Hatem Dowidar

Group CEO, e&

HOW DO YOU VIEW SUSTAINABILITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

When e& (formerly Etisalat Group) began a new chapter as a global technology and investment conglomerate earlier this year, expanding its remit beyond telecommunications, it committed to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, while realigning its business operations to support its growth aspirations. After all, delivering an enhanced customer experience and maximising shareholder value creation can only be achieved if an organisation is guided by clear sustainability principles, to fuel a future-ready business model in an ever-changing business landscape.

Value-based sustainability leads to long-term value creation for stakeholders, protecting and creating value for businesses, people, society and the world at large. In this pursuit, we at e& have already made great strides in ensuring that our sustainability plans and ambitions are in line with the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals(UN SDGs), as well as the GSMA’s initiative to move the entire mobile sector to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. When we embarked on the exciting journey of e&, firmly rooted in our rich telecoms heritage, we were determined to meet the needs of diverse customer segments in the markets where we operate, while being a key player in exploring clean and green technology solutions. Keeping sustainability and the ESG agenda at the heart of our business model has enabled us to achieve significant milestones in the implementation of our sustainability strategy. We remain committed to supporting the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative as well as the national Net Zero pathway that the country unveiled at the 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP27). Through strategic partnerships focused on sustainability, the 2022 efforts set e&’s journey to becoming the driving force that inspires other corporates and organisations to play a significant role in supporting the UAE’s commitment to net zero by 2050. e& has already played a key role in digitally empowering societies through smart connectivity at Expo 2020 Dubai, where it was the first official telecommunications and digital services partner. This mega-project demonstrated what is possible when enhanced digital experiences are delivered to customers through interactive activities, while teams focus on their contribution to a sustainable digital infrastructure.

The importance of addressing critical climate change challenges has become a priority for countries to enable a low-carbon society, while organisations are stepping up efforts to tackle related pressing issues such as environmental conservation and the provision of safe, efficient and environmentally friendly products and services.

WHAT ARE YOUR AIMS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE REGION?

At COP27, e& committed to achieving a net zero operation by 2030 to accelerate its climate action efforts and support the UAE’s net zero strategy, and to reduce carbon emissions from its operations and accelerate its efforts to contribute to global climate action. Ambitious key initiatives aim to reduce e&’s carbon footprint, including Scope 1 and 2 emissions across the group’s UAE operations and Scope 3 by 2040-2050, by improving energy efficiency and sourcing renewable energy, which will have a positive human impact on plans and operations.

e&’s climate action programme is aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a collaboration between the Carbon Disclosure Project, the UN Global Compact and the World Resources Institute, to set an emissions reduction trajectory between 2020 and 2030 for all Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sub-sectors.

e& recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), a non-partisan climate action entity that functions as a think tank, providing evidence-based policy recommendations on climate action to both the public and private sector. The move, which marks e& as the first UAE private sector entity to join, supports the transition to a greener economy, joining UICCA in its mission to enable and energise an ecosystem of public and private entities that have shared values and a joint vision of building a sustainable future. e&’s partnerships in different sectors, in line with its ESG business model, ensure that initiatives are explored together to build more efficient and sustainable networks in the future by reducing energy consumption, partnering with other technology companies to share expertise and products to develop energy efficiency strategies to support a Net Zero strategy while exploring opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption. As part of the partnerships and collaborations, the importance of knowledge sharing sessions, from energy efficiency strategies to decarbonising the e& network infrastructure business, is highlighted.

HOW CAN YOU BRING THIS VISION TO REALITY?

We believe that technology and connectivity are at the heart of a future that is good for the planet, creates a better life for all and brings cohesion and trust to societies. Our vision is to lead the digital transformation and connectivity for a sustainable and inclusive future for all. We will do what it takes to stay committed to the country’s path to 2050 in our role as catalysts for change to inspire and motivate other companies and organisations to drive the necessary change.

In the spirit of strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships, in line with its approach to operate responsibly and transparently, and driven by its relentless commitment to delivering innovation solutions, e& will continue to spearhead digital transformation and connectivity for a sustainable and inclusive future.

We will always remain focused on bringing dynamic new technologies to life by implementing ingenious innovations that I am sure will forge us towards our vision of digitally empowering societies. We can achieve this through our employees who continue to make a difference in our ESG journey as they remain committed to our organisation’s sustainability principles to protect the future of the planet and preserve natural ecosystems for generations to come.