International recognition for Bahrain-based businessman

Manama : A Bahrain-based businessman has made it to the world’s top 50 most ‘Impactful Innovators’ ranking as announced by the World Corporate Social Responsibility Congress for contributing to the community with his path-breaking business innovations.  

Dr. Atef Elshabrawy, CEO and Founder of Social Innovation Expert won the Social Innovation Leadership Award for designing the Social Innovation Labs (SIL), built to tackle complex social problems and support the journey of change-makers. 

As a five-day training programme, the SIL was successful in helping organisations develop a social enterprise through innovation, ideation, business modelling and other special tools that generated solutions to the social challenges in the world, especially in Muslim countries. 

As a Founder and CEO of Family Bank, the first social bank in the Middle-East, the tycoon is a pioneer of social innovation and corporate social responsibility in the region. 

Reflecting on the importance of CSR, Dr. Elshabrawy said: “Corporate Social Responsibility must be dealt with as a strategic activity. Even till this date, companies do not realise that CSR is not just an act of charity. It calls for a satisfied community, economic growth, happiness in the workplace, loyal employees and thus higher turnovers.

Along with exploring the solutions to the problems of different sectors of social and economic ecosystem, the entrepreneur is also a champion for causes of development in Islamic nations and their entrepreneurial ability along with issues of women empowerment.

He explained how the development of Islamic business scenes and the issue of women empowerment in the region are closely intertwined. 

 “Firstly, these regions are late to the women empowerment field as some of our women have only recently received the right to vote. Secondly our perceptions of the woman only posing as a nurturer are too restrictive and thirdly, we have not set up any institutions that help a woman prosper,” he said. 

“In nations like France, they practice positive discrimination so that women can catch up with the men. In the past, I have set up a women-only training session with the Islamic Development Bank for guiding ladies who are just starting out and ensuring that they are at power with the strategies of the market.

In addition to all his business innovations, Dr. Elshabrawy has also published 25 articles and 4 books on Incubation, Social Businesses, Poverty & NGOS and Social & Economic Development of Muslim Societies and his company SIE focuses on combating the cultural shortcomings in Muslim countries. 

The magnate received the award in Mumbai, India and expressed his pride on being the only non-Asian on the list. 

“I am so proud that my efforts both globally and for India are recognised. But these projects are not for me. They are for the community. And I would only request all young and budding entrepreneurs to stay innovate, share and merge your skills for the community.”