Events discussed during the talk and subsequent Q&A included the emergency meeting held by the ECRC in February, the role of labor unions, the influence of social media over the past few months, as well as the role that women played in the events leading up to and during the revolution. The discussion which ensued following Dr. Gamal-Eldin's speaking points was very fruitful and brought up some very pertinent issues related to the the private sector companies looking to engage CSR during this new chapter in the country's history.
I thought it was fascinating to hear Dr. Gamal-Eldin speak about all the new initiatives that are taking place within the country during such a period of tumult. It seems quite aggressive to pursue thoughts of incorporating CSR more widely into their companies, but at the same time, the best moment to do so. Egypt is still in a period of interim governing until elections in the fall. Making sure that these issues are key talking points prior to elections may help steer the national conversation in a better direction.
Hopefully, with the work of people like Dr. Gamal-Eldin and the initiatives coming out of the EIOD, more businesses will work to successfully implement CSR into their strategy as a part of the "New Egypt".