sustainability
Corporate National Responsibility
At DAFZ, our Corporate National Responsibility (CNR) Guidelines have been put in place to strengthen and reflect the UAE’s national identity both locally and globally.
Our policy promotes and encourages our corporate strategy, company ethics and individual behaviours which uphold the national spirit. We pledge to conduct our business in a socially responsible and ethical way, supporting our society and contributing towards Dubai and the UAE’s economy.
All departments in DAFZ are required to comply with our CNR policy, which is overseen by our Marketing and Corporate Communications Department. We encourage all DAFZ staff to actively engage in CNR activities as part of the annual business planning. Every year all DAFZ departments are asked to propose at least one CNR initiative, which are incorporated into a consolidated CNR plan.
Our CNR strategy has six pillars which focus on DAFZ’s contribution to the environment, economy and society:
Customers
We connect with our customers by communicating the UAE’s values and reflecting our corporate identity through the delivery of our services.
Throughout the year, we involve our customers in national events, and hope to inspire them in accordance with national values to reflect a positive image for the UAE.
People
All of our employees at DAFZ are required to abide by our code of conduct when taking part in CNR activities, respecting the UAE’s cultures, religions and traditions. We aim to present UAE culture in a positive way and raise social standards within our society.
Our CNR strategy oversees the implementation of our activities for events and initiatives that are organised by the UAE Government and relate to national pride and identity, such as Flag Day, Commemoration Day and UAE National Day.
Suppliers and Strategic Partners
As part of our CNR strategy, we promote the use of Emirati suppliers and sources, and aim to inspire our partners to participate in social and national activities and initiatives.
We encourage all of our suppliers and strategic partners to uphold the highest levels of health and safety (HSE) compliance on our premises.
Sustainability
Sustainability is promoted at every level of our organisation – from our leaders and employees to our stakeholders and suppliers.
We encourage our employees and stakeholders to participate in initiatives and activities that benefit the environment – such as Earth Hour or ‘paperless’ initiatives.
Strategy
At DAFZ, we ensure that our corporate strategy is fully aligned with local and federal strategies.
We aim to contribute towards Dubai’s GDP, support the increase of the emirate’s trade volumes and boost the UAE’s economy.
Society
We aim to support the improvement of our society by promoting business excellence and best practices in the communities we serve.
As part of our overall CNR strategy, we encourage staff from across our organisation to participate in an array of different social initiatives that benefit society as a whole.
Green DAFZ
DAFZ prioritises the welfare of the community among its core corporate values.
DAFZ prioritises the welfare of the community among its core corporate values. It adopts a sustainable view towards development that places high value on keeping the freezone’s carbon footprints to a minimum, whilst maintaining operational and service excellence. DAFZ constantly emphasises among its teams and its customers how a ‘Green’ DAFZ is synonymous with a ‘Successful’ DAFZ.
Through various strategic sustainability programmes and initiatives, DAFZ has made dramatic strides in conserving critical resources. From 2010 to 2015, it was able to reduce its power consumption from 72 million to 37 million Kwh and its water use from 69 to 35 million gallons. During the same period, DAFZ was able to cut its CO2 emissions by 19,000 tons annually, diminishing its overall carbon footprint by more than 48 per cent.
Among the technologies and techniques that have been employed to achieve these impressive figures are the use of a Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) system that enables DAFZ to save on potable water and preserve natural resources. The TSE/RO system reduces cooling tower water usage by 100 per cent, enabling annual savings of AED 1.1 million. Other innovative solutions that continue to be implemented are Fresh Air Optimization via CO2 sensors as well as the use of outdoor LED lighting which has driven down electrical consumption by 66 per cent. DAFZ was also the first entity outside of the US to adopt the Demand Flow Management system for building cooling. This system enables the freezone to save AED 3 million in energy costs each year.
Another testament to DAFZ’s total commitment to sustainability is the state-of-the-art Siemens Green Building Monitor system installed at its corporate headquarters which provides a real-time graphical overview of energy consumption and information on internal environmental efforts.
To further drive home its dedication to going ‘green,’ DAFZ has even introduced its own ‘Business Award’ to honor and further encourage customers who excel in the areas of Health, Safety and the Environment.
DAFZ’s highly successful sustainability exploits have garnered numerous regional and global accolades. The freezone is the recipient of several ISO certifications for Quality, Environment, Health and Safety – including for Energy Management Systems (ISO 50001:2011) and Environmental Management (ISO 140001). It has also been honored with a LEED Platinum Certification for Existing Building Operation and Maintenance (2016), the Emirates Energy Award for Small Energy Projects (2015), a Plaque of Appreciation from DEWA (2014), a Respect Our Earth Certificate from Milliken, a Plaque of Appreciation from the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (2013) and the Kingdom Expansion Award for Sustainable FM Initiative (2009), among others.
DAFZ prioritises the welfare of the community among its core corporate values. It adopts a sustainable view towards development that places high value on keeping the freezone’s carbon footprints to a minimum, whilst maintaining operational and service excellence. DAFZ constantly emphasises among its teams and its customers how a ‘Green’ DAFZ is synonymous with a ‘Successful’ DAFZ.
Through various strategic sustainability programmes and initiatives, DAFZ has made dramatic strides in conserving critical resources. From 2010 to 2015, it was able to reduce its power consumption from 72 million to 37 million Kwh and its water use from 69 to 35 million gallons. During the same period, DAFZ was able to cut its CO2 emissions by 19,000 tons annually, diminishing its overall carbon footprint by more than 48 per cent.
Among the technologies and techniques that have been employed to achieve these impressive figures are the use of a Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) system that enables DAFZ to save on potable water and preserve natural resources. The TSE/RO system reduces cooling tower water usage by 100 per cent, enabling annual savings of AED 1.1 million. Other innovative solutions that continue to be implemented are Fresh Air Optimization via CO2 sensors as well as the use of outdoor LED lighting which has driven down electrical consumption by 66 per cent. DAFZ was also the first entity outside of the US to adopt the Demand Flow Management system for building cooling. This system enables the freezone to save AED 3 million in energy costs each year.
Another testament to DAFZ’s total commitment to sustainability is the state-of-the-art Siemens Green Building Monitor system installed at its corporate headquarters which provides a real-time graphical overview of energy consumption and information on internal environmental efforts.
To further drive home its dedication to going ‘green,’ DAFZ has even introduced its own ‘Business Award’ to honor and further encourage customers who excel in the areas of Health, Safety and the Environment.
DAFZ’s highly successful sustainability exploits have garnered numerous regional and global accolades. The freezone is the recipient of several ISO certifications for Quality, Environment, Health and Safety – including for Energy Management Systems (ISO 50001:2011) and Environmental Management (ISO 140001). It has also been honored with a LEED Platinum Certification for Existing Building Operation and Maintenance (2016), the Emirates Energy Award for Small Energy Projects (2015), a Plaque of Appreciation from DEWA (2014), a Respect Our Earth Certificate from Milliken, a Plaque of Appreciation from the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (2013) and the Kingdom Expansion Award for Sustainable FM Initiative (2009), among others.