Better Environment Award acts to help address rising rate of road accidents in the UAE

April 2, 2007

Shell has taken a significant step to help address the alarming rate of road accidents in the UAE by kick starting a road safety awareness campaign through the Shell Better Environment Award (BEA) 2007. The BEA, the UAE's premier platform to tackle and raise awareness on environmental issues, recognizes that road traffic accidents are becoming a growing public health concern whose solution will greatly depend on multidisciplinary efforts.

Such glaring figures have compelled Shell to extend the scope of the BEA 2007 to include two more themes or categories - Road Safety and Health - in addition to Environment. The BEA invites schools to submit project ideas on the three themes. Participants would pick one of two subjects from each theme: 'Vehicle Safety' or 'Pedestrian Safety' under Road Safety; 'Shores Environment' or 'Toxic Waste' under Environment; and 'Obesity' or 'Smoking' under Health.

Some 149 schools from all over the UAE heeded BEA's call and submitted various project proposals. On December 18, 2006, a panel of judges short-listed the schools that qualified to get funding from Shell to implement their proposals. After evaluating the projects for their thoroughness and effectiveness, winners will be announced in May 2007.

"Casualty and fatality rates in the UAE have been high over the years. Presently, it is one of the major causes of death in the country. A proactive approach to educate vehicle owners and pedestrians is imperative as the rapid growth of road construction and increasing number of vehicles will only raise the risk of accidents," said Omar Al Qurashi, Head of Communications, Shell.

With the advent of advanced communications, researchers have demonstrated that using a mobile phone while driving also greatly increases the risk of having an accident. Previous researches have shown that drivers under stress are more likely to incur accidents and that stress levels increase when using the phone while driving. Researchers have advised the use of hands-free systems when operating phones while driving.

"It is important for everyone to realize that we are all affected by the rising rates of road accidents, thus it will take the cooperation of the whole community to address this issue. The BEA does its part by encouraging and funding projects that promote safety measures on the road, but this must be integrated with the efforts and contributions from other sectors of the society," said Al Qurashi.

Road and traffic accidents are global concerns with an estimated 1.2 million people killed each year because of such incidents. Over 50 million more are affected because of injuries and other related damages. While factors such as age, sex, education, training and experience play significant roles in traffic accidents, behavior of the road user - whether driver or pedestrian - is considered the most important risk factor.

"As a responsible community member, Shell is committed to pursue social programs that ensure the well being of the whole society. The transport industry is one of the key components that help the society move forward. But this powerful tool must be utilized properly to prevent social and economic backlash that could affect every member of the society. Shell is pleased to see various initiatives put forward by the students of the UAE through the BEA program that aim to address these concerns," said Al Qurashi.

Shell and DQG begin assessing applications for Emirates Businesswomen Award 2007

Judges impressed with excellent accomplishments of candidates as organizers extend deadline for submission of entries

March 29, 2007

Shell has announced that an expert panel of judges has started examining the applications of the different candidates for the Emirates Businesswomen Award (EBWA) 2007, and will soon come out with a list of winners for the different categories, who will be honoured during a fitting awards ceremony in May. Shell also announced that it has extended the deadline for submission of applications for the Award to accommodate more UAE women professionals and entrepreneurs in the annual search.

"We are pleased to inform our candidates that the judges have started assessing their applications and have been very satisfied with what they have seen. The information we are getting from the documents submitted by the candidate's indicate the excellent achievements of the women in different enterprise initiatives and professions. I believe our judges will have a tough time in making their decision as all candidates have shown remarkable accomplishments in their respective fields of endeavour," said Omar Al Qurashi, Head of Communications at Shell.

The EBWA 2007, which is open to Nationals and expatriates, will continue to accept applications until March 28, giving other interested parties more time to complete the necessary documents for the deliberations. The previous deadline was earlier set on March 4.

"With over 10,000 businesswomen across the emirates and many of them holding high-profile positions in both government and private organizations, there is a huge pool of potential candidates for the EBWA. We are encouraging these women to submit themselves for consideration for the EBWA, and be recognized for their efforts that are helping drive the development of the country. We have purposely extended the deadline to accommodate more candidates; this is our way of showing our appreciation to the excellent performance of the women entrepreneurs and professionals in the UAE," said Marwan Swaleh, Chariman of Dubai Quality Group.

The EBWA, which was launched in 2003 by Shell in cooperation with Dubai Quality Group, will hand out awards in two categories – Business Owners and Professionals. To qualify for the Business Owners category, the applicant must own a business in the UAE that has been running for a minimum of three years, and must also be primarily responsible for the performance of the business. To qualify for the Professional category, the applicant may be employed in any professional sector in the UAE for a minimum of three years.

The criteria for the awards include leadership; future goals and financial performance; business, professional and career achievements; community contributions; and innovation.