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UAE professionals thinking green, but not doing

DUBAI — Professionals in the UAE are keen to go green and companies in the country may be doing their bit for the environment, but there appears to be a disconnect between intention
and action.

A recent survey by recruitment site Bayt.com of Middle East employers and staff finds the environment is not yet right to match thought and deed. It says a whopping 88 per cent in the Middle East want greener offices without walking that extra mile to get there.

In the UAE, 52 per cent of the respondents say their employers ‘‘do actually make an effort — to varying degrees — to foster environment-friendly practices”, according to the online job portal.

The country is a step ahead in environmental awareness, considering the regional average is 35 per cent, with 30 per cent employers completely ignoring the issue. Some 13 per cent offices in the UAE allow telecommuting, or working from home. Nothing significant to change the carbon footprint situation overnight, but the figure indicates a small start has been made.

Environmental awareness among workers may be high, so is waste produced by them, with only six per cent of offices in the country recycling paper, according to the online study of 916 respondents from the UAE. This is marginally higher than the Middle East average which stands at four per cent.

Offices in the country are glossing over their green good looks — a cosmetic shift. Artificial plants are still a major attraction in workplaces, with only eight per cent of companies opting for real plants, says Lama Ataya, director of Marketing and Corporate Communication, Bayt.com, in replies to questions from this newspaper.

The green concept may seem alluring to many firms; implementation issues, however, are a long way from
being addressed.

“This poll has given a remarkable insight into professionals’ attitudes in the Middle East with regard to environmental friendliness. The fact that the vast majority consider having a greener office vital illustrates the significance of this study,” says Rabea Ataya, chief executive officer of the website.

On its part, the Emirates Environment Group (EEG) holds lectures every month with active participation from companies. “I can easily say that the highest participation for the lectures is from the corporate sector,” says Habiba Al Marashi, EEG chairperson and board member of UN Global Compact.

Waste Management Programmes by the group include the ‘Can Collection Drive’ and ‘Clean Up UAE Campaigns’. These serve as a practical platform for active participation by the corporate sector.

Besides these, a biennial magazine, ‘Waste Paper’, is sent out to offices and corporate bodies around the UAE.

“There are a number of benefits of being an EEG corporate member. Firstly, the organisation and its employees are invited to all EEG events and campaigns such as the waste management programmes, community lectures, Arabia CSR events and workshops and prize giving ceremony,” says Habiba.

The UAE has been in the forefront of major environment-friendly projects, with the $15-billion Masdar City in Abu Dhabi at the top of the list. Over 50 renewable energy companies have already started operations in the city.

The International Renewable Energy Agency, or IRENA, now headquartered in the capital, and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, plan to disburse $50 million for renewable energy projects.

According to a study undertaken by Frost & Sullivan for the Middle East Waste Summit 2010, the UAE alone produced around 6.5 million tonnes of waste in 2009, forming 22 per cent of the total waste generated in the GCC region. — allan@khaleejtimes.com

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