Burjeel Holdings announces plan to become Carbon Neutral by 2040

Burjeel Holdings has announced a new long-term Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy, setting ambitious targets across four key pillars, in a bold move towards sustainable practices. At the heart of this strategy is a pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, signaling a shift towards a greener, more equitable future.

Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings, said, “The nature of our business is clearly about sustaining our society by providing healthcare across the community, and we are seeking to align fully with the best international standards on environmental stewardship and governance.

One of our key ESG priorities has been to strengthen and formalise our public market-oriented corporate governance. At the time of the IPO, we created a Board of acknowledged experts, of whom 70% are independent directors, and in 2023 we established a Business Development and Sustainability Committee to ensure that we integrate sustainability across our entire business.”

At the forefront of Burjeel Holdings’ ESG strategy is its pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040. To realise this vision, the organisation has set mid-term targets for reducing combined Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2024.

Additionally, by 2025, the organisation will develop a strategy to account for Scope 3 carbon emissions. Beyond carbon neutrality, Burjeel Holdings is committed to eliminating waste, aiming for zero waste to landfill by 2040. It also aims to reduce water consumption by 10% by 2030, with a focus on reusing 5% of total water consumed annually.

Burjeel Holdings seeks to positively impact over 7 million lives per year by 2026 through various community initiatives. Encouraging employee engagement, the organisation aims to have 30% of corporate employees participate in at least one community volunteer activity annually starting in 2025.

Recognising the importance of patient care, Burjeel Holdings plans to implement patient education programmes for 70% of active patients with chronic conditions by 2026. Regular patient satisfaction surveys will be conducted to ensure a satisfaction rate of 85% or higher, with a focus on continuous improvement.

The organisation aims to ensure 100% of healthcare staff complete patient safety training annually by 2026, prioritising 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 programmes on data privacy and security, ethics and compliance will be integral to fostering a culture of integrity and responsibility within the organisation.

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 a 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. Additionally, Burjeel Holdings is committed to maintaining a balanced gender ratio (50:50) by 2030 and providing health and safety training for all employees by 2025.

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 turnover rate by 15% within the same time frame.

Furthermore, Burjeel Holdings is committed to ethical sourcing practices, aiming for 100% compliance of suppliers with ethical labor practices through regular audits by 2026, reinforcing its commitment to responsible business practices throughout its supply chain.

John Sunil, Chief Executive Officer of Burjeel Holdings, said, “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 programmes, and we are succeeding in developing a diverse and inclusive work culture.”

Source: WAM