Sustainability Initiatives among Top Companies in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Purpose: Any organization needs to sustain its performance both in the short and long term. Sustainability is a concept that focuses on financial, social and environmental aspects of management which gained a lot of attention recently. Lean production on the other hand is a philosophy that is focused on the elimination of waste. The purpose of this paper was to highlight the sustainability initiatives taken by the top companies in the UAE and how implementing the sustainable solutions and best practices in the UAE links with lean practices. Various current sustainable practices and initiatives were evaluated to examine whether they are aligned with lean management or not. This research aimed to provide useful insights to sustainability and quality practitioners in the UAE into various sustainability initiatives in UAE the challenges to implementing the initiatives and how they relate to lean concepts. Methodology: The study employed secondary research as the data collection approach using a systematic review of relevant journal articles. The research explored various sustainability initiatives laid down by the UAE government. It also investigated the relationship between sustainability and lean practices and their effect on organizational performance. Findings: The study determined that lean production was an effective means through which an organization can realize numerous benefits including costs reductions, increased, operational efficiency and higher waste management. Recommendations: Through this research study, it was established that lean production has strong potential of influencing achievement of objectives associated with sustainability. The first recommendation is on policy reforms. The second recommendation is on training and development programs in corporations in the UAE.