones, re-use of plastic bags several times and disposing of used plastic items in a proper manner, were all ways in which individuals could contribute into making the UAE a far more environmentally-friendly society.

Kohler Co., a global leader in the manufacture of kitchen and bath products in America since 1873, Read the full story

Desert Group hosts special needs awareness campaign at aswaaq’s Umm Suqeim community centre

A special needs awareness campaign led by Desert Group, a company dedicated to transforming the UAE’s arid environment, was recently held at aswaaq’s Umm Suqeim community centre. Read the full story

• Mr. Mohammed Al Addarrat, General Manager of Lexmark International Middle East

The Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd University (PMU) Environmental Group has signed an agreement with Lexmark International Middle East to support activities that promote environmental awareness among university students. Read the full story

• Organised in association with the American Society of Safety Engineers – Middle East Chapter and UAE Society of Engineers

• Experts discuss importance of safety and EHS engineering

• Precursor to ASSE Professional Development Conference in Bahrain next year

Saif Al Falasi, ENOC Group General Manager

Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) hosted a regional conference on Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) at Movenpick Hotel, Dubai. Read the full story