Abu Dhabi: Increasing environmental awareness among citizens is the key to organisations adopting sustainable practices, experts said at a panel discussion in the capital.
Many commercial organisations pioneering green initiatives are embracing eco-friendly trends because they are popular with the public.
The Hiwar panel discussion, which means dialogue in Arabic, was organised by the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Group (ADSG), a public-private partnership initiated by the Abu Dhabi Government to promote transparency and sustainable development.
“Our speakers presented a compelling argument that good governance is essential for sustainable development; it is a crucial pillar for success in any organisation,” Huda Al Houqani, ADSG Director, said in her opening statement. “Organisations that want a successful future need to be transparent, accountable and have clear systems of governance.”
Khuloud Al Nuwais, chief sustainability officer, Emirates Foundation, said her organisation has been implementing sustainable practices in all operations.
The Foundation has been giving priority to sustainable financial practices. Its financial literacy programme for the community has been a major step in that direction.
Andrew Robinson, resident partner at KPMG, said many organisations do not have a designated official to take care of sustainable practices. A multinational IT company told him all of its section heads have been assigned for that task.
Ann Pettifor, director of Policy Research in Macroeconomics (Prime), said the world has not learned from the economic disasters in the past.
The economic system still has many flaws, which have to be fixed. Otherwise the world will face many disasters in future, she said.
Robinder Singh, investor relations director at Al Dana Gas, said commercial organisations cannot sustain in business without adopting sustainability principles.
It was ADSG’s ninth Hiwar session in Abu Dhabi, with high-profile speakers outlining key developments and trends in governance and sustainability.
The session organised in partnership with Pearl Initiative was part of a series of events focused on economic, social and environmental issues and their implications for Abu Dhabi and the wider region.
The Pearl Initiative (www.pearlinitiative.org) is the leading independent, not-for-profit institution working across the Gulf Region to influence and improve corporate accountability and transparency.
Imelda Dunlop, Executive Director, of the Pearl Initiative, said an increasing number of firms in the GCC looking to develop and enhance their corporate governance and sustainability structures.
.The ADSG’s work aims to support the Abu Dhabi Government Vision 2030 and the UAE Government’s holistic policy development approach towards sustainability under a common vision, UAE Vision 2021 and the Green Growth strategy.
