Emirates Sustainability News #2 2025

The UAE held its first national Sustainability Excellence Awards, recognising leading organisations across industry, energy, manufacturing, agriculture, and services - signalling that measurable ESG performance is now firmly mainstream in corporate strategy.

This reflects a growing corporate commitment in the UAE to integrate sustainability into business strategies and showcase measurable impact.

Winners of the Sustainability Excellence Awards 2025:

Schneider Electric — Sustainable Digital Innovator

DesertBoard — Sustainable Building Material Manufacturer of the Year

Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone — Best Free Zone for Startups & SMEs

Emirates Global Aluminium — Eco-Efficient Manufacturer of the Year

FujSeng Construction LLC — Green Construction Leadership Award

Burjeel Hospital Abu Dhabi — Healthcare Sustainability Leader of the Year

No Sweat Solar Solutions — Energy Efficiency Leader of the Year

Highland Agro Foods Pvt Ltd. — Sustainable Production and Export Excellence Award

Fyne Jewellery — Sustainable Retail Champion in Jewellery

Karma Developers — Gulf News Editor’s Choice Award; Sustainable Developer of the Year

Zeoplant — Sustainable Landscaping & Agriculture Pioneer

Dubai Avenue by Shaikh Mohammed Saeed Group — Green Essence Award in Fragrance and Cosmetics

Xpressions Style — Sustainable Retail Brand of the Year

Bin Dasmal Group — Regenerative Agriculture Initiative of the Year

RKG International FZC — Metal Recycling Excellence Award

Audrey Macaluso Fages — Best Upcoming Sustainable Consultancy

Dr Tamil Selvan Ramadoss — Excellence in Sustainability Advisory

Sahul Hameed Syed Ibrahim — Impact Leader of the Year

Federal authorities confirmed a wider ban on single-use plastic products, including food-service packaging and disposable items. The announcement accelerated shifts toward reusable, compostable, and paper-based packaging across retail and hospitality.

The UAE has tightened its nationwide ban on single-use plastics, significantly impacting packaging and disposable items by early 2026. Federal and emirate-level authorities confirmed that from January 1, 2026, the import, manufacture, and trade of a wide range of single-use plastic packaging and tableware will be prohibited. These include:

• Plastic cups and lids
• Cutlery (forks, spoons, knives, chopsticks)
• Plates, straws, and stirrers
• Styrofoam food containers and boxes
• Single-use bags below a certain thickness

The policy is part of broader sustainability and circular economy goals to reduce waste and pollution, and prompt wider adoption of reusable, compostable, or paper-based alternatives. Retailers have already begun shifting to biodegradable packaging, paper-based materials, and reusable options to comply and support consumer transition.
More here.

Emirates and dnata showcased sustainability innovations at their annual “Tomorrow Takes Flight” event in Dubai on 4 July 2025, aligning with the UN’s campaign to #BeatPlasticPollution.

Initiatives highlighted included:

• Reduction of single-use plastics
• Clean energy adoption at engineering facilities
• Circular use of materials (repurposing retired aircraft parts)
• Sustainable provisioning across catering, cargo and operations
• This demonstrates a cross-business approach to sustainability - from materials management to cleaner operations.

Emirates position the aviation sustainability as a system-wide transformation, not just fuel efficiency.

Amazon UAE partnered with Enviroserve and local authorities to roll out a Dubai-wide packaging recycling initiative, establishing over 150 drop-off points where customers can return various Amazon packaging materials - including cardboard boxes, plastic mailers, bubble envelopes, and packing paper.
This supports the UAE’s Green Agenda 2030, and aligns with Amazon’s global net-zero by 2040 commitments.

Read more here.

The UAE launched a pilot Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) initiative - a regulatory EU framework where manufacturers and brand owners take responsibility for the end-of-life management of products and packaging.
The pilot, active in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, targets waste streams including packaging, electronics, and batteries. It involves more than 20 companies pledging to support consumer awareness, waste collection and segregation, and improve recycling infrastructure.

It means that UAE:

• Encourages producer accountability for packaging waste as in EU
• Fosters investment in packaging design for reuse/recycling
• Builds capacity for scalable circular waste systems

According "Reuters" state-owned renewable energy company Masdar achieved a profitable turnaround in 2024, reporting a net profit and tripling its assets, reflecting strong expansion in global clean energy capacity toward its 100 GW goal.

Star Paper Mills announced the commissioning of a new recycled container board mill in KEZAD (Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi), representing a US$54 million (AED 200 million) investment.
The facility (nearing completion) will produce recycled container board from post-consumer paper waste, supporting sustainable packaging supply for domestic and regional industries.

The new 135,000 tonne recycled container board mill, spread across 59,000 square metres, was formally presented at ProPaper 2025 during October 13–15 which this year highlights sustainability initiatives reshaping the global paper industry.

The KEZAD facility will produce biodegradable recycled container boards used in the manufacture of corrugated cartons and paper bags. At least 80% of its waste paper requirement will be met from domestic sources, with the balance imported from markets such as the United States and United Kingdom.

Read all details here.

The UAE topped regional sustainability leader rankings, with dozens of UAE-based executives and organisations recognised for ESG leadership across energy, construction, logistics, finance, and manufacturing.

Throughout the second half of 2025, the UAE consistently topped regional sustainability and ESG leadership rankings, reinforcing its position as the Middle East’s leading hub for responsible business and sustainable innovation. Multiple regional and international listings highlighted dozens of UAE-based executives, companies, and institutions for their leadership across priority sectors including energy, construction, logistics, aviation, finance, manufacturing, and technology.

The strong UAE presence in these rankings reflects:

• Early adoption of ESG frameworks and integrated sustainability strategies
• Clear alignment with national climate and net-zero goals
• Increased focus on measurable outcomes, such as emissions reduction, circular economy practices, and social impact
• Strong governance structures supporting transparency and accountability

Notably, UAE organisations were recognised not only for environmental initiatives, but also for embedding sustainability into core business models, investment decisions, supply chains, and innovation agendas.
This leadership demonstrates how sustainability in the UAE has evolved from a compliance exercise into a competitive advantage and growth enabler, positioning the country as a benchmark for ESG maturity across the region.

In the second half of 2025, community-led recycling initiatives across the UAE reached record collection volumes, reflecting growing public engagement in sustainability and waste reduction. Programmes led by environmental NGOs, municipalities, schools, and private-sector partners collectively diverted over one million kilograms of recyclable materials from landfill, including paper, plastic, aluminium, e-waste, and textiles.

This milestone highlights several positive trends:

• Rising environmental awareness among residents, students, and employees
• Strong corporate participation through workplace recycling drives and sponsorships
• Effective public-private partnerships supporting collection, sorting, and processing infrastructure
• Increased alignment with national circular economy and waste diversion targets

Beyond the environmental impact, these initiatives played an important role in embedding sustainability into everyday behaviour, helping normalise recycling as a shared responsibility rather than a niche activity.
The success of community-driven programmes demonstrates how grassroots engagement complements policy and corporate action, strengthening the UAE’s broader transition toward a circular and low-waste economy.

In the latter half of 2025, the UAE continued to strengthen its role as a global leader in climate and sustainability diplomacy, maintaining strong international engagement beyond the COP cycle. Through participation in major UN environment and sustainability platforms, global forums, and multilateral dialogues, the UAE reinforced its commitment to climate action, sustainability finance, and international cooperation.

Key areas of leadership highlighted during this period included:

• Advancing climate finance and investment mobilisation, including support for large-scale transition and resilience projects
• Promoting nature-based solutions, biodiversity protection, and climate adaptation
• Championing inclusive and pragmatic climate pathways that balance economic development with environmental responsibility
• Encouraging stronger collaboration between governments, the private sector, and financial institutions

This sustained diplomatic presence signalled that the UAE’s sustainability agenda extends well beyond national borders, positioning the country as a bridge between global ambition and practical implementation. By keeping climate and sustainability high on the international agenda through year-end, the UAE reinforced its reputation as a reliable partner in driving long-term, scalable solutions to global environmental challenges.