United Arab Emirates
Developing talent is at the core of our social impact program. Through our training and mentorship programs, we help build leadership capability and prepare young leaders for the workforce. Our Fuel Ignition club supports young entrepreneurs on their journey to build their own companies. Their success means more jobs, a more vibrant private sector, and more local champions that inspire future generations of entrepreneurs. We also partner with NGOs to build their employee capabilities. Our collaboration with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and the UAE Food Bank has allowed us to contribute to the alleviation of hunger and repurposing of food waste at large-scale throughout the region.
Ghaya from our Dubai office gives more insight into how we are developing talent and supporting NGOs to enable sustainable and inclusive growth in the UAE.
Developing future leaders
Qiyada Emerging Leaders in Abu Dhabi
Launched in 2020, this one-year program takes young Emirati professionals with three to 12 years of experience on an immersive journey of self-discovery to help them become better leaders and shape the ambitious transformation underway in the UAE’s capital. The program offers a unique opportunity to learn from like-minded peers through workshops, immersion sessions, one-on-one coaching, and case studies.
The journey I went through was something that fundamentally changed the way think about feedback and the art of listening.
I really loved the discussion about stages of growth and the importance of the pause button, which can impact our relations positively. This made me think about my purpose, what I am doing and whether it helps me live my purpose.
Being there for our communities
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives
In 2022, we worked with MBRGI and the UAE Food Bank to deliver one million meals from repurposed food that would have otherwise gone to waste in the UAE. This one-million meal humanitarian initiative will help combat hunger and contribute to a larger one-billion meal campaign, fulfilling the foundation’s main goal of reducing food waste, especially during Ramadan. In fact, more than two million saved meals were delivered during this collaboration.
Partnering with organizations and major food banks allows us to reimagine how saved meals can help tackle food insecurity and hunger in the coming years, and we are committed to enabling sustainable and inclusive growth.
More initiatives in the UAE
#TogetherWeAreGood
We supported frontline healthcare workers through the #TogetherWeAreGood program by Ma’an Authority at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City. This effort took care of COVID-19 frontliners in Abu Dhabi by offering pro bono mindfulness coaching sessions and renewal workshops.
Emirates Environmental Group
For Earth Day, we adopted 200 saplings ‘For Our Emirates We Plant’ campaign. Volunteers planted the trees in one of Hatta’s protected areas.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good’s mission is to support sustainable charity projects for children around the world through different avenues. McKinsey colleagues have visited their Thrift for Good stores to sort, arrange, and recycle gently used clothing to make them available for others at more affordable prices. Other programs through this charity include Sewing for Good, a warehouse clean-out, and snow hikes, where 100 percent of the proceeds are donated to humanitarian causes.
Emirates Foundation
A team of consultants from McKinsey helped the Foundation revisit its strategy and prioritize programs and initiatives, with a focus on creating resilient communities, protecting the environment, and empowering youth across the UAE.
Al Noor Training Centre
Al Noor Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities is an organization that seeks to give individuals with special needs opportunities to connect with their communities through professional training and care. McKinsey colleagues from the office have spent some time at the center gardening their front yard, decorating their lobby for the year-end holidays, and leading a donation drive during Ramadan.
Creating a capable workforce
AGFE: The Abdullah Al Ghurair Foundation for Education
Through the Abdullah Al Ghurair Foundation for Education (AGFE), our colleagues in the Middle East participate in mentorship programs and delivere workshops on financial literacy, problem solving, and effective communication to hundreds of Arab scholars aged 18–25.
It was an amazing experience that I know will help lead to more career opportunities!
AccelerateHer
Young female professionals receive coaching in finance through the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) Accelerate Her program.
Fuel Ignition clubs
Our Fuel Ignition clubs run by more than 100 colleagues help several regional start-ups navigate the unique challenges they each face.