Sekem

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Founder Ibrahim Abouleish

Sekem ( proper spelling SEKEM ) is an Egyptian "development initiative" founded in 1977 by Ibrahim Abouleish . Ibrahim Abouleish and his supporters developed around 70  hectares of desert on the edge of the Nile Delta almost 60 kilometers northeast of central Cairo using methods of biodynamic agriculture .

Sekem sees itself as a social enterprise that allows part of its profits to flow into charitable projects. The name Sekem was chosen based on the Sechem scepter , an ancient Egyptian command staff.

In the meantime, several companies have been founded under the umbrella of Sekem Holding. In 2005 SEKEM Europe was founded with its headquarters in Bochum , supported by GLS Community Bank and Triodos Bank . In 2019 the company employed over 2000 people.

history

Ibrahim Abouleish was born in Egypt in 1937 and immigrated to Graz in 1956, where he studied chemistry and medicine. In 1975 he traveled to Egypt and was faced with the country's pressing problems: poverty, overpopulation and pollution. Influenced by these impressions, he returned to Egypt with his family in 1977 and founded the Sekem initiative on a piece of land in the desert, which he had acquired for his project. He described his vision of Sekem as: “Sustainable development towards a future in which every person can develop their individual potential, in which humanity lives in social forms that reflect human dignity; and in which all economic activities are carried out according to ecological and ethical principles. "

The Sekem initiative gradually founded several companies to further process the agricultural products. This is how Atos Pharma (phytopharmaceuticals), Lotus (processing herbs and spices), NatureTex (manufacturing clothing from organic cotton), El Mizan (processing plants and growing young fruit and vegetable plants), Libra (exporting fruit and vegetables) were created ) and ISIS Organic (production of organic food). In 2000 these companies were brought together under the umbrella of Sekem Holding.

Sekem has founded various associations to spread the idea of ​​biodynamic agriculture in Egypt. The Egyptian Biodynamic Association (EBDA) was set up by Sekem to advise and support farmers in converting from conventional to biodynamic agriculture. The Center of Organic Agriculture in Egypt (COAE) was set up by Sekem to certify farms and to offer educational courses.

In addition to economic activities, Sekem is also involved in the social field. The initiative created a school, university , vocational training center, medical center and charitable foundation. Sekem supports its female employees in their endeavors to combine work and career by providing kindergarten places and day-care centers.

To ensure transparency in all activities, the initiative publishes a sustainability report every year. The report is freely available to all interested parties on the website and is divided into four dimensions.

Partnerships

The Sekem Initiative maintains partnerships with institutions and companies worldwide. The GLS Bank , the Triodos Bank and Oikocredit are shareholders in Sekem. The Egyptian initiative is also supported by the German Development Corporation .

Sekem is a member and co-founder of the International Association for Partnership for Ecology and Trade (IAP). This network was set up in 1996 by Sekem and its European partners to advise on strategies and market developments with the aim of being able to offer consumers better organic products.

Sekem is a member of or is involved in several international associations and organizations. These include: Demeter International , the United Nations Global Compact , the World Future Council , the International Association of Organic Agriculture Movements and the Global Reporting Initiative .

successes

In Egypt, it was common practice to spray pesticides over all fields by air. In 1991 Ibrahim Abouleish and his team were able to prove the success of natural pest control and advocated a ban on chemical pest control in cotton cultivation, which the Egyptian government then implemented. Since then, the use of pesticides has been reduced by 90%, which corresponds to around 35,000 t.

reception

Sekem Business Model has received a lot of recognition worldwide and has been awarded and recognized several times. In 2003 Ibrahim Abouleish received the Right Livelihood Award , often called the "Alternative Nobel Prize", for his commitment . In the same year, the Sekem founder and his son Helmy Abouleish received the “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” award from the Schwab Foundation .

In 2015, Sekem received the “Land for Life Award” from the United Nations Conference on Combating Desertification (UNCCD) for its work.

In 2019 Ramon Pachernegg and Jasmine Wagner produced the half-hour Austrian documentary SEKEM - The Miracle in the Desert with interview sequences of the founder and the current director as well as numerous sequences from everyday life and production on site. The film first appeared on Vimeo .

literature

  • Ibrahim Abouleish: The SEKEM vision. An encounter between the Orient and the Occident changed Egypt. Mayer-Verlag, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-932386-77-9
  • Daniel Baumgartner & Michael Bader: SEKEM. In the pulse of the future. How a vision changes Egypt. Pforte-Verlag, Dornach 2007, ISBN 3-85636-177-4
  • Daniel Baumgartner: The Arab Spring between anger and future . Futurum-Verlag, Basel 2012, ISBN 978-3-85636-233-1

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ https://www.sekem.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/rsd2007en.pdf
  2. ↑ https://www.sekem.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/in0703de.pdf
  3. ↑ a b SEKEM - the miracle in the desert. German (partly with subtitles). Vimeo , accessed March 17, 2020 .
  4. ↑ Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish. Founder of SEKEM. sekem.com, accessed March 17, 2020 .
  5. ↑ a b c A lot has happened since 1977 ... history. sekem.com, accessed March 17, 2020 .
  6. ↑ Sustainable development is measurable ... sustainability reports. Retrieved March 17, 2020 .
  7. ↑ Business is not possible without partnerships. Friends, partners & network. sekem.com, accessed March 17, 2020 .
  8. ↑ Organic cotton as a sustainable alternative. February 6, 2017, accessed March 17, 2020 .
  9. ↑ Worldwide recognition for an extraordinary business model. Awards. sekem.com, accessed March 17, 2020 .

Coordinates: 30 ° 9 ′ 9.8 ″  N , 31 ° 25 ′ 46 ″  E