Concept, Scope of Work & Importance

·  The association seeks to develop small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in terms of their commitment to ethics (honesty and integrity in transactions, fairness and equality in dealing with employees and customers, and compliance with laws and regulations).

·  The association operates professionally to ensure the highest possible impact and return on its investments. This will be achieved by following strategic and operational plans that are developed, implemented, and assessed according to best practices, leveraging technology and the digital revolution, and operating under an effective governance system.

·  The association offers a wide range of services, initiatives, and programs targeting SMEs and other groups, such as students, specialists, and interested individuals. These include awareness campaigns, forums, exhibitions, educational materials, consultations, training, guidance, mentorship, recognition, and awards.

·  To achieve sustainability, the association partners with various sponsors and donors, benefit from experts in its field and collaborates with different entities, such as universities and chambers of commerce.

Scope of Work

·  Although business ethics and social responsibility are related—where business ethics focus on the internal behaviors of individuals and the organization, and social responsibility focuses on the company’s external impact on society and the environment—the association will focus solely on business ethics as its scope of work.

·  The focus on business ethics includes both collective actions within the establishment and individual actions that the management either endorses or overlooks, which ultimately shape its behaviors and decisions.

·  The association’s role is limited to awareness, training, guidance, mentoring, and knowledge exchange, thus supporting the efforts of organizations and associations related to protecting the rights of workers, consumers, and the community.

·  The association targets both small and medium enterprises, as they represent the majority of private establishments and need to strengthen ethical practices.

·  The geographic focus is on Al-Ahsa, given its large population and high number of small establishments. The association will leverage its accumulated knowledge to extend services beyond Al-Ahsa by establishing agreements and partnerships with private and governmental entities outside the region. 

Importance

The importance of the association stems from the significance of considering the ethical dimension in various decisions and the importance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the national economy. The association aims to create a positive impact in the education and business sectors, and the importance of its role can be appreciated in light of the following:

·    Small and medium enterprises contribute significantly to the GDP, and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 seeks to increase their contribution from 20% to 35% by 2030. The number of SMEs in the Kingdom is estimated at more than 600,000.

·    Entrepreneurs, SME owners, managers, and employees face many challenges that may weaken their commitment to business ethics. These include challenges related to a lack of awareness and sufficient knowledge about ethical practices and their importance, as well as competitive market pressures that may lead some establishments to prioritize profitability over ethics. These individuals need reminders and awareness of the importance of adhering to business ethics, in addition to training, guidance, and mentoring to help them evaluate ethical aspects in various decisions and support them in building a system that fosters ethical practices in establishments.

·    Students, as potential entrepreneurs and future employees in SMEs, need awareness and guidance programs, as well as realistic and appropriate academic material that contributes to achieving one of the learning outcomes emphasized by academic accreditation bodies, which is considering business ethics in decision-making.

·    Graduate students, specialists, and those interested in business ethics need information and opportunities to exchange views on this subject.

·    Islamic religion and the heritage of the nation and the Kingdom are rich with inspiring stories and materials about business ethics. Sharing these stories can present a positive image of Islam and the Kingdom and help build a bridge of understanding and mutual respect between different cultures.