April 12^th 2010:
Dubai

Company says that the social responsibility measures are becoming a vital part of the organization’s push to encourage high standards in school systems

Aswaaq has announced the launch of a new food safety campaign that targets school children from grades 4 – 6 throughout the UAE. The campaign aims to assure Aswaaq’s commitments to quality and safety measures regarding hygiene while encouraging best practices in partnership with local school systems.

To mark the beginning of its campaign, Aswaaq and Diversey – the cosponsor of this session- made its first stop at Kings Dubai School in Umm Suqeim where the students were provided lessons about the effects of germs, hand washing procedure, the use of hand sanitizers, and ways to preserve food in their lunch boxes. Engaging the students more directly, demonstrations and videos were also used as the kids were able to see traces of germs and witness the consequences of unclean hygiene. At the end of the visit, children were awarded a certificate of appreciation, a gift box containing hand sanitizers, and booklets about food preservation and food poisoning.

According to Ms. Ebtisam Al Khaja, Safety & Quality Senior Manager at Aswaaq, the campaign will primarily serve to teach schoolchildren ways that they can avoid becoming sick when it comes to mealtime. “Schools can be an environment where a lot of germs are spread as most children are unaware of the existence of harmful bacteria,” adds Al Khaja.

Aswaaq believes that children who are aware of the importance of hygiene can play a vital role in preventing food poisoning, which has been a major concern in the UAE lately. Furthermore, Aswaaq has voiced plans to continue the campaign in other Dubai schools throughout the year.

Aswaaq currently supports a variety of activities in order to ensure a high level of safety and health among its customers and employees, including rigorous self-evaluations and the implementation of Food Safety management systems like HACCP certification.