Consolidated Contractors Group (CCC), the leading transnational construction contractor, has agreed to become a Founding Partner of the Pearl Initiative, the private-sector led organisation developed in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Partnerships to promote transparency, accountability and good business practices in the GCC.
The Pearl Initiative has partnered with the World Economic Forum Partnering against Corruption Initiative (PACI) to encourage business leaders in the Arab world to commit to countering bribery and to participate in a regional network to provide support and share experiences. The Pearl Initiative is driving a regional anti-corruption programme focused on raising awareness, reinforcing the business case and building implementation capabilities within organisations.
CCC plays an active role within the World Economic Forum PACI initiative and has made a commitment to a zero-tolerance approach to bribery right throughout its business, which includes procurement, project management and construction expertise in the development and maintenance of civil and industrial facilities, supply networks and transport links across the Middle East and the entire Gulf region, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, USA, CIS and South East Asia.
“Pearl Initiative can’t come a moment too soon, bringing much-needed understanding of the importance of transparency to a region where it has too seldom been appreciated in the past. We are honoured to be a Founding Partner of this important organisation, and look forward to a long relationship ahead,” Samar Khoury, President of CCC, as well as Co-Chairman of the World Economic Forum Arab Business Council and new Pearl Initiative Board member, said.
Imelda Dunlop, Executive Director of the Pearl Initiative welcomed CCC to the Pearl family of Partners. “Pearl Initiative is a growing network of partnerships committed to driving progress in areas of transparency and accountability and having the right partners is absolutely a key to achieving our goals. It is these partners that spread the message, lead by example, and demonstrate actions over words. It is they who will make these principles widespread within the GCC and the broader region. In CCC, we have an ideal partner to raise awareness and share good practices.”
“Khoury has been a longstanding leader within the World Economic Forum’s global business community and in the Forum’s Partnership against Corruption Initiative. Our new collaboration with the Pearl Initiative brings the fight against corruption to the regional level, and we look forward to Khoury’s continued leadership and commitment in this area,” Alex Wong, Senior Director, World Economic Forum, said.