SEKEM – 34 years of working for the Sustainable Development of Egypt SEKEM Vision: “Sustainable development towards a future where every human being can unfold his or her individual potential; where mankind is living in social forms reflecting human dignity; and where all economic activity is conducted in accordance with ecological and ethical principles”. To realize this vision for Egypt, in 1977 Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish founded the SEKEM Initiative, starting on a piece of desert land in rural Sharkeya, about 60km northeast of Cairo. His then teenage son Helmy Abouleish was engaged from the beginning and took over as General Manager of SEKEMs commercial enterprises in 1984. SEKEM follows a unique approach where economical success is utilized to fund social projects and support a manifold and intensive cultural work. The economic activity and value chain of the SEKEM companies is based on organic agriculture, which is serving a healthy natural environment. On this foundation, Helmy Abouleish built the SEKEM Group of 9 successful companies which he is still leading today as Managing Director and Vice Chairman of the Board. The SEKEM companies have successfully cultivated former desert land through organic agriculture according to bio-dynamic Demeter standards, and process the harvest into high-quality and healthy organic food, organic cotton textiles and natural pharmaceuticals marketed in Egypt and internationally. Significant success was also accomplished in the social and cultural fields: SEKEM maintains its own school with kindergarten and therapeutic pedagogy, a vocational training center, a medical center that serves the surrounding area, and an academy for applied research and adult training. For its visionary approach and substantial achievements, SEKEM has received growing international recognition. In 2003, the SEKEM Initiative was honored with the ‘Right Livelihood Award’, widely known as ‘Alternative Nobel Prize’, for its business model that integrates social and cultural development; founder Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish also received the “Outstanding Social Entrepreneur” award by the Schwab Foundation. SEKEM Companies – Overview 2010 1. ATOS PHARMA produces and markets phyto-pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements 2. ISIS produces a varied choice of organically grown, processed foodstuffs and also sorts, packs and sells fresh fruit and vegetables 3. NATURETEX develops and manufactures cloth and textiles made of organic cotton 4. LOTUS processes organic herbs and spices, grains and oilseeds mainly for exports 5. El-MIZAN provides organic seedlings, that are especially robust due to grafting 6. LIBRA organizes the cultivation of Sekem’s bio-dynamic herbs, cotton, fruit and vegetables through cooperating with organic farmers all over Egypt, it also manages the compost sites, keeps cattle, chicken and sheep for the production of animal products including dairy 7. SEKEM for Land Reclamation transforms new desert lands into fertile land where bio-dynamic herbs, grains, oilseeds and vegetables are grown successfully
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