JEDDAH —The Middle East and Africa’s leading vertically-integrated paper manufacturer, the Middle East Paper Co. (MEPCO) and its waste management wholly-owned subsidiary WASCO, have entered into a partnership agreement with King Abdulaziz University to launch a Leadership Program for young Saudi nationals.
The program aims to provide Saudi youth with the right tools to lead on building and raising awareness on environmental sustainability and its importance to the community. To launch the program, a first-of-its-kind campaign, titled ‘A License for Environmental Leadership’, is being implemented. The program is in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and the National Transition 2020 commitments to environmental sustainability.
Commenting on the partnership agreement, MEPCO CEO, Eng. Sami Safran, said: “Safeguarding our future begins with sustainability today. It is important that our youth is trained on how to lead in this vital field of environmentalism and sustainability. Together with WASCO, MEPCO will participate in this leadership programme to help build the knowledge base and the skills required to create the future that we all strive for. This agreement is part of our nation’s vision, and we look forward to participating in it and bringing about positive change together with our partners.”
The objective of the campaign is to host three programs, with around 200 trainees, over three provinces. However, the aim of the campaign is not only to decrease the usage of natural resources, but as well as to activate the partnerships between the government entities, private sector companies, and higher level educational institutions.
MEPCO is one of the largest vertically-integrated paper manufacturers in the Middle East and Africa region offering a diverse range of paper products to customers around the world. The company’s innovative approach to doing business enables it to deliver significant environmental and economic benefit to its home market. MEPCO exports its products from Saudi Arabia to the GCC and wider Middle East & Africa region; furthermore, it has developed a growing presence in South Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, WASCO, MEPCO’s raw materials are sourced from locations across the Kingdom and neighboring countries. The use of energy- and water-efficient production processes enables MEPCO to offer recycled products to the market, while locally-sourced raw materials provide measurable benefit to the Saudi economy. The company offers a wide range of containerboard and paperboard products for the large-scale manufacturing and secondary packaging markets. — SG
