With its 4,000-strong workforce hailing from about 37 countries around the world, effective cross-cultural communication is one of the key success factors at Dubai Aluminium Company Limited (“DUBAL”) — one of the world’s largest single-site primary aluminium smelters and the industrial flagship of the UAE. Moreover, with a large percentage of its employees being expatriates, the blend of culture and creed at the company’s Jebel Ali site is both colourful and eclectic.
Aiming to raise the levels of inclusivity in the cultural rituals and festivals of the Arabian Gulf, the company has this year elected to host an internal educational campaign on the meaning and importance of the holy month of Ramadan. The initiative began on 1 August 2010 with the establishment of an Al Majlis within DUBAL’s main entrance security reception area prior to Ramadan, complete with coffee and dates, enabling visitors to experience Arabic culture and tradition. Then, from 8 August onwards, the wallpaper and screensavers deployed all PCs across the company will bear messages explaining the true essence of Ramadan — specifically spiritual reflection and worship; personal penitence and prayer; purification through self-discipline and charitable deeds; re-affirmation of faith through fasting; and seeking favour and forgiveness.
From the onset of Ramadan and throughout the month, the DUBAL Medical Centre will begin rolling-out a “Healthy fasting during Ramadan” campaign, targeted both at the company’s employees and the employees of contractors working on the DUBAL site. A series of emails will be circulated, the contents of which highlight the healthiest way to approach fasting; and workshops will be held to help diabetics participate in Ramadan without jeopardising their health.
As in prior years, Muslim employees will also have the opportunity to participate in DUBAL’s annual Qura’an Memorization and Recitation Competitions during Ramadan 2010. These competitions, which offer substantial prizes to the winners, culminate in an annual Hajj send-off event later in the year.
At the same time, the campaign will have an external element in the form of a Ramadan tent near DUBAL’s main entrance, where employees can place donations of clothing, household linens and non-perishable food to charity. Says Khalid Buhumaid (Vice President: Corporate Relations & International Affairs and official spokesperson of DUBAL), “DUBAL cares about the community and provides corporate support for projects that improve the quality of life for underprivileged or disempowered members of the community. We also encourage our employees to become engaged in the community by investing time, skills or other resources at a personal level. Through this multi-faceted Ramadan programme, we hope that many more DUBAL employees will experience Ramadan Kareem at a new spiritual and cultural level, learn more about Arabic culture and traditions, and give gifts to charity.”
