Serco Middle East to roll-out sustainable work-wear for staff

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Serco Middle East, an international public services company, has partnered with sustainable activewear and streetwear company The Giving Movement, to design eco-friendly workwear for its staff in the Middle East, with plans to expand globally.

With over 5,500 employees and partners in the region, the apparel has been inspired by the need for comfort, durability and fashion, Serco Middle East said in a statement.

The partnership is kicking off with the design of unique polo-shirts, and more designs are expected in the future. The polo-shirts have been specially created using sustainable materials such as bamboo fibre and are being made entirely in the UAE.

Dominic Nowell-Barnes launched The Giving Movement in response to his philosophy that “small acts multiplied by many can transform the world.” The major partnership with Serco Middle East was formed as a result of the shared values the two companies have towards giving back to the community, and operating with purpose.

With Serco Middle East making major commitments to lead with purpose, both companies have a series of synergies when it comes to operating sustainably, with Serco looking to bring its vision to the forefront as a trusted partner of governments, delivering superb public services, that transform outcomes and make a positive difference for our fellow citizens, the company statement said.

Announced at Serco’s Leadership Conference, which took place at the Sustainability Pavilion in Expo City, the partnership with UAE-based The Giving Movement, which operates with a mission to put ‘Humanity in Motion’, is a result of the momentum the organisation is gathering in shining a light on the importance of putting sustainability at the heart of its business model. With Serco also having a goal to deliver positive change through driving Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals, the partnership is a natural fit. With thousands of employees across the region, Serco hopes that its uniquely designed purpose-driven work-wear will be worn with pride by its staff as it looks to support the drive to build a global community that gives back to the planet.

Through the uniquely designed polo-shirts, The Giving Movement will also donate proceeds of the sales to charitable initiatives it supports. Initiatives that will benefit from the order include Dubai Cares and Harmony House. Thanks to partnerships such as this, The Giving Movement exceeded its donation target in 2022 and recently hit over $4 million USD in donations, with plans to build on this in 2023 and beyond.

Commenting on the partnership, Phil Malem, CEO of Serco Middle East, said: “I’m incredibly excited to be working closely with The Giving Movement. I’ve long admired their approach to inspiring change in behaviour when it comes to protecting our planet, through creating a positive impact on citizens lives around the world.

“We share similar values to the UAE-born The Giving Movement at Serco, and as a business that works closely with governments and corporations across the region, it is our duty to do the right thing, and we wanted to show our commitment to operating with purpose at every level. Purpose is what is in our DNA, it’s what motivates us to deliver great work in a positive and sustainable way every day, and we’re proud to ensure our approach extends to every aspect of our business – even through our work-wear.

“With the UAE leadership marking 2023 as the “Year of Sustainability”, we all have a role to play when it comes to impacting a better future, and at a pivotal time for the region, with COP28 on everyone’s minds, we are looking forward to working as a catalyst to help accelerate the region’s sustainability goals.”

Dominic Nowell-Barnes, CEO of The Giving Movement, commented: “Sustainability lies at the very core of The Giving Movement, and though reaching the goal of being 100% sustainable is a continuous effort, we do the very best we can in contributing towards a better planet for our future generations.

“It was exciting to partner with Serco – we looked to select the best sustainable materials and colours to create a design that was both fit for use, and one that was contemporary and on trend – fitting the ethos of the business. We hope the team are proud to wear their new polo shirts, and we’re excited to see where the partnership goes next.”

Serco also plans to roll-out the sustainable work-wear beyond its Middle East operations, with plans afoot for the company to pledge orders across its international office footprint.