Burjeel Holdings has unveiled an extensive Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy, outlining ambitious goals across four key areas, demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainable practices. Central to this strategy is the pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, indicating a significant shift towards a greener and more equitable future.
Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings, stated, “Our core business is about sustaining our society by providing healthcare services across the community, and we are striving to fully align with the best international standards in environmental stewardship and governance. One of our key ESG priorities has been to strengthen and formalise our corporate governance for the public market. We established a Board of recognized experts, with 70% being independent directors during the IPO, and in 2023, we formed a Business Development and Sustainability Committee to ensure the integration of sustainability throughout our operations.”
At the forefront of Burjeel Holdings’ ESG strategy is the commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. To achieve this goal, the organization has set intermediate targets to reduce combined Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2024. Additionally, by 2025, the organization will develop a plan to address Scope 3 carbon emissions. Beyond carbon neutrality, Burjeel Holdings aims to eliminate waste, targeting zero waste to landfill by 2040, and aims to reduce water consumption by 10% by 2030, with an emphasis on reusing 5% of total water consumed annually.
Burjeel Holdings’ Ambitious ESG Strategy Targets Carbon Neutrality by 2040
Burjeel Holdings aims to positively impact over 7 million lives per year by 2026 through various community initiatives. The organization also aims to enhance employee engagement, with a target of having 30% of corporate employees participating in at least one community volunteer activity annually starting from 2025.
Recognizing the importance of patient care, Burjeel Holdings plans to implement patient education programs for 70% of active patients with chronic conditions by 2026.
The organization aims to ensure that 100% of healthcare staff complete patient safety training annually by 2026, prioritizing the well-being of both patients and employees.
Burjeel Holdings places a strong emphasis on governance, aiming to maintain a high percentage (50%) of independent directors on its board. Employee training programs on data privacy and security, ethics, and compliance will be integral to fostering a culture of integrity and responsibility within the organization.
In line with its commitment to excellence, Burjeel Holdings aims to have all hospitals in Abu Dhabi accredited by the Abu Dhabi Healthcare Information and Cyber Security Standard (ADHICS) and achieve ISO 27001 certification for all remaining hospitals by 2027, ensuring the highest standards of quality and security.
With the goal of increasing the representation of women in leadership roles to 30% or higher by 2030, the company aims to foster a diverse and inclusive work environment.
Commitment to Excellence and Sustainability
Striving for excellence, Burjeel Holdings aims to have all hospitals accredited by the JCI permanently, ensuring the highest standards of patient care and safety. Employee satisfaction will be a priority, with a target employee satisfaction score of 95% by 2026 and a reduction in the turnover rate by 15% within the same time frame, according to WAM.
John Sunil, Chief Executive Officer of Burjeel Holdings, commented, “Our ESG performance is absolutely integral to our mission to provide the highest quality of healthcare for communities in the GCC: environmentally, we are aiming for carbon neutrality, the sustainable use and re-use of water; socially, our healthcare network cares for the whole social-economic spectrum, and we are delivering medical humanitarian aid, and improving disease prevention and treatment, in the MENA region.
We have an ethical business culture, strict patient data protection policies, extensive workforce safety and well-being programs, and we are succeeding in developing a diverse and inclusive work culture.”
