e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) reaffirmed its ESG commitments by joining the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics, consolidating with more than 100 global companies that are aligning their performance reporting with environmental, social and governance (ESG) indicators and consistently tracking their contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Building on existing standards, the Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics promote the alignment of current ESG frameworks to create a set of data points that can be compared across companies, regardless of sector or region. The metrics include non-financial information focused on four pillars: people, planet, prosperity and governance principles, and include measures on greenhouse gas emissions, equal pay and diversity, among others. The measures also provide comparability, which is particularly important to inform ongoing efforts to create a set of common, systemic and globally accepted standards for reporting on sustainability performance.
The global technology and investment conglomerate also confirmed the Group's commitment to its ESG principles, spearheading digital transformation and connectivity for a sustainable and inclusive future for all. e& strategy amplifies the sustainability agenda. Underscoring its position as a diverse and inclusive employer with ethical and transparent business practices, e& seeks, through its key ESG objectives, to give back to the businesses in which it operates, to ensure a digital future for all and to cement its commitment to low-carbon operations, thereby contributing to the decarbonization of the world.
Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO at e&, said: "Sustainability remains at the heart of e&, and we place great importance in addressing current social, economic and climate challenges in everything we do.
“We are constantly adapting and evolving to become a catalyst for change in the world around us, diversifying and deepening our efforts across all our business verticals to ensure that we contribute positively to national and global ESG ambitions such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals and key global climate agreements.”
Already demonstrating a strong commitment to its ESG agenda, e& has made great strides towards the goals of its sustainability strategy. During the Group's participation in the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP27) in 2022, e& pledged its commitment to achieving net zero emissions from its own operations by 2030 while accelerating its efforts to contribute to global climate action, focusing on key initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint through improved energy efficiency and renewable energy sourcing, among other initiatives.
In November 2022, e& also became the first UAE private sector entity to join the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), pledging its commitment and collaboration to UICCA's mission to enable and energize an ecosystem of public and private entities that have shared values and a joint vision of building a sustainable future.
Inviting others to join in on the drive, e& enterprise launched FutureNow Sustainability, calling upon scale-ups from across the globe to be part of shaping a sustainable future in the UAE, prioritizing energy efficiency and renewable energy supply and together developing cutting-edge sustainable solutions that reduce reliance on the country's electricity grid at more than 11,500 mobile network sites in the UAE.
Etisalat Group has changed its brand identity to e&, effective February 23, 2022. Its strategy aims to accelerate growth through the creation of a resilient business model representing the Group’s main business pillars.
The telecoms business currently continues to be led by etisalat by e& in e&’s home market and by e& international in its international markets, upholding the Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering the strong telecoms network and maximizing value for the Group’s various customer segments.
Ramping up the digital services for individual customers to elevate their digital-first lifestyle, e& life brings next-generation technologies through smart platforms in entertainment, retail and financial technology.
To maximize the digital potential of governments, large-scale enterprises and corporates, e& enterprise focuses on delivering innovative digital vertical value propositions through its end-to-end solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as deploying mega projects. e& capital allows the Group to focus its efforts on driving new investments while maximizing shareholder value and strengthening its global presence.
