Dubai, United Arab Emirates – In collaboration with the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), Deloitte has launched  the Green Skills for a Green Economy program, a first of its kind training program that is designed to drive forward a fair transition to a green economy. This initiative has provided training to over 350 participants since its launch in the Middle East, with participants including students, lecturers, entrepreneurs, charity staff and other professionals of which the majority reside in the United Arab Emirates.

This dynamic and interactive course offers a foundational understanding of environmental sustainability, an overview of the evolving economy, and insights into the emerging landscape of 'green' jobs and skills. The program is designed to not only enhance participants' current roles with green competencies but also to open new career pathways in the rapidly growing green economy, thereby fostering a more inclusive and sustainable workforce.

Mutasem Dajani, CEO of Deloitte Middle East, highlighted the broader impact of the initiative, stating, "Environmental education and youth empowerment are fundamental pillars of Deloitte Middle East’s purpose and climate strategies. We are proud to collaborate with our communities, particularly university professors and students, to advance the region's sustainable development goals and foster a resilient and innovative economy. Our commitment lies in nurturing eco-conscious generations and instilling a strong sense of environmental responsibility among the region’s future leaders, ensuring that our communities thrive amidst environmental challenges.

Highlighting the program’s impact, Dr. Dima Jamali, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Canadian University Dubai – one of the universities that benefited from Deloitte’s training – said, "This program represents a pivotal advancement in harmonizing our academic practices with both international sustainability benchmarks and the UAE's ambitious sustainability agenda. By empowering our students and faculty with this knowledge, we are not merely educating; we are cultivating a generation of sustainability advocates who are equipped to actively contribute to sustainable practices in their professional and personal spheres.”

Martin Baxter, Deputy CEO at IEMA, considers that “Climate and environmental targets are not just economy-wide challenges but also opportunities. Successful organisations going forward should want every team member to have some level of green skills – much like the way digital skills spread across businesses over previous decades. The ambition should be to make “all jobs greener” – by weaving green competences through their workforce. But this is not happening fast enough and there is a global green skills gap looming. So our collaboration with Deloitte is designed to tap into a more diverse array of talent and encourage equal access to fulfilling green careers for all demographics.”

The Green Skills for a Green Economy program is aligned with Deloitte’s WorldClass ambition to impact 100 million people by the year 2030, and Deloitte’s WorldClimate strategy aimed at driving responsible climate choices within our organization and beyond.

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Bassel Barakat
External Communications |PR and Media Lead
Deloitte & Touche (M.E.)
bbarakat@deloitte.com