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Emirates NBD, the banking group in the MENAT (Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye) region has joined a pledge to accelerate the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 (achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls).
As part of its ongoing commitment to promote gender equality and representation of women in leadership roles, Emirates NBD Group is among the newest cohort of eight leading local and multinational companies in the UAE to sign the SDG 5 Pledge at an event hosted by the UAE Gender Balance Council (GBC). The Pledge is aligned to the UAE government’s focus on increasing female equity and representation across public and private sector workplaces.
As a pledge member, the banking group shall work closely with the UAE GBC to align with UAE’s vision to achieve the 17 UN SDGs specifically goal number 5 which aims at achieving gender equality and empowering women. The goal aims to promote “Raising awareness on the importance of ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities at all levels of decision-making.”
Each of the signatories is committed to taking key actions to strengthen gender balance in leadership positions, including: ensuring equal pay and fair compensation practices; promoting gender equitable recruitment and promotion; reflect gender balance ambitions through policies and programs; and being transparent about progress through annual reporting to the to the UAE GBC.
Established in 2015, the UAE GBC is a federal entity responsible for developing and implementing the gender balance agenda in the UAE. The Council is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council and wife of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court.
Shayne Nelson, Group CEO at Emirates NBD, said: “As a leading local banking group, we are honored to be a part of the SDG 5 Pledge and are fully aligned with the UAE government’s focus on increasing female equality and representation across public and private sector workplaces. Emirates NBD was the first UAE banking group to publicly commit to female leadership targets last year, reflecting the importance of Diversity and Inclusion to us as a Group. Our signing the Pledge further cements our commitment towards bridging gender balance gaps and fostering a culture of equality and diversity.”
Eman Abdulrazzaq, Group Chief Human Resource Officer at Emirates NBD, said: “The SDG 5 Pledge is a visible testament to our efforts towards bridging gender balance gaps and achieving gender parity in decision-making positions. We are proud to have strong female representation on our workforce that remains well above the global benchmark for financial services.”
Abdulrazzaq added: “Emirates NBD’s Diversity and Inclusion agenda focuses on enabling and promoting an inclusive culture to build a pathway for women’s professional growth and development and we look forward to contributing positively to provide opportunities for women to grow, not just at an organizational level but also in the UAE.”
Emirates NBD says is keen to support females across the organization to reach their leadership potential through a range of internal and external programs, emphasizing the critical data and soft skills now considered a prerequisite for leadership in a digital era. It will also include accelerated role opportunities, executive courses, and coaching and mentoring.
