Dubai launches new platform for community, company contributions

Dubai: The Community Development Authority (CDA) has launched the Dubai Community Contributions Platform, Jood, it was announced today.

The platform acts as a central hub dedicated to championing and strengthening social and humanitarian endeavours across Dubai. Its stated objective is to inspire the active engagement of stakeholders and reinforce the foundations of sustainable community development in alignment with the goals set forth by the Dubai Social Agenda 33.

The launch of the platform is in line with the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

The platform is committed to promoting a spirit of ‘Giving Back to the Community’ and aims for the establishment of a robust and proactive social care and empowerment system by providing a secure, reliable, and officially endorsed avenue for social responsibility contributions. Looking to engage companies, entrepreneurs, institutions, and individuals of diverse nationalities, the initiative encourages their participation in sustainable projects aimed at empowering society across critical sectors such as health, education, and social welfare. The platform’s overarching objective is to ensure transparency and efficiency in harnessing the contributions of companies to social causes while fostering collaboration among stakeholders to enrich and advance the social sector.

Innovative channel

Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Director-General of CDA in Dubai, underscored the significance of the Jood platform as an innovative and advanced channel for driving community empowerment activities in Dubai. Serving as a facilitator for institutions, companies, business sectors, and individuals, it aims to streamline and institutionalise contributions to sustainable community projects, with a primary focus on vital areas such as education, health, and social care.

She elaborated on how Jood embodies the essence of Emirati culture, rooted in generosity and solidarity. She commended the strong desire shown by businesspersons, both citizens and residents, to contribute to supporting social programmes and advancing societal development. The initiative distinguishes itself by empowering business sectors and companies to channel their corporate social responsibility contributions towards projects with a lasting positive impact on society, particularly in crucial areas such as health, education, and community empowerment. It significantly contributes to realising the objectives outlined in the Dubai Social Agenda 33, with the vision of positioning Dubai among the top three cities in the world in terms of standard of living a decade from now.

Hamad Obaid Al Mansouri, Director General of Digital Dubai Authority, said, “We are pleased to be a major partner in developing the Jood Platform for Community Contributions (jood.ae), which represents a pioneering model for harnessing digital technology to contribute to community initiatives in the emirate.”

Electronic donations

Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Director General of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, said the platform serves as a trustworthy destination for those wishing to contribute to humanitarian, charitable and developmental work across Dubai and facilitates direct electronic donations.

The Jood platform directs contributions towards community projects with a focus on sustainable impact, prioritising support for education, students, scientific research and development, healthcare standards enhancement, and community protection measures. Moreover, it facilitates the construction and equipping of social centers, enhancing the long-term effectiveness of contributions from companies, businesses, and individuals.

This initiative emerges from a collaborative effort among 11 government agencies in Dubai, aligning with the directives of the Dubai Government to strengthen governance in the community contributions sector. It seeks to establish a platform that harmonises the corporate social responsibility policy of Dubai with the social responsibility strategies of institutions and companies within the emirate. By implementing impactful initiatives, ‘Jood’ aims to leverage philanthropy’s benefits while ensuring sustained societal impact. Rooted in the principle of ‘giving back to the community’, these initiatives aspire to benefit citizens, residents, and all segments of society to the fullest extent possible.

11 participants

The participating entities in the Jood platform (jood.ae) currently include the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, Dar Al Ber Society, Al Jalila - Dubai Health Foundation, Beit Al Khair Society, and Dubai Charitable Society. The platform was developed in partnership with the General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai, Dubai Digital Authority, Community Development Authority, Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, and Department of Finance in Dubai.

Facilitated mechanisms

Jood presents a unified and reliable platform for showcasing and endorsing initiatives, projects, and campaigns proposed by institutions. It highlights the most pressing needs, facilitating new donor contributions and alignment with the social responsibility plans of the private sector.

The platform (jood.ae) enables both institutions and individuals to contribute directly to listed initiatives and projects through electronic payment or bank transfer. It also provides regular updates on project status and progress towards completion, along with documented reports of contributions tailored to meet social responsibility requirements. This approach supports sustainable performance and offers various benefits to contributors.

With its digital interface, the ‘Jood’ platform offers convenient direct access and immediate contribution to diverse community initiatives, allowing contributions through the platform (jood.ae) or by making quick donations via the Dubai Now application. Furthermore, it illustrates the connections between each presented initiative and corresponding sustainable community development goals, including associated environmental, social, and governance factors. This transparency ensures efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency throughout the process.