The recently concluded COP26 at Glasgow once again reiterated the urgency for the international community to ramp up efforts on achieving the targets of the Paris Agreement to avoid catastrophic climate impacts, particularly in vulnerable regions such as the Middle East.

Across the region and even prior to the Glasgow Summit, the UAE has been proactive in sustainability initiatives, acknowledging the high risks of extreme heat waves, water scarcity and desertification if climate change impacts are not mitigated.

Van ‘t Riet: prioritising sustainability goals

The country is the first to announce its Net Zero 2050 strategies with the collective objective to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The strategic initiative builds on the nation’s three decades of climate efforts and will guide the nation on its transition to clean energy and other climate change initiatives for the next three decades.

Joining the UAE government’s efforts, Mai Dubai has been prioritising sustainability goals since it first opened in 2014.  Within a span of less than 10 years, it achieved major milestones in terms of going carbon neutral.

Over the years, we have given utmost attention to investing in technology to enhance our processes and systems, while achieving its sustainability objectives.

The solar roof installation of our factory is one of our most significant deeds, putting the company in the spotlight for having the second-largest roof installation worldwide and becoming the Middle East’s largest solar-powered bottled water company. The activation of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology has been a significant contributor to carbon reduction targets and has made the company a net-zero energy consumer in 2020 and 2021. The solar-powered facilities produced a total of 30,245,073 kWh while the overall activities required only 26,054,859 kWh, allowing the firm to feed the Dubai power grid with excess energy generated by its solar panels.

The company’s clean energy initiatives started in 2017 when it first activated the first phase of the solar power generation. Today, Mai Dubai has over 56,000 solar panels installed and boasts a head office which is a highly efficient and cost-saving green building, earning the coveted Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (Leed) certification.

Aside from shifting to clean and renewable energy source, Mai Dubai collaborated with DGrade, a manufacturer of eco-friendly PET-based clothing, to support awareness campaigns and to expand the recycling activities. The collaboration has focused on local communities and educational institutions promoting recycling and raising awareness about responsible waste management.

We have been active and proud sponsors of the DGrade Simply Bottle campaign, which engages kids in environmental preservation initiatives. The goal is to include the younger generation, empower them with knowledge about climate change, and inculcate in them the importance of planetary stewardship.

Apart from our engagement with DGrade, we are also collecting the Mai Dubai 16 litre bottles from home delivery as part of our green initiatives, with a current collection rate of 30 per cent from home delivery sales. .

Moving forward, we intend to develop and deploy additional innovative solutions across our operations, since sustainability has been – and will continue – to be a top priority for the firm.