UAE. A new study reveals that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs can significantly increase UAE companies’ performance and recognition.
The research, commissioned by the social enterprise Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3) and conducted by the global market research company YouGov, presented today at the CSR Summit in Dubai, shows that around three-quarters of residents are more likely to purchase from companies that actively contribute to the community.
Using their fast-paced Omnibus online research service, YouGov interviewed 993 residents online in the UAE between 2 and 10 February 2015, to understand the relation between a company’s success with how much it gives back to the community.
The results show that 72% of the UAE residents surveyed are more likely to buy products from enterprises that support social and environmental causes. This is true in particular for high earners (77% responded they would be more likely to buy).
The study also reveals that consumers in the country are highly aware of the effort that corporations put into social causes. 63% of the respondents agree that UAE companies are socially and environmentally responsible. The Emirati population agrees the most (69%).
The findings also illustrate the effect CSR initiatives have on employee retention. A total of 67% of UAE residents interviewed say they are more likely to continue working for companies that allow them to volunteer more during working hours.
According to the new data, companies that actively contribute to a cause can be compensated by attracting the best talent, as 75% of the surveyed said they are more likely to work in a firm that fits this profile.
The majority of the queried (88%) are volunteering, although 76% don’t volunteer regularly. When asked which causes they care most about, 38% of the residents, mainly youth and Emiratis, said they are most likely to volunteer for children’s causes, whilst 44% are most likely to donate to children’s causes overall.
Education is the second most popular cause, (27% most likely to volunteer and 32% most likely to donate followed by elderly care (26% most likely to volunteer and 29% most likely to donate).
Commenting on the results, C3 Co-Founder and CEO, Medea Nocentini, declared being “grateful to YouGov for having proved with statistically significant data what CSR practitioners and social entrepreneurs have assumed and sensed in their daily activities: positive contributions to the community make business sense. At C3 we believe that measuring impact of community-driven initiatives on society as well as on business organizations’ bottom line is paramount to drive business responsibility of both corporations and entrepreneurs. ”
For YouGov’s UAE Managing Director, Kailash Nagdev, companies can benefit from this research. “We are delighted to have conducted this study to help shed more light on perceptions of social enterprise in the UAE. The findings illustrate there is huge scope for businesses to support worthwhile causes in the region, and in turn that company giving will help drive company success”, he said.
The study results was presented by C3 and YouGov at the 12th annual CSR Summit, organised by world-renowned knowledge provider, Informa, which delivers high quality knowledge and services through multiple channels in markets and regions all over the world.
Photo Caption: Medea Nocentini, C3 Co-Founder and CEO
ABOUT C3
C3 – Consult and Coach for a Cause is a UAE-based social enterprise set up to help unlock the potential of Middle Eastern social ventures and maximize their impact on the community. Awarded as the first international Social Enterprise Mark – the UK certification authority and the only international certification for social enterprises – C3 mobilizes experienced business professionals to share their knowledge on a voluntary basis, matching professionals with social enterprises taking into consideration skills, interests and availability.
To know more about C3 next initiatives, please, visit http://consultandcoachforacause.com/.
ABOUT YouGov
YouGov is one of the world’s leading market research companies, driven by a simple idea, the more people are able to participate in the decisions made by the businesses that serve them, the better those decisions will be. With offices throughout Europe, the US, the Middle East, North Africa and Asia, our global online panel, suite of syndicated products, and full spectrum of custom research solutions, we offer businesses a more accurate and actionable portrait of what the world thinks.
For more information please visit: http://research.mena.yougov.com
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