Bee’ah, the Middle East’s leading and award-winning fully integrated environmental and waste management company, held an internal campaign for employees to raise awareness on breast cancer.
The company distributed leaflets, supplied by and in coordination with the Pink Caravan, the breast cancer initiative of the Friends of Cancer Patients charitable society, containing information on early detection and diagnosis along with the pink ribbon pins that have become a global symbol of promoting awareness around the disease.
The activity, a month-long event where Bee’ah employees wore the Breast Cancer Awareness pins and attended awareness sessions organised for all women at the company, was held during global Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The presentations at these sessions included information about the risk factors underlying breast cancer, the symptoms, and the reasons behind and the importance of regular check-ups.
"Among women, breast cancer claims the highest number of victims compared to any other cancer, both in developed and developing countries. With October marking International Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Bee’ah strives to place the well-being of its employees at the top of its list of priorities," Meera Taryam, Director of Environmental Services and Education at Bee’ah said.
"With this in mind, we decided to distribute important educational material to emphasise that early detection is paramount to breast cancer control," she added.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are higher incidences of breast cancer in the developing world due to an increase in life expectancy, urbanisation, and the adoption of western lifestyles. The organisation estimates more than 508,000 women globally died of breast cancer in 2011.
Bee’ah employs staff across the Middle East and places significant importance on acting as a sustainable corporate citizen in the communities where it operates. The company aims to achieve zero-waste to landfill in the emirate of Sharjah. This target was established in accordance with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to propel the Emirate to become the Environmental Capital of the Middle East and make it the first Arab city to ever reach a 100 per cent landfill diversion.