Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has won the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Challenge 2021. The award recognises DEWA’s efforts in sustainable development and its support of the UAE’s efforts to achieve the UN SDGs.
HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, expressed his happiness on DEWA winning this global challenge, which demonstrates its efforts to achieve the vision of the wise leadership to build a more sustainable environment and develop long-term solutions in line with the UN SDGs.
“We are proud of DEWA winning the EFQM UN SDG Challenge 2021. This achievement underlines our relentless efforts to support the UAE to achieve the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030. We are firmly committed to achieving our vision to be a globally leading sustainable innovative corporation.
As a member of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), DEWA supports the UN’s role in achieving sustainable development goals. Our work plans, initiatives, programmes and projects are aligned with the SDGs. During this period, there is an urgent need to mobilise global efforts to contain the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, enhance efforts to overcome poverty and inequality, address climate change, and develop strategic and vital sectors,” said Al Tayer.
“DEWA plays a leading role in protecting the environment by increasing its use of clean and renewable energy. This is part of its social responsibility and commitment to achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 75% of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050,” he added.
Al Tayer commended the EFQM’s efforts to support the UN SDGs and its contribution to building a better and more sustainable future for everyone.
Speaking on the win, His Excellency Dr Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said, “We applaud DEWA for its active contribution to achieving the objectives of the UAE Vision 2021 to incorporate sustainability across all sectors, and to fulfilling the country’s international commitment towards the SDGs.”
Al Nuaimi noted that DEWA’s dedication to meeting the standards of sustainability in power generation and consumption and increasing the share of renewable energy in its overall capacity supports the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment’s mandate of protecting the environment, preserving natural resources and biodiversity, and tackling climate change.
“In every aspect of its business, DEWA looks to innovate in order to deliver on its sustainability goals. Its project was seen as outstanding and a world leader in a very challenging competition with many global benchmark organisations,” said Russell Longmuir, CEO of EFQM.
EFQM noted that DEWA had made a strong effort to systematically explore how it can increase its alignment to all the SDGs. In presenting its initiative, it drew on the SDGs as the framework for demonstrating just how sustainability delivers on its business objectives and value to its stakeholders while also contributing to society.
DEWA promotes sustainability amongst its staff, its customers, and society as a whole. DEWA’s annual Sustainability Report is a useful, transparent and reliable reference for its achievements and efforts over the year to achieve the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071, to make the UAE the world’s leading nation. DEWA achieved a significant score of 89.17% in the sustainability culture indicator index in 2019, exceeding the global average. The indicator is based on several aspects, including leadership in achieving sustainability, strategic commitment to sustainability, innovation in sustainability, training effectiveness, and awareness about the UN’s SDGs.
