Sustainability as a service: The next big business model

Sustainability has stopped being a cost centre. In the Gulf, it is fast becoming a traded service, a contractually delivered outcome, and in many cases, a bankable asset class. From green hydrogen to waste-to-energy, companies are no longer talking about offsetting their footprint; they are selling decarbonisation the way telecoms sell connectivity. The model has a name — sustainability-as-a-service — and the GCC is positioning itself as one of the world’s first real laboratories.

The Middle East, with its fast-growing urban centres, climate adaptation challenges, and ambitious net-zero commitments, is becoming the proving ground for this evolution. Companies such as ENGIE and BEEAH are not simply greening their operations; they are building entire businesses around sustainability-as-a-service. And as national visions like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 accelerate demand, the region may be among the first to truly monetise sustainability at scale.

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Beyond Philanthropy: Sustainability Becomes BusinesS

Daxita Rajcoomer, Chief Sustainability Officer for AMEA at ENGIE, describes the shift as nothing less than structural. The company, long known as a global energy player, has embedded environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations directly into its investment and operational decisions.

“We have evolved away from philanthropy-driven CSR toward an outcome-driven, value-creating model,” she explains.

That transformation has yielded solutions such as Decarbonisation-as-a-Service, where ENGIE partners with industries, cities, and governments to design and deliver emissions reductions at scale. The model underpins investments in utility-scale renewables, energy-efficient desalination, and green hydrogen projects aligned with national priorities. In practice, this means solar parks designed for industrial clients, district cooling plants built to withstand extreme Gulf temperatures, and energy retrofits that reduce both emissions and maintenance costs. These are not donations. They are long-term, revenue-generating contracts.

“We tie our compensation to the energy savings we deliver,” Daxita says, describing performance-based energy services that align ENGIE’s financial success with its clients’ sustainability goals. In effect, climate action itself becomes a commercial product.

BEEAH, the Sharjah-headquartered environmental group, has travelled a similar path. Launched in 2007 with a mission to reimagine waste, the company has turned what was once discarded into a cornerstone of the circular economy. Its city cleaning arm, Tandeef by BEEAH, has expanded across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, becoming a model for technology-first municipal services. Its Waste Management Complex, housing ten advanced recycling facilities, processes everything from municipal refuse to medical waste, recovering valuable materials and fuels.

The results are staggering. In Sharjah, BEEAH has achieved a 93 per cent landfill diversion rate, one of the highest globally. Its Solid Recovered Fuel Facility has supplied 400,000 tonnes of alternative green fuel to Sharjah Cement, directly reducing the emirate’s reliance on coal. This is sustainability that pays — for municipalities, industries, and BEEAH itself.

“CSR is woven into the fabric of our model,” says Fahad Ali Shehail, CEO — Environment at BEEAH. “But it is structured from the start to ensure long-term financial stability. Zero waste is not a goal we chase; it is a business we operate.”

Technology as the Enabler

If the business case is strong, it is digital innovation that makes sustainability scalable. Both ENGIE and BEEAH have invested heavily in artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), and data platforms to optimise their service delivery.

ENGIE’s Smart O&M platforms employ IoT sensors and AI to monitor district cooling plants, desalination systems, and solar farms in real time. Anomalies are detected instantly, predictive maintenance reduces downtime, and demand forecasting tools help utilities manage loads more efficiently in the heat of summer. “Digital twins of our battery storage systems allow us to simulate performance and optimise safety protocols,” Daxita notes, adding that such tools are critical in managing grid stability as renewables scale across the GCC.

At BEEAH, technology has been equally transformative. Fleets are guided by GPS-enabled route optimisation, sending trucks only to bins tagged by RFID sensors as full, cutting fuel use and emissions. The company has rolled out AI City Vision, equipping trucks with 360-degree cameras that detect waste hotspots and alert control rooms in real time. In its facilities, robotics sorting systems powered by AI boost recycling recovery rates, while its proprietary Recycling BI platform digitally tracks diversion performance across the complex.

Beyond operations, digitalisation shapes the company’s market reach. From autonomous litter vacuum cleaners to smart bracelets monitoring crew health, every service is data-enabled. The payoff is not just environmental — it is economic, with efficiency gains translating into stronger returns and competitive advantage.

Challenges Unique to the GCC

But scaling sustainability-as-a-service in the Gulf comes with unique hurdles. Chief among them is the region’s historic dependence on hydrocarbons. While renewables and hydrogen projects are accelerating, oil and gas revenues remain deeply embedded in fiscal systems. For ENGIE, this requires balancing ambition with pragmatism. “The steady rise in renewable project bids shows clear acceleration, but the transition must also ensure energy security,” Daxita cautions.

The second challenge is demand. Rapid urbanisation, industrialisation, and extreme climate conditions drive some of the highest per-capita energy and water use in the world. Decoupling power and water infrastructure has become a critical step, ensuring desalination can be powered sustainably without overwhelming grids. For service providers, the challenge is designing systems resilient enough to meet baseload demand while reducing emissions.

Yet these hurdles are also opportunities. The GCC has decades of climate adaptation experience, from water scarcity to heat resilience, which provides a foundation for pioneering solutions. Net-zero targets (UAE 2050 and KSA 2060) create a demand pull for services that can deliver emissions reductions at scale. And integrated service models — where one provider packages renewables, cooling, and smart energy management — position companies like ENGIE and BEEAH as natural partners of choice.

Case Studies of Transformation

The proof is already visible across the region. ENGIE has played a role in Saudi Arabia’s Jubail 3B and Yanbu 4 desalination plants, both powered by clean energy. Its district cooling retrofits in the UAE demonstrate how infrastructure can be both greener and cheaper to run. Its hydrogen pilots align directly with the Gulf’s ambitions to become a global hub for green fuel exports.

For BEEAH, the Sharjah Waste to Energy Facility — operated in partnership with Tadweer — transforms hard-to-recycle waste into 30MW of low-carbon electricity, displacing 450,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. The project will expand to power nearly 60,000 homes, offering a template for sustainable power generation in urban environments.

Beyond the UAE, BEEAH is exporting its model. In Saudi Arabia, its joint venture Mostadam serves millions across Madinah, while a new partnership with Aseer Municipality is transforming engineered landfills. In Egypt, its ACES venture delivers integrated services to the country’s New Administrative Capital, with a goal of diverting 80 per cent of waste from landfill.

These ventures are not just infrastructure projects — they are proof that sustainability services can be monetised, exported, and scaled regionally.

Building Trust Through Results

One question looms large: will governments, industries, and communities trust sustainability-as-a-service as more than a glossy promise? For both ENGIE and BEEAH, the answer lies in measurable results.

ENGIE highlights its alignment with global ESG frameworks, from CSRD to ISSB, and its high ratings above sector benchmarks. It ties revenue directly to client savings, ensuring incentives are aligned. BEEAH points to its 93% diversion rate, its landfill-free Sharjah milestone, and its partnerships with sustainable city projects. These are tangible outcomes, not pledges. Trust is also built through collaboration. Both companies emphasise partnerships with governments, industry, and communities to accelerate adoption. BEEAH’s work with Sharjah Sustainable City, embedding smart waste systems in a pioneering residential development, exemplifies how sustainability can be lived daily by citizens.

The Business Case for Investors

For investors and businesses eyeing the Gulf, the rise of sustainability-as-a-service signals a new class of opportunity. The region’s net-zero ambitions are not abstract commitments; they are backed by policy, demand, and capital. From green bonds to climate funds, financing mechanisms are aligning to reward companies that can deliver measurable impact.

This convergence of policy, demand, and profitability positions sustainability as one of the most investable growth stories of the coming decade. ENGIE and BEEAH may be at the forefront, but they are not alone. As the Gulf’s infrastructure is rebuilt around resilience, efficiency, and decarbonisation, service models will emerge across mobility, water, biodiversity, and beyond.

A Region Poised to Lead

The Gulf’s pivot toward sustainability-as-a-service reflects a broader truth: climate action is no longer an obligation, it is a business. Where once CSR departments managed donations and tree-planting drives, today entire divisions are generating revenue by cutting emissions, recycling waste, and optimising energy. For ENGIE, the transformation is about embedding ESG into its DNA, making climate considerations central to every investment. For BEEAH, it is about reimagining waste as value and cities as platforms for smart, circular economies. For the GCC, it is about turning net-zero ambitions into competitive advantage.

As Daxita puts it, “Sustainability is no longer an add-on. It is embedded into solutions that deliver measurable value for clients, governments, and shareholders.” Shehail echoes the sentiment: “For us, zero waste is not a slogan. It is a business we operate.”

In that sense, the Middle East is not just catching up with global sustainability trends – it is rewriting the playbook. And if sustainability is the next big business model, the Gulf may be the place where it is first proven at scale.

Transformation At a glance

> From CSR expense to revenue-generating service model

> Delivered through contracts, infrastructure, and digital platforms

ENGIE

• Net Zero 2045 target guiding all investments

• Decarbonisation-as-a-Service: solar, wind, hydrogen, desalination

• Smart O&M with AI, IoT, and digital twins

• Aligned with UAE Net Zero 2050 and
  Saudi Vision 2030

BEEAH

• 93% landfill diversion in Sharjah — among the world’s highest

• Waste-to-energy plant generates 30 MW clean power and cuts 450,000 tonnes CO2 yearly

• Expanding waste and smart city services across UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt

• AI City Vision, robotics, Recycling BI powering digital transformation

Why It Matters

• Growing demand for integrated energy, water, and waste solutions

• Strong policy frameworks driving investor confidence

• Sustainability-as-a-service becoming an exportable Gulf business model

• Positioned as a new, scalable asset class for global investors

Sana Eqbal

Staff Writer

• 

sana@khaleejtimes.com

Sana Eqbal is a journalist with over 10 years of experience and a media strategist specialising in corporate communications, public relations, digital media, and content management.