Visiting the headquarters of Bahraini state oil firm Bapco, Shaikha Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of King Hamad and chairwoman of Supreme Council for Women, praised the group for its strong commitment to the environment and corporate social responsibility.

Gulf Daily News reports that the royal was also given a tour of the company's refinery and invited to lay the first stone for Alawi Park and open the Shaikh Sabeeka Environment Island.

Female employees at the plant also briefed on the campaigns and training programmes Bapco has developed in order to help women rise through its ranks.

Meanwhile, the Bahraini oil minister and National Oil and Gas Authority chairman Dr Abdulhussain Mirza described the shaikha's visit as historic and commended her for the active role that she has taken in promoting environmental causes in the oil and gas industry.

Last month, Bapco chief executive Abdulkarim Al-Sayed attended a ceremony honouring 32 employees who had completed the company's office administrators training programme run by the training and development department.

Global Education and Training event for Oil and Gas: Refining and Petrochemicals