ENGIE and C3 Partner to Explore Women’s Role in Fighting Climate Change at Dubai Expo 2020

ENGIE together with Companies Creating Change (C3), a UAE-based social enterprise helping entrepreneurs maximize their growth and positive impact, partnered to host an event to address the role of female professionals in leading the sustainable energy transition.

The event, powered by Accenture, featured a panel session titled ‘Women fighting climate change in the UAE: turning knowledge into action’ and took place at the France Pavilion at Expo 2020 as part of the C3 I.D.E.A (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access) accelerator.

Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, UAE, opened the session with a personalized video message, saying: “I would take this chance to thank ENGIE, C3, and other partners for organizing this important event that highlights the role of women in building a climate-resilient future for all. Women and girls are usually the first to burn the brunt of climate change’s environmental, economic, and social fallout. Women must help shape the response to climate change. We have the power to strengthen climate action through multiple ways, and we can bring our unique experiences and valuable skills in disaster preparedness and risk management to the table when governments develop climate change adaptations plans.”

Her Excellency added: Women have actively participated in climate action and are increasingly taking leadership roles. For the past 12 years, the UN agency responsible for supporting the global response for climate change secretariat of the UN framework convention on climate change has been led by women.”

Her Excellency Habiba Al Marashi, Co-founder, and Chairperson, Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), delivered a keynote emphasizing the importance of inclusion and women’s role in the climate change scene. The event also aimed at helping entrepreneurs maximize their growth and positive impact.

Moderated by Laudy Lahdo, Senior Advisor at C3, the speakers also included Hana Al Hashimi, Head of UAE Special Envoy for Climate; Alexis Lecanuet, Regional Senior Managing Director at Accenture Middle East; Florence Fontani, Vice President Communications and Sustainability, ENGIE Africa, Middle East, and Asia (AMEA); and Nada Taryam, Managing Director Civil Projects, Beeah, amongst other guests.

Florence Fontani, Vice President Communications and Sustainability, ENGIE Africa, Middle East, and Asia (AMEA), said: “The energy sector is one of the most crucial industries impacting climate change. The sector today contributes approximately 40 percent to climate change. At ENGIE, we are committed to reaching net-zero by 2045, which requires innovation. Innovation comes from diversity; therefore, we have launched the fifty-fifty action program to accelerate inclusion in the workplace. Through this program, our goal by 2030 is to target 50 percent of our leadership to be represented by females.”

Women today are underrepresented mainly in climate change discussions. A recent study showed that across 130 countries, women in senior leadership positions in government organizations are more likely to sign on global settlements in response to climate change.

The event was a success and also aimed at helping entrepreneurs maximize their growth and positive impact.