Fatima Al Kaabi, Abu Dhabi Global Market Financial Services Regulatory Authority

Women’s empowerment means being independent, having the right to make your own choices, and creating impact.

FATIMA AL KAABI

Specialist – International Affairs

Abu Dhabi Global Market Financial Services Regulatory Authority

What aspects of ADGM’s gender empowerment programmes are you most proud of and why?

Our efforts around gender equality are expansive and aim to impact how companies worldwide address diversity, inclusion, and the gender gap. We established the ADGM Gender Equality Initiative to strengthen gender balance and representation across all job functions and levels in the UAE workplace. The Initiative is based on three pillars: leading by example, working collaboratively, and championing effective change.

Internally, we are rolling out salary reviews, developing unconscious bias trainings, and putting together flexible working practices and parental leave to ensure equal opportunity is present throughout our organisation.

Externally, we have formed partnerships with organisations that have the same goal. These collaborations have led to the formation of the Gender Equality Working Group (GEWG), with the objectives of coordinating and amplifying gender equality efforts, promoting international standards, and enhancing capacity building.

What is ADGM’s vision towards sustainability, and what steps are being taken to achieve ADGM’s sustainability goals? How do you engage employees in sustainability efforts?

Abu Dhabi and the UAE have actively driven ESG efforts across the region to aid in the development of a sustainable ecosystem and ensure economic and environmental longevity for generations to come.

At the policy level, the UAE Vision 2021, the UAE Green Agenda 20152030, and the UAE National Climate Change Plan 2017-2050 demonstrate the UAE Government’s commitment to driving positive economic, social and environmental outcomes.

Building on these robust frameworks, ADGM has championed several initiatives that aim to bolster the development of sustainable finance to support regional and global economic development. Chief amongst these efforts is ADGM’s introduction of its Sustainable Finance Agenda, which sets out our roadmap for the development of a vibrant and thriving sustainable finance hub that supports capital formation, raising and deployment, as well as the creation and issuance of products to achieve economic, social and environmental objectives.

Our efforts to create this vibrant sustainable finance hub are founded on four pillars: integration of sustainability into the regulatory framework of ADGM, building cooperation with national and international stakeholders, fostering communication, knowledge and awareness, and creation of a sustainable finance ecosystem within ADGM.

To engage our employees on ADGM’s wider efforts, we have instilled a culture that champions sustainability through the protection and conservation of the environment, the minimisation of our carbon footprint, the encouragement of transparent governance practices, and many more.

ADGM also provides employees, such as me, with the opportunity to engage in landmark initiatives that ignite impact in the UAE’s wider sustainability agenda. These include flagship initiatives, such as the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum, as well as webinar discussions with key industry leaders.

What does ADGM do to help its employees maintain a healthy work-life balance?

ADGM has striven to instil a robust corporate culture that is anchored by the values of community and wellbeing through its progressive workplace frameworks. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, ADGM has enacted a remote working policy that allows our work culture to focus on productivity rather than hours spent.

Part of my success can be attributed to the support ADGM offers to its employees and the measures taken to ensure an ideal work-life balance, especially for female employees.

What does women’s empowerment mean to you?

In my opinion, women’s empowerment means being independent, having the right to make your own choices, and creating impact. As a female representative of ADGM, I am grateful for the opportunity to make an impact and contribute to the UAE’s efforts in ensuring a more sustainable future.

In what ways are you and ADGM helping to create leaders?

On the entrepreneurial front, we have collaborated with key regional and international entities to advance our gender equality agenda and ensure equal opportunity for female entrepreneurs. For instance, ADGM co-authored a white paper with the Embassy of the United States, titled ‘Gender Equality and Entrepreneurship’, which examines the key challenges facing entrepreneurs within the UAE’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, while suggesting possible further actions.

ADGM is also an active member of several national initiatives that aim to empower the next generation of leaders with pertinent skills in their chosen fields. A prime example of ADGM’s efforts in this regard is its contribution to the Al Yah initiative, a training programme designed to educate and qualify Emirati caliber on ADGM’s core functions, including financial supervisory, licensee registration, or arbitration and dispute resolution.

In your opinion, are programmes and initiatives enough to close the gender gap?

Programmes and initiatives play a critical role in the progression of gender equality. However, concrete action and support from government authorities is required if we are to generate considerable impact.

Government legislations and frameworks are integral in closing the gap. The UAE, for instance, is at the forefront of these global efforts, resulting in the introduction of landmark frameworks and initiatives, such as the UAE Gender Balance Council and the UAE Gender Inequality Index.