The Institute of Environmental Management and Sustainability, Middle East (IEMS), in collaboration with the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), and Circular Learning, experts in the field of environmental and sustainable programs in the UK, has developed a comprehensive training program that tackles the challenge of achieving several of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The program was first conducted for representatives from Bee’ah, the Middle East’s sustainability pioneer, to support the company’s initiatives to bring the UAE closer to fulfilling its targets for sustainable development.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 for the year 2030, covering areas such as climate action, developing smart and sustainable cities and responsible consumption and production.
The two-day program identified current obstacles in reaching these goals, as well as key focus areas for improvement. Trainers in the program advised Bee’ah ambassadors on how to link the organization’s strategy with the SDGs and assess potential ways to operationalize sustainable development targets and indicators through appropriate channels.
H.E Khaled Al Huraimel, Bee’ah’s Group CEO, commented on the occasion saying; “Bee’ah’s business operations help support the fulfilment of sustainability targets laid out by the UAE Vision 2021, which are a reflection of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This special training program, conducted by IEMS, has given our employees a new perspective on how to achieve our objectives. We are pleased to be playing a role in implementing and affecting change in the country while building up its knowledge economy. Through our efforts, we hope to support the improvement in quality of life in the United Arab Emirates and establish a blueprint for its sustainable future.”
The FCSA, which serves as the Vice Chair to the UAE National Committee on SDGs (the responsible committee for the national implementation of SDGs), offered its support to the event through participating in interactive discussions and sharing insights on current global SDG implementation and challenges. The entity liaises with the members of the National Committee on SDGs to actively align the work of ministries and federal entities in the country to achieve the SDGs as part of the existing development frameworks like Visions 2021 and 2071.
Ghaya Al Midfa, Head of SDG’s Section, Strategy and Future Department from FCSA expressed her appreciation for IEMS and Bee’ah taking the initiative to further enhance the UAE’s sustainable performance. She said, "We aligned the SDGs with UAE’s national development priorities where the National Committee on SDGs serves as a coordination body to implement the SDGs and to undertake regular follow up and review of progress on implementation. This is being done through working with private and public sector entities. We look forward to explore collaboration opportunities with IEMS in the future, to drive projects that help deliver this vision".
During the course of the program, trainers shared global best practices on how to analyse potential collaboration opportunities with stakeholders at all levels to drive SDG implementation. The program was tailored to harness maximum benefit from Bee’ah’s corporate strategy and position as a pioneer in ensuring a sustainable quality of life for UAE residents. The training will equip 18 young men and women with the skills needed to deliver on Bee’ah’s mission to create and introduce technologies and end-to-end solutions that cross sectors and borders and develop sustainable cities and communities.