The National Bank of Fujairah (NBF) has hosted the latest in its successfulseries of knowledge-sharingeventson advancing the commitments made during COP28, held last year in the UAE. The hybrid event, attended by more than 100 delegates from diverse industries - including both NBF and non-NBF clients -shared valuable insights on the global transition to a low-carbon economy.The event was organised in partnership with the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) Data and Analytics team.

Under the theme ‘Accelerating ESG: Turning Plans into Results’, the event provided practical guidance and actionable insights for building a meaningful Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) programme. With the UAE’s Year of Sustainability extended into 2024, NBF brought together expert speakers and industry leaders to advance environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and transparent governance from intention to action.

Gouban Gopal, ESG Director at Grant Thornton UAE, provided a detailed overview of the key outcomes from COP28 and the UAE’s Commitment to sustainability, with attendees learning about the benefits of a sustainable framework and the importance of implementing the latest ESG reporting. Keith Bradley, Managing Partner at Living Business, gavetips for integrating ESG into everyday business, with practical examples of what has been applied by other companies,including those who took part in last year’s NBF Living Business Programme.

A panel discussiontitled ‘Maintaining a sustainable business’, with Jessica Robinson, Partner at Solve Strategies, Rach ElGolli, Senior Responsible Finance and Sustainability Advisor at Sustainable Square, and Gouban Gopal, ESG Director, Grant Thornton UAE, providedengaging insights. Moderated by LumaSaqqaf, Director for the Middle East, Africa, and India region (IMEA), UN PRI (Principles of Responsible Investment), the panelemphasised the importance of building a meaningful ESG programme and taking a holistic approach towards sustainability to stay ahead of the curve, while remaining both profitable and competitive.

In addition, a panel discussion featuring Joshua Walker, Projects Director at Summertown Interiors and Dharmendra Gupta, Financial Controller at Petrochem Middle East FZE - both companiesgraduates of NBF’s Living Business Programme - discussed what sustainability means to them. Moderated by Ashish Gokhale, Executive of Strategic Marketing & Communications at National Bank of Fujairah, both panellists showcased their achievements and outlined the current challenges facing their respective industries.

NBF’sLiving Business Programme provided comprehensive sustainability coaching to business customers, resulting in projects that will save energy, reduce carbon emissions and cut waste. During 2023, participants in the Living Business Programme commenced projects which will save 508,100 KWh of energy annually, reduce carbon emissions by 6,205 tCO2e, divert 160,313 kgs/annum of waste away from landfills and have a positive impact on 30,010 community members. Twelve companies graduated from the first round of the programme in 2023. The 2024 round is currently in progress, with companies drawn from a more diverse range of industries this year.

The event was the latest in NBF’s knowledge event series, which most recently has explored investment management and Islamic finance. The event series will run throughout 2024, providing valuable insights for NBF customers.

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