Sustainability is everyone’s responsibility, says Sheikha Fatima

H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, stated that sustainability is a lifestyle, work and investment, and she described it as everyone’s responsibility as individuals and families, as well as governments, quasi-governments and private organisations, without exception.

In her speech preceding the launch of the 2016 sustainability report by the Family Development Foundation, Sheikha Fatima said that the foundation, since its establishment in 2006, has made sustainability an integral part of its vision of sustainable community development for modern families and a united community, as well as its message of social commitment for achieving sustainable community development and the welfare of families and communities with great efficiency.

She added that the Foundation has crossed an important stage in local sustainability, which is the main component of the Plan Abu Dhabi 2030 that has set a clear vision of sustainability as the foundation of all current local development. The Abu Dhabi government is also aiming to develop and advance the community and promote a new style of thinking, to strengthen the stature of the capital and its international long-term vision, she further added.

The sixth sustainability report of the Family Development Foundation has obtained the G4 certificate from the Global Reporting Initiative in Amsterdam, as the Foundation has successfully met the requirements to attain the certificate. The sustainability report reflects the commitment of the Foundation to adopt the best sustainability practices and concepts in its strategic and operational initiatives and programme, as well as its financial activities, whether in its main headquarters or its other centres in Abu Dhabi.

The report has recorded the stages and applications of sustainability policies by the Foundation, especially and uniquely in its community work, through the implementation of strategic initiatives and projects that promote co-operation, closeness and connections between the family and the community, and by planning and applying integrated and complete methodologies for institutional and community work and greater performance.

Sheikha Fatima explained that the Foundation is working on achieving sustainable community development to realise its goals of advancing the family and its ongoing efforts to create new procedures and methods to co-ordinate and co-operate with government, quasi-government and private organisations, with the aim of achieving qualitative integration that will help it to serve as a major part of the local community in an appropriate manner, including by sharing information and expertise and organising and co-ordinating the joint work.

Her Highness added that over the course of 10 years the Foundation has been involved in the area of sustainability through its achievements for the Abu Dhabi community, and it has touched the daily lives of local families in various ways, and has studied the issues that these families have suffered from, and has worked diligently to overcome their difficulties and solve community issues.

She also noted that the Foundation has continually worked on placing strategic plans, through programmes and initiatives, to achieve sustainability and enable it to perform its role effectively in the local community, by discussing local, regional and international issues facing families, women and children, and by adopting the best practices to plan initiatives that support the family, develop its members and strengthen the community, reflecting its commitment to the values of the country and its supreme ideals.

"We, in the Family Development Foundation, are aware that contributing to the development of sustainability requires us to apply its practices in our internal and external actions. We have placed a special framework to manage sustainability in the way that strengthens our presence in the community, and confirms our ability to influence it according to the 2030 vision of the Abu Dhabi Government, in light of the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, who we care for, by continuing our work according to the concept of sustainability and strengthen our vision of a sustainable community development for the modern family and a united community, based on the latest studies, systems and practices, and our commitment to local and international standards," she said in conclusion.

Ali Salem Al Kaabi, Director of the Office of the Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, stressed it has been transparent in its 2016 sustainability report, especially as sustainability has become an integral part of its work, which is in harmony with the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the directives of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, and the Plan Abu Dhabi 2030