Building a better world for the future is on everyone’s mind. As we reflect upon the impacts of human activity and consumption, leaders and visionaries alike demand that we shift our focus towards efforts that promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) and philanthropy. Looking ahead, entrepreneurs are driving actions that collectively change how we perceive the world and our place in it. Obaid Belresheed, entrepreneur and magnate, discusses the importance of CSR and philanthropy.
Founder of the Belresheed group, Obaid is a billionaire businessman with companies spanning most industries worldwide. Encompassing real-estate, auto sales, building, contracting, tech, and security services, Obaid has extensive experience lending to a heightened understanding of entrepreneurship and outreach. “Building an empire taught me so much,” states Obaid. “If anything, it proved that with success, you have a responsibility to give back.”
Entrepreneurs are innovative by nature, which makes them well-equipped to prove we can do better through action. “We cannot build companies or organizations that merely take from the world around us,’ explains Obaid. “We have to build up the community and support those around us to rise up together and create a better world.” Obaid believes in social responsibility and has rooted his companies deeply in a foundation of service.
Through his philanthropic endeavors, Obaid has supported schools, mosques, the Dubai Health Authority, and redevelopment in his home country. Recognized for an astounding Dh1 million to the UAE Government Initiative, Obaid realized that philanthropic work is a step towards fulfilling our duty as responsible world citizens. “When we invest in others, we empower them to live their best lives,” states Obaid. “I feel a big part of entrepreneurship is about increasing everyone’s quality of life, not just our own.
With CSR and philanthropy as his top priority, Obaid is helping to improve living conditions for those less fortunate. “Whether it’s the environment, health, or social initiatives doing our part requires that we at least commit to something outside ourselves,” describes Obaid. “We criticize the perils of capitalism, but the truth is we can change that through responsible and innovative entrepreneurship.” With his mind on the bigger picture, Obaid promotes an accessible version of CSR any company of any size can adapt to and promote.
