American companies sign SDG 5 Pledge to prop-up women leadership in UAE private sector

A commitment to advance gender equality in the UAE workforce by focusing efforts on increasing the representation of women in leadership roles to ensure their full and effective participation at the highest levels of decision-making has been made by fifteen American companies operating in the UAE’s private sector that are members of AmCham Abu Dhabi. An important public-private relationship is the SDG 5 Pledge to Accelerate Women’s Leadership in the UAE Private Sector. It is a project that the UAE government has rapidly recognised as a milestone.

The pledge was signed on the 23rd of November during a ceremony hosted by the UAE Gender Balance Council (UAE GBC) in cooperation with the AmCham Abu Dhabi. The ceremony was attended by Shamsa Saleh, Secretary-General of the UAE GBC; Liz Beneski, Chief Executive Director AmCham Abu Dhabi, VADM (Ret.) Bob Harward, Chairman of the Board, AmCham Abu Dhabi, and Board members of AmCham Abu Dhabi; Christina Struller, Lina Lampkin, Courtney Sader, Rula Dajani as well as representatives from each of the 15 American companies in the UAE Private Sector.

Here are the companies that signed the pledge:

1. Emerson
2. Accenture
3. L3Harris
4. Mediclinic Middle East
5. Fragomen
6. Boeing
7. Oshkosh Defense
8. Lockheed Martin
9. Raytheon
10. EVAP Investment LLC
11. Viatris
12. Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
13. Andaz Capital Gate Abu Dhabi
14. Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi
15. NYU Abu Dhabi

The companies have pledged to speed up the accomplishment of SDG 5, and the signatories have expressed their delight at being a part of a project that increases the UAE’s competitiveness on the world stage, decreases gender disparities, and realises the leadership’s future vision.

The signatories emphasised their commitment to working with the UAE GBC to accomplish this goal, and show their resolve to increase the share and representation of women in leadership positions by fostering a culture that encourages all employees to achieve their full potential. They are committed to taking key actions before 2025 to strengthen gender balance in leadership positions by ensuring equal pay and fair compensation practices; promoting gender-equitable recruitment and promotion; mainstreaming gender balance through policies and programs; and being transparent about progress with fellow signatories and government.

His Highness Sheikha Manal bint Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum also said “Our wise leadership has a progressive vision for the UAE to be a global leader in gender balance, and through the willingness of the companies to sign the SDG 5 Pledge to Accelerate Women’s Leadership in the UAE Private Sector – the UAE will be able to utilise this important public-private partnership to bridge the gaps in gender balance.”

He also stressed that the Council will continue its efforts to achieve the crucial vision of the UAE Gender Balance Strategy whose goal is to place the nation as a model for gender balance worldwide.