London, UK – The Responsible Finance & Investment (RFI) Foundation is pleased to welcome Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC) as an observer member, signalling the rising stature of Islamic finance among the world’s responsible finance systems.
Under the terms of the partnership, RFI Foundation and DIEDC will collaborate towards the common goal of shifting the focus of the financial sector from accumulating wealth to supporting equitable, inclusive, and sustainable growth. In its new role as an observer member, DIEDC aims to highlight the importance of the financial sector in boosting the non-financial economy and promote the ethical business approach to sustainability.
The membership reinforces DIEDC’s commitment to forging synergies between the Islamic economy and other business and finance systems that seek to achieve economic, social, and environmental sustainability. As a member, DIEDC gains access to the RFI Foundation’s research and its diverse network that comprises organisations with connections to financial as well as non-financial sectors.
Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar, Chief Executive Officer of DIEDC, said: “In joining the RFI Foundation, we integrate the efforts of our two entities to identify universal principles that guide responsible finance. This objective aligns with our mandate to drive the implementation of the Dubai: Capital of Islamic Economy initiative, launched under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.”
He added: “Islamic finance is based on fairness in business and focuses on enabling and serving other economic sectors as a core priority. In our drive to promote ethical and fair principles, we continue to find minor disparities in the perception of sustainability across the responsible finance industry. We are confident that the underlying values of Islamic economy can help eliminate ambiguities and clarify what responsible finance is all about.”
Blake Goud, CEO of the RFI Foundation, said: “We are delighted to welcome DIEDC as an observer member. During the past five years, the Centre has played a pivotal role in the globalisation of Islamic economy. The success of our mission in bringing together Islamic finance and other areas of responsible finance that share common values depends on the credibility our members bring to the work we do. In this context, DIEDC is a valuable addition to the RFI Foundation’s member community that includes multilaterals organisations, commercial banks and asset managers.”
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About RFI Foundation
The RFI Foundation is a non-profit organisation with a mission to identify a neutral, nonpartisan and universal value proposition that encourages convergence of responsible finance practices. RFI evolves Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investing (SRI), Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and the Islamic finance sectors towards a convergence of their shared standards, and engages stakeholders to build the responsible finance industry as a catalyst to support equitable, inclusive and sustainable economic development. Visit us at www.rfi-foundation.org or follow us on Twitter at @RFIFoundation or on LinkedIn: Responsible Finance & Investment (RFI) Foundation.
About Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre
Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC) was established in December 2013 under the supervision of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, to transform Dubai into the capital of Islamic economy.
In 2017, DIEDC launched its refreshed Islamic economy strategy (2017-2021) that focuses on identifying new key performance indicators (KPIs) for monitoring the growth of three core Islamic economy sectors – Islamic finance, halal products, and Islamic lifestyle encompassing culture, art, fashion and family tourism – in addition to measuring their contribution to the UAE’s national economy. Knowledge, standards and digital Islamic economy serve as cornerstones that support these key sectors in achieving the leadership’s Islamic economy vision.
As part of the new mandate, DIEDC is keen to develop strategic partnerships with local and international organisations to build a robust framework and comprehensive ecosystem of Islamic economy principles and regulations.
DIEDC seeks to empower young talent with the required skillset to boost growth across the strategic Islamic economy sectors and contribute to achieving sustainable development for the wider global community.
For further information, please contact:
Blake Goud, CEO, RFI Foundation
Email: info@rfi-foundation.org
Online: www.rfi-foundation.org
Ghada El Khoury
APCO Worldwide
Mobile: +971 55 804 5317
Email: gelkhoury@apcoworldwide.com
