18 national and international companies join the SDG5 pledge

Increasing the representation of women in Leadership roles
Her Highness Sheikha Manal praises the 18 local and multinational companies that recently signed the SDG5 Pledge to Accelerate Gender Balance in the UAE Private Sector

HH Sheikha Manal Bint Mohammad President of the UAE Gender Balance Council:
• The UAE, under the leadership of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, is continuing to achieve prosperity and leads global initiatives that contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
• The UAE Gender Balance Council, under the directive of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, continues to launch globally-recognized initiatives to drive gender balance locally and internationally
• The willingness of 56 local and multinational companies to sign the Pledge is evidence of the value of this unique public-private partnership aiming to advance Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality)

The UAE’s Leadership continues to champion gender balance as a national priority. The SDG 5 Pledge to Accelerate Gender Balance in the UAE Private Sector has a target of increasing the representation of women in leadership roles to 30% by 2025 to ensure their full and effective participation at the highest levels of decision making.

Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council (UAE GBC), wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, affirmed that, the UAE, under the dedicated leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, is continuing to make substantial strides and achieve prosperity in various sectors while actively contribute to supporting global efforts aimed at achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Her Highness said that the UAE GBC has intensified its efforts during the past years and will continue it during the coming period in cooperation and partnership with all state institutions to implement the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance the competitiveness of the UAE globally and its position among the best countries in terms of gender balance.

Her Highness expressed her pride in all companies that have signed the SDG 5 Pledge, emphasizing their willingness to work closely with the government to advance SDG 5 and gender balance in the UAE private sector and country more broadly. The "SDG 5 Pledge to Accelerate Gender Balance in the UAE Private Sector", has a target of raising women’s participation in senior and middle management roles to 30% by 2025.

On 15th December, 18 additional local and multinational companies signed the Pledge, bringing the total to 56. Signatory companies are from a range of sectors including law, healthcare, defense, finance, energy, and professional services.

The Pledge has four main pillars: ensuring equal pay and compensation; promoting gender equitable recruitment and promotion; reviewing company policies and programs to advance gender balance; and transparency through annual reporting to the UAE Gender Balance Council.

The newest group of 18 companies who signed the Pledge did so during an event organized by the UAE GBC at the Capital Club in the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC),

During the event, HE Shamsa Saleh, Secretary General of the UAE GBC, delivered a speech on behalf of HH Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, where she expressed her thanks to all the companies for their dedicated support and cooperation with the Council to achieve the vision and goals of the UAE at the local and global levels.

Companies who signed on December 15 include: Emirates Group, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group, Kaman, Chalhoub Group, Aramex International LLC, Jacobs, APCO Worldwide, Omnicom Media Group MENA, Kraft Heinz MEA, Crescent Enterprises, Saab,, Dentons & Co., Clifford Chance, Charles Russell Speechlys LLP, TVM Capital Healthcare, Brunswick Group, and Russell Reynolds Associates.

In turn, corporate officials affirmed during the signing ceremony of the pledge their companies' commitment and the private sector, in general, to work closely with government to enhance gender balance in the UAE.

This Pledge is the result a longstanding partnership between the UAE Government and the private sector, and is a direct result of the efforts of the Private Sector Advisory Council on Sustainable Development Goals, in cooperation with the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, represented by the UAE Gender Balance Council and the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics Centre.