Riyadh CSR forum ends with 36 partnerships and 61 award winners

Saudi Arabia’s second International Social Responsibility Forum wrapped up in Riyadh after two days of sessions, dealmaking and executive consultations. The event drew more than 3,000 participants and centered on turning CSR commitments into measurable impact across business, government and civil society.

Why it matters: - The forum aimed to move corporate social responsibility from commitments to measurable impact. - The event connected government, business, universities and nonprofits around health care access, skills, sustainable financing and impact measurement. - The forum also created a venue for executive consultations that can accelerate partnerships and implementation.

What happened: - The second International Social Responsibility Forum 2026 concluded in Riyadh after two days of keynote speeches, panel discussions and direct dialogue. - The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development hosted the forum at Sofitel Riyadh Hotel and Convention Center. - The event gathered more than 3,000 participants and 100 speakers from around the world. - The forum included 40 sessions and three platforms under the theme “From commitment to impact.” - The forum was held under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The details: - Organizers said 36 partnership agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed during the forum, including eight by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. - A separate summary of the forum said 39 agreements were signed, including 10 by the ministry. - Ministry agreements included partnerships with Taif University, King Abdulaziz University and Jeddah University to strengthen the role of universities and research in CSR design. - The ministry also signed with Jazan University and Umm Al-Qura University on master's programs in social responsibility. - The ministry signed with Saaf Financial to study a possible investment fund to support long-term CSR financing. - Other ministry agreements included the Northern Borders Strategic Office, Al-Dawaa Medical Services, Jameel Community and Bupa. - Remaining agreements involved companies, universities, nonprofits, government entities and social programs. - Those agreements focused on health care access, skills and capacity building, community and regional development, sustainable financing for the nonprofit sector, and research and impact measurement. - STC Group, Arab National Bank and Maktaba supported beneficiaries of the fund for martyrs, wounded service members, prisoners of war and missing persons. - Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi honored winners of the third Corporate Social Responsibility Award. - Sixty-one companies were recognized under the CSR practices track. - Five companies received gold, 36 received silver and 20 received bronze. - Twelve companies were recognized under the CSR contributions track. - Two of those companies were small businesses, three were medium-sized, four were large and three were giant companies. - The forum’s “Leaders Volunteer” initiative held 125 advisory sessions over two days for participants. - Participants in the advisory initiative included Princess Sultanah bint Badr bin Saud Al Saud, Deputy Minister for Social Development Badr Al-Sweilem, Assistant Minister for Shared Services Ismail Al-Ghamdi, Undersecretary for Community Development Ahmed Al-Majed and CSR official Mubarak Al-Buqmi. - The forum also said it focused on board accountability, institutional risk management, capital markets responsibility and the role of emerging technologies in the future of work. - Practitioners discussed where commitments are producing results, where they are falling short and what is needed to close the gap between pledges and measurable impact.

Between the lines: - The split counts on agreements suggest the forum may have produced two different public tallies, which could reflect different reporting moments or accounting methods. - The mix of universities, ministries, companies and nonprofits shows the forum was built to move beyond talk and toward cross-sector execution. - The emphasis on research, funding and measurement points to a shift from one-off CSR donations toward longer-term systems and outcomes.

What's next: - The signed agreements will need follow-through to turn forum commitments into programs, funding mechanisms and measurable social outcomes. - The ministry’s university and financing partnerships could shape future CSR education, research and investment models. - The advisory sessions and new partnerships may feed into next year’s forum as participants assess what was implemented and what still needs work.