HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada Thursday launched the 2013 Report on Sustainability in the Qatar Energy and Industry Sector, and awarded 12 companies for their excellence in sustainability reporting and performance in 2013.
The report launching ceremony was attended by HE the Minister of Development Planning and Statistics Salih bin Mohamed Al-Nabit, HE the Minister of Environment Ahmad bin Amir Al-Humaidi, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim the Economic Advisor to His Highness the Emir and the President of Qatar University Dr. Sheikha bint Abdullah Al-Misnad. Also present during the event were Qatar Petroleum (QP) directors and corporate managers, the CEOs and other top officials of the 36 participating companies from the sector, as well as senior delegates from ministries and various government agencies.
Speaking at the ceremony HE Dr. Al-Sada expressed pleasure at the increasingly stronger reporting foundation, which is enabling all participants to place firm emphasis on performance improvements, long-term strategy and target-setting, implementation of policies, and stronger international engagement.
“This reflects commitment to fulfilling the requirements of sustainable development, which lies at the heart of Qatar’s National Vision and National Development Strategy, as guided and launched by HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani,” he said.
sustainable performance by the energy and industry sector has positioned Qatar as a responsible global energy provider with a world-class practice, he added.
HE the Minister called upon the participating companies to complete their 5-year sustainable development strategies with well-defined performance targets. “It is time that sustainability becomes a dedicated process by all companies and across the entire energy and industry spectrum,” he added.
Commenting on the future of the Sector Sustainability Programme, Saif Al-Naimi, Director of QP’s Health Safety and Environment (HSE) Regulations and Enforcement Directorate, said: “As the 2013 reporting cycle draws to a close, it is clear that the sector sustainability programme is continuing to improve, supporting 36 companies in the development of their sustainability management and reporting programmes.” “This year, participation in the programme has improved in many ways, with more companies submitting more data and releasing their sustainability reports to the public. For the first time, the companies reported on their sustainability strategies and approaches to sustainability management and governance. With this greater depth of knowledge and insight into performance and future plans, the programme can continue to evolve and deliver greater value to companies and the sector as a whole,” he stressed.
“To enhance participation in the programme, support and guidance were provided on reporting, assurance, strategy and sustainability management and governance in 2013. Last year’s feedback initiative also helped the companies to make improvements to their reports. We also continued to strengthen the awards programme with the inclusion of a panel of three fully independent judges who selected the winners,” Al-Naimi added.
Qatar Energy and Industry Sector Sustainability (QEISS) Programme began in 2010 with the establishment of the Sustainable Development Industry Reporting (SDIR) programme. Initially a voluntary programme, it focused on encouraging companies in the sector to develop their own sustainability reports, information from which was consolidated to create a sector-wide report. Four years on, the Sector Sustainability Programme has incorporated additional dimensions, including: an awards scheme, strategy development, performance assessment and target setting, policy input and alignment, and national and international engagement.
The annual sector sustainability report and awards have become valuable tools for companies within the sector to learn about sustainability management, with the aim of delivering improved performance at a company and sector level. The programme is now also delivering value as a reference point for other sectors and ministries.
The sector sustainability awards programme is designed to promote best practice in sustainability performance and reporting. Using the sustainability reports submitted by participating companies every year, a panel of internationally-renowned judges from the global sustainability arena assess which companies have demonstrated excellence across the six main areas of the SDIR programme.
QEISS Programme aims to enhance the management of economic, environmental and social impact within the energy and industry sector, optimizing its contribution to the State of Qatar.
QEISS Programme Objectives: Drive the implementation of sustainability within the sector.
Align with, and support the achievement of the Qatar National Vision 2030.
Demonstrate the sector’s measurable contribution to national development plans and strategies.
Be an open and transparent source of data and information on the performance of the sector. enabling companies to learn from best practice.
Encourage a culture of innovation and business excellence.
Support individual companies to implement sustainability management and reporting.
Source : Qatar News Agency
