Kaplan MENA hosts landmark Sustainability and ESG Forums in Riyadh and Dubai

Kaplan Middle East & North Africa (MENA), one of the region’s leading professional learning providers, successfully hosted two exclusive Sustainability & ESG Forums in Riyadh and Dubai on October 28 and 29, 2025. The events brought together some of the most influential voices in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) leadership from around the world.

The Riyadh event, held in collaboration with the Financial Academy, the entity responsible for developing human capital capabilities in the financial sector, and the Dubai event, hosted solely by Kaplan MENA, gathered senior decision-makers from government, industry, and finance to address the urgent challenge of transitioning ESG from a compliance exercise to a core business value driver.

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Under the theme “Turning Sustainability into a Competitive Advantage: From Cost Center to Value Driver,” both forums featured panel discussions and keynote addresses from globally recognised sustainability and ESG leaders, including executives from ACWA Power, Emirates Global Aluminium, Al Safi Danone, VFS Global,  as well as a UN-awarded sustainability expert. Conversations focused on operationalising ESG strategies, future-proofing businesses, and aligning with national visions such as ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ and ‘UAE Net Zero 2050’.

"These forums are more than just conversations; they are accelerators for meaningful change,” said Stuart Whent, COO at Kaplan MENA. "We are convening the people who have the influence and vision to reshape how sustainability is embedded in our region’s economic future."

Launching a first-of-its-kind sustainability and ESG education pathway

At the heart of the forums was the official launch of Kaplan’s Sustainability and ESG Foundations Certificate, an accredited learning programme in the region tailored specifically for GCC professionals. This program integrates:

● Regional context, including a module tailored to GCC policy and regulatory frameworks

● Sector-specific pathways, allowing learners to specialise in industries such as finance, energy, and tourism

● Global academic rigour, co-designed with Melina Taprantzi, founder of Earth & Co. and a UN-awarded ESG expert. "We designed this program to close the gap between ESG intent and credible implementation," said Taprantzi. "The curriculum bridges global standards with regional realities, ensuring learners walk away with both strategic insight and practical tools."

Driving real change in the Middle East

As more organisations across the Middle East adopt ESG strategies, the need for robust, localised training becomes increasingly urgent. Kaplan’s initiative directly supports national priorities by:

• Enabling better ESG reporting and data quality

• Helping companies access green capital and lower cost of funding

• Creating a scalable, sustainable talent pipeline equipped with verified ESG skills

• Catalysing cross-sector collaboration through high-level convening power

With over 1.2 million learners annually in 27 countries, Kaplan is leveraging its global education expertise to solve one of the region’s most pressing business challenges, which is building ESG capabilities that are credible, relevant, and impactful.