Growing calls for workforce training to promote sustainability are being voiced by experts across the GCC region in the United Arab Emirates.
In a move towards a greener future, Gems Education, a leading educational institution operating over 45 schools and more than 4,000 buses across its portfolio, has announced plans to install solar panels at all its schools. This decision comes as the UAE continues to prioritise sustainability and green initiatives.
The announcement was made at the "Journey to Net Zero - UAE 2025" conference, a premier climate action gathering organised by Khaleej Times. The event, in its fourth edition, provided insights into various aspects of the regulatory framework, green financing, and ESG compliance.
Dr. Waseem Hoeneini, managing partner at WMSJ, highlighted the importance of finance in driving the future and emphasised the need to invest in a greener future. He also pointed out the top challenges in the carbon market, including a lack of standardized evaluation frameworks, reputation risk, poor data transparency, fragmentation, and a lack of high-quality supply.
Yohaan Cama, corporate ESG and sustainability lead at Gems Education, elaborated on their commitment to green initiatives. He explained that they are pushing for green initiatives from the concept stage all the way into operations, and have a checklist and framework for retrofitting older schools. This is particularly challenging given that some of Gems Education's schools are 40, 50, or 60 years old, and they have to be mindful of preserving sentimental value while making green changes.
Fazeela Gopalani, partner at EY Academy Mena, echoed the need for upskilling professionals about sustainability literacy across all levels of the workforce. She stated that organisations have to invest in their people to see a real change, and there is a major need for this in the region. Big institutions in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, like sovereign wealth funds and energy firms, are also demanding upskilling for their teams.
The conference also highlighted the increasing demand for understanding renewable energy, green finance principles, and making climate-conscious business decisions among engineers, finance teams, and leaders.
This article is written by Waheed Abbas, Assistant Editor, who covers real estate, aviation, and other business stories affecting UAE consumers. He often reports human interest stories, too.
It's worth noting that the UAE recently introduced a new climate law, and consumers may be interested in a separate article about the potential fines of up to Dh2 million for non-compliance. Another separate article discusses GEMS Education hiring 1,700 school teachers ahead of the new academic year. However, specific information about which institutions from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, like Fazeela Gopalani, have registered or committed to qualify their teams on sustainability at the conference was not provided in the search results.
In conclusion, Gems Education's strategy now includes implementing solar panels at all its schools, reflecting a commitment to sustainability and a greener future. The educational institution is also investing in upskilling its team and pushing for green initiatives from the concept stage all the way into operations.
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