- Ohood Al Roumi: The programme reflects the government’s focus on investing in national talent and equipping them with the skills to shape the future.
Dubai: The UAE Sustainability Fellowship celebrated the graduation of its third cohort, in the presence of Her Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future. The cohort brought together 32 outstanding professionals from the public and private sectors, who completed an intensive programme focused on empowering positive impact makers across the UAE community and preparing a new generation of sustainability leaders.
The Fellowship was supported by Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the programme’s strategic partners, through the Chief Sustainability Officers Network and in collaboration with the Posterity Institute, as part of a shared commitment to developing sustainability leadership in the UAE.
Her Excellency Ohood Al Roumi said that the UAE Sustainability Fellowship’s efforts to build a new generation of impact makers in sustainability reflects the UAE Government’s focus on investing in national talent and equipping them with the skills, capabilities and tools needed to shape the future.
She noted that this approach is aligned with the government’s focus on results and quality outcomes, within a comprehensive and proactive vision centred on people and the future.
Her Excellency added that building new generations of sustainability leaders in the UAE is a government priority, supporting efforts to create positive impact in society and ensure a better future for generations to come. She said the UAE Sustainability Fellowship has become a platform for building capabilities, developing future skills and empowering national talent to lead real and tangible change in sustainability.
A Holistic Approach
The third cohort adopted a holistic approach to sustainability, viewing it as an integrated system that connects industry, society, technology and people.
The programme covered a wide range of themes, including building resilient industries and communities, turning vision into action, leveraging technology and innovation to build smarter systems, the role of artificial intelligence in serving humanity, community leadership grounded in purposeful design, and systems thinking to address interconnected challenges.
Dr. Yasar Jarrar, Secretary-General of the Chief Sustainability Officers Network and Managing Director of the Posterity Institute, said: “True sustainability is not measured by the number of initiatives, but by the depth of impact they create in people’s lives. What distinguishes this cohort is that they learned to ask the harder question: what has actually changed?”
Throughout the programme, discussions focused on the concept of impact and the real change that sustainability can create in people’s lives — from new jobs and thriving communities, to protected water resources, a safeguarded environment, and healthier people with a better quality of life. This enabled participants to understand sustainability through the lens of outcomes and genuine impact.
Dr. Elham Chehaimi, CSO Network Manager, said: “When we discuss water security, job opportunities and social wellbeing within a sustainability programme, this is not an expansion of scope. It is a return to the core. Sustainability has always been, and will remain, centred on people first.”
For the first time, Emirates Global Aluminium joined ADNOC as a strategic partner of the Fellowship, reflecting a shared belief that the transition towards sustainability requires the combined efforts of all sectors. The partnership also underscores the commitment of the national private sector to supporting the development of Emirati capabilities and empowering national talent to play a central role in achieving sustainable development goals and strengthening the UAE’s global competitiveness.
Transformation Enabled by Leaders Capable of Driving Change
Ibrahim Al Zubi, Group Chief Sustainability Officer of ADNOC and Chairman of the Chief Sustainability Officers Network, said: “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at ADNOC and underpins our approach to delivering energy responsibly, empowering lives and creating long-term value for our people, business and society. Through this fellowship, we are pleased to support a new generation of leaders ready to make a positive and lasting impact for the UAE.”
Najeeba Al Jabri, Chief ESG & Sustainability Officer at Emirates Global Aluminium, said: “In heavy industries, sustainability is not only a requirement for resilience and business continuity. It is a strategic choice that differentiates products, creates added value and strengthens long-term competitiveness. The fellows graduating today understand this equation, positioning them to lead a more sustainable and impactful future.”
UAE Sustainability Fellowship
The UAE Sustainability Fellowship is a pioneering initiative led by the Government Development and the Future Office. It brings together a select group of young talent from the public and private sectors to build a network of sustainability leaders capable of advancing the national sustainability agenda.
The Fellowship is implemented in partnership with the Posterity Institute and the Chief Sustainability Officers Network.
Posterity Institute
The Posterity Institute is a purpose-driven social enterprise focused on advancing sustainable and inclusive development in emerging markets. It works through strategic partnerships, leadership development, knowledge creation, and data- and evidence-based policymaking.
The Institute serves as a platform for collaboration and innovation, bringing together governments, the private sector and development institutions to design practical solutions that contribute to building more resilient and sustainable societies and economies.
The Institute believes that the future of the region must be built from within, through effective solutions, strategic partnerships and future-focused policies that enable economic prosperity, technological progress and sustainability to advance in an integrated way. The Institute delivers its mission through a number of leading initiatives and platforms, most notably the Chief Sustainability Officers Network and the Irth Institute.
Chief Sustainability Officers Network
The Chief Sustainability Officers Network is a leading platform that brings together sustainability leaders and experts from across sectors in the UAE and the region.
The Network aims to accelerate the transition towards sustainable development by fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange and joint initiatives that support economic, social and environmental impact.
Through executive dialogues, leadership programmes, applied research and strategic partnerships, the Network provides a platform that brings together decision-makers, business leaders and experts to develop innovative solutions and promote sustainable practices, contributing to a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future for generations to come.
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