INTELLIGENT GREEN TECHNOLOGY
UAE IT and telecom
businesses initiate
sustainability
reporting
66% of UAE IT, telecom,
media companies report
their sustainability efforts
compared to 80% globally,
according to KPMG’s Hanife
Ymer and Raajeev B Batra.
importance. From announcing its objective
of creating a sustainable environment and
infrastructure as a part of the UAE Vision
20211 to sustainability being one of the
core themes for Expo 2020, the UAE is
focused on establishing its presence as a
global sustainability leader.
IT and telecom initiatives in UAE
G
overnment authorities and
decision-making entities are
becoming increasingly aware
of the need for generating positive
impacts for society and creating a
sustainable environment now and for
future generations and, as a result, are
now mandating corporations to act on
sustainability-related issues. Sustainability
in the UAE continues to grow in
The UAE National Telecommunications
policy highlights the country’s
objective of ensuring the adequacy
of telecommunications services,
including enhancing the quality and
variety of available services. The
policy also supports the development
of the country’s human capital and
encourages research and development
initiatives across the nation. Further,
the local Telecommunications
Regulatory Authority also plays an
active role in establishing the basis for
e-governance at the federal level and
promoting an increasingly digitally-
reliant lifestyle in the UAE. One of its
key strategic goals in fact reinforces
its commitment towards ensuring all
services are delivered in accordance with
recommended international practices,
codes and standards and promote quality,
transparency and efficiency.
According to World Economic Forum’s
Global Information Technology Report
published in 2016, the UAE maintains
its position as a world leader in terms of
network readiness. This bears testimony
to the government’s active efforts
towards leveraging advancements in
the information and communication
technology sectors and help drive
the economic productivity and social
development and welfare in the country.
Further, the UAE government
constantly strives towards promoting
green IT so as to minimise the negative
environmental impacts resulting from
the production and use of IT equipment
and related products and services.
The government has been focusing on
developing sustainable and innovative
approaches to mitigate the negative impacts
resulting from different phases in the
lifecycle of a product; the development,
production, usage and eventually the
disposal of e-waste in a sustainable and
environmentally friendly manner.
For example, a recent endeavour
undertaken by the Dubai Municipality
is the Digital Refurbishment Center for
Information Technology that repairs
old computers and donates them to
underprivileged children, as well as diverts
electronic waste from going to landfill.
Considering the initiatives launched by
the UAE government towards developing
this sector, it is crucial for organisations in
this sector to align their business strategies
with the overall national level development
objectives. Further, they should work
towards publicly disclosing on how they
are supporting and acting as enablers in
relation to the sustainable development
agenda to stakeholders.
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