"UAE: 18 private sector firms pledge to boost gender balance, empower women", 18 Jan 2022

About 18 leading local and multinational companies from diverse sectors have signed a pledge to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls.

This pledge by the private sector aims to increase gender balance in the workplace, with an emphasis on increasing the representation of women in leadership positions to 30 per cent by 2025.

Companies that signed the pledge include Majid Al Futtaim Holding LLC, Masdar, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Dubai Holding, Unilever, Standard Chartered Bank, MasterCard, Michelin, UPS, General Motors, Schneider Electric, PepsiCo, Mondelez International, BASF, Mars, Nestle, and General Mills.

Each of the signatories committed to taking key actions before 2025 to strengthen gender balance in leadership positions, including by: Ensuring equal pay and fair compensation; promoting gender equitable recruitment and promotion; mainstreaming gender balance through policies and programmes; and being transparent about progress with fellow signatories and government.

“The UAE is highly committed to the Sustainable Development Goals of 2030 and has integrated them into its strategic plans, and prioritised them in its local and international partnerships."