DUBAI: As the busiest and perhaps most efficient airport in the world, Dubai Airports takes great pride in those behind its bustling operations. Among them are three women who are piloting the airport towards becoming the most sustainable.
Now, what better occasion to talk to them than on Emirati Women’s Day today (August 28)?
Eco-warriors all, the Emirati trio - Sara Al Abdulla, Maryam Alawadhi and Najla Alghammai – have played a crucial role in pushing Dubai Airports’ environmental agenda forward. Their efforts in different realms of the airport’s operations have made a discernible difference, even as they reflect a deep commitment to effect positive change.
Waste reduction
Sara Al Abdulla, Senior Manager of Commercial Sustainability, is credited with rallying the entire airport community around a shared purpose: To reduce waste. Thanks to the collective effort, Dubai Airports’ waste management diverts a sizeable 60 per cent of all Dubai International (DXB) waste away from landfill every month.
Sara, who has been working with Dubai Airports for 10 years, says, “I believe in the power of community when it comes to achieving goals. Collaboration, sharing knowledge and building a community – this is what brings me joy.”
According to her, “Sustainability is not just a goal; it is a journey we embark on together. By building a community that shares knowledge and works collaboratively, we are creating a future that benefits everyone.”
Energy savings
Working equally purposefully is Maryam Alawadhi, Energy and Sustainability Engineer at Dubai Airports. She is on an energy-efficient mission, with one of her key projects being a lighting and building retrofit, which has managed to offset 47,000 tonnes of carbon.
“This is equivalent to planting more than a million trees annually,” she says, translating the figure into real-world impact.
“Every project I contribute to, no matter how small or big, is a step towards a more sustainable world. The energy savings we achieve are more than just numbers; they represent a tangible difference in our community’s future,” shares Maryam, who has great faith in the potential of Emirati women to lead major advancements in aviation.
Green procurement
The third eco-warrior, Najla Alghammai, works as Director of Category Management. It is a role that has helped her be at the forefront of integrating environmentally sustainable practices into procurement processes at Dubai Airports.
Her leadership in developing the Dubai Airports’ Green Procurement Policy has resulted in an almost 49 per cent increase in eco-friendly purchases in 2024 compared to 2022. Additionally, her support for implementing a paperless policy has drastically reduced printing, from thousands of pages in 2018 to zero in 2024. “Sustainability in procurement is not just about choosing the right products; it is about setting a precedent for responsible, ethical decision-making that ripples throughout the entire industry,” says Najla.
She lets on that she has been addicted to reducing waste from a very young age with the everyday sustainable actions, be it with regard to food, water or other consumables, leading her to play a key procurement role in Dubai Airports.
“I am passionate about empowering the next generation of Emirati women by coaching them and leading by example,” she adds.
Together we pilot tomorrow, starting today,” say the eco-warriors.
DXB’s Sustainable Measures at a Glance
• Recycling of all separated and recyclable materials, including but not limited to glass, metals, plastics cardboard (OCC), food waste and cooking oil.
• Collaboration with BEEAH to divert 60 per cent of monthly waste from landfills
• Installation of DGrade boxes across DXB offices to encourage employees to dispose of plastic bottles, ensuring they’re recycled.
• Use of the energy generated from solar panels to power 36 per cent of Terminal 2.
• Part of PANGAIA’s Trillion Bees Coalition to support their Bee the Change initiative that protects pollinators
• Part of the Airports of Tomorrow initiative by World Economic Forum & ACI.
