Heriot Watt University was ranked first in the “Acting on Plastic” Universities Competition 2020 that was launched in January this year by Dubai Investments. 

 

Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University came second and the American University of Sharjah took the third place, all receiving cash prizes, in the flagship sustainability initiative launched by Dubai Investments, the leading, diversified Investment company listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM).

 

The competition fosters the company’s commitment to its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) plan and aligns its directions with the UAE Vision 2021 which calls for phasing out waste across the country, and a drive to accelerate the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

The competition attracted more than 110 students from 19 leading universities across the UAE, 13 of which remained involved following the Covid-19 outbreak. The initiative was an opportunity to accentuate youths advanced sustainability interests and enthusiasm to deliver innovative strategies and ideas acting on behavioural change, awareness raising, and tech-based solutions mainly including improved recycling machines, mobile applications, online platforms, and blockchain mechanisms for waste collection, segregation, and overall management with tracking systems for assessing impact, efficiency, and progress.

 

Participants also tapped into the need to adopt biodegradable and more eco-friendly alternatives to plastics backed by plastic ban policies as a way to minimise plastic waste generation. They also touched on plastics lifecycle through repurposing strategies for the reuse of plastic waste as a raw material for new products in different sectors thus keeping it in the system. 

 

Moreover, creating partnerships was a key component of all proposed solutions stressing on the urge for a collective action among stakeholders to succeed an efficient transformation to new plastic-free models.

 

“As a diversified investment company in the UAE, we hold ourselves responsible towards our society and environment. As we rethink our investment strategies, we put major focus on youths who are imposing new market dynamics, redefining entrepreneurial and investment values and increasingly calling for companies and brands with purpose,” said Khalid Bin Kalban, Vice Chairman and CEO of Dubai Investments PJSC.

 

“We are very proud we have worked with such inspiring, and talented young people and universities. The initiative highly emphasised the leadership of new generations and determination to tip the scale towards more positive change and a sustainable future,” he added.

 

The jury panel included members of Dubai Investments, and senior managers and executives from Dubai Municipality, Imdaad, Bee’ah, and Responsible Business Group, all selected from professional fields with direct relation to the Competition’s theme.-- Tradearabia News Service