BP, the oil and gas major, has won the prestigious Localisation Award from the GCC Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs for the second consecutive year.

The award was given for BP’s operations in the Emirate of Sharjah.

BP Sharjah, which also celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2007, was only one of two companies from the private sector in the UAE to receive this award as an appreciation for its leadership in employing nationals, said an official spokesman.

The award was presented at the sixth annual GCC ceremony honouring distinguished private sector companies and establishments across the region for their sustained efforts to localise jobs.

The celebration was organised on the occasion of the 24th session of the Labour and Social Affairs Ministers of the GCC held in Riyadh last month.

The company currently employs 36 per cent of its workforce from the local community – an achievement all the more remarkable given that the average rate of nationalisation in UAE’s private sector is estimated to be two per cent.
 
“Partnership with the government and local communities is a core value for BP, and at BP Sharjah we are delighted to have consistently validated this commitment for 25 years. We are grateful to the GCC Council of Ministers of Labour and Social Affairs for recognising our achievement and remain dedicated to the social, economic and human resources development in Sharjah,” said general manager, BP Sharjah, Bill Jack. TradeArabia News Service