Dubai, UAE, 12 June, 2014
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has today organised the 6th annual Best Practices Conference on Quality, Health, Safety and Environment at Grand Hyatt, Dubai. The conference was inaugurated by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, officials from DEWA, other government departments and the private sector, and a number of leading international experts.
The conference discussed the challenges in quality, health, safety and environment in different organisations and saw the exchange of ideas, experiences and practical solutions. It also highlighted the different aspects of quality, health, safety and environment applied in DEWA. The conference witnessed a number of workshops and lectures that highlighted health and safety practices at DEWA, how to develop these systems to include all members of society and mechanisms for improving productivity and operational efficiency in a safe and healthy working environment.
"Organising this conference supports DEWA's continuous efforts to adopt best global practices in different fields and its commitment to disseminating and promoting a culture of quality, health, safety and environment not only in its projects and utilities but also for its partners, including organisations and departments to achieve the aspirations of our visionary leadership to promote Dubai's position as a global hub for trade, finance, and tourism, and also to attain excellence in different fields to achieve the UAE Vision 2021 and the Dubai Strategic Plan," said Al Tayer.
"DEWA has always played its part in supporting the journey towards sustainable development in Dubai. We have made considerable and important achievements in our continuous efforts to be always at the forefront by implementing and adopting the best global standards in our projects, with security and safety standards reaching 97% - one of the best rates in this field in the world."
"This Conference brings together leading experts and specialists from around the world to discuss and exchange ideas and experiences and explore challenges that help find solutions that ensure a sustainable future, for generations to come. I hope that the discussion, ideas and solutions suggested in the conference will further enrich the work environment and develop into creative ideas and projects and plans in our organisations that contribute to fulfilling the aspirations of the government and our ambitious strategic plans," added Al Tayer.
Al Tayer highlighted DEWA's achievements in the areas of quality, health, safety and environment on national, regional and international levels. He noted that DEWA recently won the British Safety Council's Globe of Honour for environment for the second consecutive year: the first utility in the MENA region to receive this award. It has also received the 5-Star International Award in environment for three consecutive years, one of the most prestigious international awards in this field that is awarded to international organisations that adopt the highest environmental standards and the latest policies and systems to protect the environment. DEWA is the only utility in the MENA region to receive this prestigious award. DEWA has also received the Sword of Honour for Health and Safety for the sixth time from the British Safety Council.
"Our efforts at the regional level have resulted in DEWA winning two top honours for the Best Sustainable Projects of the Year in the UAE at the 2014 MEED Quality Awards, for the first phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, and our Sustainable Building in Al Quoz, which is the largest government building in the world to receive a Platinum Rating for green buildings," added Al Tayer.
Al Tayer said that these achievements are part of DEWA's strategic plan and efforts to achieve the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, which aims to diversify the energy mix so that by 2030, Dubai's total power output will comprise 71% of natural gas, 12% from clean coal, 12% from nuclear energy and 5% from solar energy, and to reduce demand for energy by 30% by 2030 to preserve the environment and conserve our natural resources.
He also noted that the smart services provided by DEWA have also contributed significantly to reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment, in addition to promoting the happiness of Dubai's citizens and residents by providing fast, reliable and secure services across all aspects of DEWA's operations to achieve the highest levels of customer satisfaction.
"DEWA is committed to applying the highest standards and global best practices in the fields of quality, health, safety and the environment to create a healthy and safe working environment for DEWA employees. This is based on our belief that our staff are the backbone of all our functions and the cornerstone of our journey towards excellence at all levels," said Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support & Human Recourses.
"We are keen to provide a stimulating working environment that is characterised by positive competitiveness that is based on our investment in our employees. This will help raise operational efficiency and increase productivity and reflect positively on promoting employees' belonging and loyalty across all sectors," added Dr. Al Akraf.
The conference sessions discussed various topics related to quality, health, safety and environment. The first session discussed DEWA practices in environment protection and sustainable development, the second session highlighted environmental capitalism on business in the 21st century, the third session discussed sustainable excellence, the fourth session discussed DEWA's successful health and safety management, and the fifth session discussed executive health.
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For more information, please contact:
Ribal Dayekh/Fatma Al Shamsi Mutasem Shadid/Kelly Home
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
+9714 307 2006 +9714 4507675/450761
ribal.dayekh@dewa.gov.ae mutasem.shadid@bm.com
fatma.alshamsi@dewa.gov.ae kelly.home@bm.com
© Press Release 2014
