Sheikha Fatima: Emirati women essential to UAE future prospects

ABU DHABI / WAM

HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, has sent a message of support to Emirati women reinforcing their critical role in enabling the growth and progress for the UAE.
Addressing employees of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) in an event held on the occasion of the UAE’s 5th annual Emirati Women’s Day, which is being marked on August 28, HH Sheikha Fatima — Mother of the Nation — said that Emirati women are the solid foundation of the country and essential to its future prosperity.
A speech delivered on her behalf by Dr Maitha bint Salem al Shamsi, Minister of State and Special Representative for Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, said Sheikha Fatima said, “Emirati women have the unwavering support of the UAE leadership to ensure they have the skills and education to fulfill their potential and contribute to the success of future generations.”
Sheikha Fatima added that while Emirati women have already attained remarkable accomplishments in diverse fields across the UAE, more effort is needed to protect and enhance the progress that has been made, following the example of the UAE’s wise leadership and in keeping with the resilience, dedication and hard work that characterises the UAE people.
She concluded by saying that the UAE’s laws and regulations focus on empowering women to achieve their full potential, achieve their ambitions and contribute to the aspirations of the country, while maintaining a balance between home and work life.
In line with the vision laid out by Sheikha Fatima, Adnoc reaffirmed its resolve to drive gender diversity, promote tolerance and inclusivity and empower women’s central role in contributing to the UAE’s prosperity as part of the company’s 2030 growth strategy.
The company reinforced its commitment to gender diversity by announcing a new pledge: to include female representation on every Group Company Board over which it has a controlling interest by the end of 2022.
Speaking at the company’s Emirati Women’s Day event — aligned to this year’s official theme ‘Women, Icons of Tolerance’ — Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of State and Adnoc Group CEO, highlighted the steadfast support of Sheikha Fatima — as well as that of the UAE leadership — who inspire Emirati women to be key partners in the long-term growth and prosperity of the nation.
Dr Al Jaber said, “Adnoc Group is proud to recognise Emirati Women’s Day by celebrating our female colleagues and the roles they play both at Adnoc and within UAE society. Emirati women work across all areas of Adnoc’s operations, from rigs, refineries, and labs to research centres and corporate offices. Women’s professional — and personal — contributions and achievements serve as a testament to the vision of HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, aimed at ensuring Emirati women are empowered to play their essential role in contributing the UAE’s economic prosperity.”
“It is in this spirit that I am pleased to announce that in addition to the company’s existing gender equality pledges, Adnoc Group commits to including female representation on every group company board over which it has a controlling interest by the end of 2022,” he noted.

This new pledge, he said, aligns with the UAE’s efforts to fulfill the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal of gender equality, SDG5, and is supported by multiple international studies that conclude that diversity in boardroom positively affects firm value and that diversity throughout the workplace makes for happier, healthier, and more profitable businesses.
In closing, Dr Al Jaber stated, “As the UAE’s primary socioeconomic driver, we will continue to enable our female colleagues to grow, develop and excel in their careers with Adnoc Group, and we will continue to support and empower their success.”
At the event, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, noted, “On Emirati Women’s Day we honour Sheikha Fatima’s unwavering efforts in supporting the empowerment of women in line with our leadership’s vision and directives to enable everyone — both men and women — to contribute fully to the growth and progress of the nation.”
Adnoc has exceeded or made significant progress against the three gender-diversity pledges it set in 2016: By 2020, (1) appoint at least one female CEO at one of its Group Companies; (2) ensure 15 percent of Adnoc’s senior managers are women; and (3) increase the number of Emirati women recruits to 30 percent.
Adnoc’s first two female CEOs — Fatema Al Nuaimi, CEO of Adnoc LNG and Chairperson of the Adnoc Gender Balance Committee, and Tayba Al Hashemi, CEO of Al Yasat Petroleum — have served in their chief executive positions since April 2018.
Adnoc is on track to achieve the target of ensuring 15 percent of senior managers are women by the end of this year, one year ahead of schedule. Strong headway continues to be made in the company’s recruitment efforts, as well, with Emirati women increasingly filling critical roles, not only in our corporate offices, but in technical operations at sites such as Al Rumaitha oil field, Zirku Island and Das Island.
In the Middle East, approximately five percent of employees in the oil and gas sector are female. At Adnoc, that number is 11 percent, of which 71 percent are Emiratis. As a result of Adnoc’s proactive efforts in gender balance and diversity, approximately 600 women now work across Adnoc’s operational sites, 132 of which hold technical positions, including at Rumaitha field, the first Adnoc site to be managed by a female workforce.
To further enhance female representation across the Group, Adnoc established a Gender Balance Committee, which is responsible for putting in place a number of concrete initiatives to advance women’s career growth across the Group, including a comprehensive Gender Policy Framework, enhanced Human Capital policies, accommodation and welfare offerings, and a Technical Development Program specifically designed for female site operators and technicians.
In 2018, Adnoc’s Gender Balance Committee established a rigorous Women’s Leadership Development Programme, which aims to accelerate women’s leadership experience, skills and prospects through a wide range of executive coaching, mentoring, learning and immersion workshops. To date, 293 employees have completed Adnoc’s Women Leadership Development Programme, with additional curricula being integrated into the programme in the months ahead.
The event was attended by Adnoc senior management and over 700 men and women across the company’s operations.