• ​​​​​​Recognition strengthens Emirates Islamic’s commitment to building a high-performance organisation with strong employee engagement, progressive culture and continuous talent development

Dubai, UAE: Emirates Islamic, one of the leading Islamic financial institutions in the UAE, has been announced as a winner of the 2026 Inspiring Workplaces Awards and ranked among the ‘Top Ten Inspiring Workplaces’ in the Middle East and Africa region leading with PeopleFirst cultures built on trust, purpose and belonging.

Inspiring Workplaces Group recognises organisations that go beyond policies and programmes to create environments where people feel valued, included and empowered to thrive. Such workplaces celebrate culture as not just an initiative, but a strategic driver of performance, resilience and long-term success.

Emirates Islamic was ranked among organisations that represent the very best of what PeopleFirst cultures can achieve in a complex and rapidly evolving world of work. From fostering inclusive environments to prioritising wellbeing and amplifying employee voice, the accolade sets a new standard for leadership and workplace experience across the region.

Farida Mohammad Rafi, Chief Human Resources Officer at Emirates Islamic, commented: “Emirates Islamic’s achievements are rooted in the talent, resilience and ambition of its people. We view employee experience not as a collection of isolated programmes, but as an integrated and strategic priority embedded within the organisation’s culture and leadership approach. We continue to invest in building a high-performance organisation that empowers our people and strengthens our culture of agility, accountability and inclusion. Being ranked for its People-first culture in one of the most respected awards in the region positions Emirates Islamic as an employer of choice and creates an environment where colleagues can grow, innovate and thrive.”

This milestone achievement attests to the bank’s ongoing commitment to advancing growth while also empowering its workforce to achieve excellence and make meaningful contributions to the Islamic banking sector.

About Emirates Islamic:

Emirates Islamic Bank PJSC (Emirates Islamic) is the Islamic banking arm of the Emirates NBD Group and is a leading Islamic financial institution in the UAE. Established in 2004 as Emirates Islamic Bank, the bank has established itself as a major player in the highly competitive financial services sector in the UAE.

Emirates Islamic offers a comprehensive range of Shariah-compliant products and services across the Personal, Business and Corporate banking spectrum with a network of 39 branches and 231 ATMs/CDMs across the UAE. In the area of online and mobile banking, the bank is an innovator, being the first Islamic bank in the UAE to launch a mobile banking app and offer Apple Pay, as well as being the first Islamic bank in the world to launch Chat Banking services for customers via WhatsApp.

Emirates Islamic has consistently received local and international awards, in recognition of its strong record of performance and innovation in banking. The Bank won the “Islamic Retail Bank of the Year – Middle East” and “Most Innovative Murabaha” awards at the prestigious The Banker’s Islamic Banking Awards 2025. Additionally, the bank was named ‘Best Islamic Corporate Bank in the World’ and ‘Best Islamic Financial Institution in the UAE’ at the Global Finance - Best Islamic Financial Institutions Awards 2025. Emirates Islamic was also awarded the prestigious title of ‘The World’s Best Islamic Digital Bank’ at the Euromoney Islamic Finance Awards 2025.

As part of its commitment to the UAE community, the Emirates Islamic Charity Fund provides financial aid to those in need, with a focus on food, shelter, health, education and social welfare contributions. For further information please visit www.emiratesislamic.ae

For further information please visit www.emiratesislamic.ae

Media Contacts:
Amina Al Zarooni
Media Relations Manager, Emirates Islamic
Email: AminaAlZarooni@emiratesislamic.ae

Burson
​​​​​​​Email: emiratesislamic@bursonglobal.com