Sustainability LIVE Dubai: Sustainable, Responsible Business
At Sustainability LIVE Dubai 2025, the Sustainable & Responsible Business panel brought together leaders from across sectors to share their views on what sustainable and responsible business really means.
Panellists included:
- Seneca Cottom, Head of Sustainability at Alshaya Group
- Farrukh Shad, Senior Vice President and Head of Sustainability Business (APMEA) at Schneider Electric
- Nadia Boumeziout, Head of Sustainability (MENA) at Zurich
- Selina Donald, Director of Sustainability at The Bulb (Part of Trivandi Group)
The panellists agreed on one point early – sustainability is no longer a side concern.
“Sustainability and growth go hand in hand,” said Farrukh, noting that it must be treated as a value driver, not an add-on.
Nadia stressed the importance of embedding sustainability into core operations – from innovation to finance – while Seneca reminded the audience that environmental, social and financial pillars must all be balanced.
Selina introduced a fourth pillar: culture.
“You don't have a sustainable and responsible business unless you build it into your culture,” she said. Action, she said, is the bridge between intent and impact.
Evolving expectations and key challenges
The discussion turned to changing consumer attitudes.
Seneca pointed out that while climate awareness is rising in the region, many consumers are unsure how to act.
“They understand climate change but don’t know what they can do,” she said, highlighting the need for businesses to make sustainable behaviours easier.
Nadia noted that clear labelling and education are still lacking, while Selina pointed to 4.3 billion TikTok searches for sustainability as evidence of high interest – if the content is clear, engaging and accurate.
Farrukh underscored the generational shift: “It’s no longer a topic driven by governments – it’s driven by consumers, especially the next generation.”
The panellists also tackled the barriers holding back businesses.
Nadia listed regulatory complexity, short-term financial pressure, and cultural context as significant hurdles.
Selina highlighted the vital role of leadership buy-in, stating that without it, sustainability strategies often stall. “If there’s no support from the top, it fails at the first hurdle,” she said.
Seneca and Farrukh added that capability-building and infrastructure are essential for success.
“It’s a transformation programme,” Farrukh said. “You need the right people on the bus and the speed of execution.”
Regional context, tech solutions and optimism
The session’s final themes focused on the specific needs and opportunities within the MENA region. All agreed that sustainability frameworks cannot simply be imported from the US or Europe.
“You can’t just copy and paste,” said Seneca. “We have different climates, cultures and legislation. But that gives us the chance to leapfrog ahead.”
Selina cited waste infrastructure as a pressing gap, particularly when it comes to composting and recycling.
Nadia agreed, noting that last year’s regional floods revealed vulnerabilities in infrastructure and risk planning.
The role of technology was also front of mind. Farrukh pointed to AI and carbon accounting platforms as tools with great potential – if data challenges can be overcome.
“Technology will help us move forward faster, even where regulation is fragmented,” he said.
Seneca shared two standout examples: a collaboration with 99Bridges for tracking reusable materials and a circular packaging pilot in the UAE that integrated teams, recyclers and suppliers.
“It’s about finding the right technologies that help drive behaviour change,” she said.
Selina mentioned her team’s use of food waste tracking technologies and research into sustainable aviation fuel.
“Find the biggest area of impact and apply the right tool to it,” she said.
From Zurich’s perspective, Nadia emphasised the power of predictive analytics and smart infrastructure to reduce water use and energy demand, two key concerns for the region.
The panel ended on a collaborative note.
“We need governments, NGOs, the private sector and communities working together,” Nadia concluded. “This region is agile, and that agility is our opportunity.”
Essential diary dates for 2025
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- Sustainability LIVE London | 9-10 September
- The Global Sustainability & ESG Awards | 10 September
- Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC | 22 September
- Sustainability LIVE: COP 30 Brazil | 11 November
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