Andreas Feil, First Secretary for Climate, Energy & Environment at the German Embassy Abu Dhabi, delivered the opening speech. He stressed the importance of SDG 15 on biodiversity, noting the German government's efforts to measure and reduce emissions, and urged private sector investment in renewable energies. Feil supported developing actionable recommendations for the UAE Government through the day’s discussions.
Joëlle Jammal, Executive Director of Global Compact Network UAE, delivered the keynote, addressing challenges from climate change, inequality, and environmental degradation. She advocated for viewing sustainability as a strategic advantage and emphasized the power of collaboration and innovation.
Joe Y. Battikh discussed the slow progress in achieving SDGs, with only 15% of goals met. He shared his experience with a Swedish multinational in the ICT sector, where a top-down approach led by the CEO and a Chief Sustainability Officer has driven sustainability success. He encouraged partnerships with SMEs to enhance sustainability across supply chains.
We extend our gratitude to our esteemed speakers: Jonathan Hirasawa Ashton from KROHNE, Dharmesh Zavery from Hotpack Global, and Jimmy George from Yellow Door Energy, who shared their corporate journeys in advancing sustainability within their companies.