Majid Al-Futtaim, the Emirati owner and operator of shopping malls, communities, retail and leisure destinations across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, has released its 2020 Sustainability Report, highlighting key milestones and initiatives launched throughout the year. Despite the business and economic disruption brought about by the pandemic, the company achieved 97 percent of the targets set out in its annual sustainability strategy, further demonstrating the company’s dedication to driving the sustainability agenda forward in the region.
The audited results showcase Majid Al-Futtaim’s progress toward its net positive commitment, as 2020 saw the company record a 9.2 percent decrease in its carbon footprint and a 17.5 percent decrease in water usage across its operations. It also generated nearly 17 million kWh of renewable energy last year, with 63 percent generated through its shopping malls alone — enough to power an electric car for 85 million kilometers, or the equivalent to driving over 40,000 times from Dubai to Riyadh and back.
Other important milestones included the launch of Majid Al-Futtaim’s circular economy strategy focusing on tackling waste and moving toward a more circular business model by 2030, as well as the launch of its Responsible Procurement Policy developed to reduce business risks and to drive positive change within the company’s supply chain, with minimum sustainability standards set out for suppliers.
Ibrahim Al-Zu’bi, chief sustainability officer, Majid Al-Futtaim — Holding, said: “The past 12 months have seen our world change beyond imagination and the importance of taking care of one another and the planet has never been clearer. Our sustainability strategy has been a top priority for the business and achieving 97 percent of our targets demonstrates the importance we place on driving the sustainability agenda forward within our own operations and across the region as whole.
“The launch of our circular economy strategy, which looks to tackle waste within the business and move toward a more circular business model by 2030, was a key 2020 milestone for us. Now, as we enter the final stretch before reaching our 2022 Sustainable Business Commitments, we will continue to future-proof our business, scaling up on our net positive efforts and embedding climate-related risk management to ensure our business resilience and reduce our impact on the environment,” Al-Zu’bi added.
