Helping UAE companies build capacity in sustainability, carbon emissions, and compliance.
The United Arab Emirates has taken a landmark step in climate governance with Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2024 on the Reduction of Climate Change Effects, which came into force on May 30, 2025.
This comprehensive legislation makes the UAE the first country in the Middle East and North Africa region to establish a binding legal framework for climate action, fundamentally transforming how businesses operate in the Emirates.
ESG and Sustainability are developing quickly in the UAE. Let us help.
The new UAE legislation covers five strategic objectives: mitigating climate change effects, establishing pathways to climate neutrality, enhancing adaptive capacity, promoting green technology innovation, and fostering international cooperation.
For UAE companies, this means integrating climate considerations into every aspect of business operations, from strategic planning to daily operations.
With penalties ranging from AED 50,000 to AED 2,000,000 for non-compliance, and the potential for doubled fines for repeat violations, the financial risks of ignoring UAE climate laws are substantial and immediate. However, the broader business risks extend far beyond regulatory penalties to include competitive disadvantage, limited access to capital, supply chain exclusion, and reputational damage that can fundamentally undermine long-term business viability.
Companies that delay implementation face compressed timelines, higher costs, limited technology options, and reduced access to government incentives that reward early action.
Conversely, organizations that invest strategically in climate compliance today are discovering that these investments typically deliver operational returns through efficiency improvements, cost reductions, and process optimizations that justify the expenditure independent of regulatory requirements.
The UAE's climate laws represent a fundamental shift in the business environment where sustainability performance becomes a key determinant of competitive success, making early action not just a compliance necessity but a strategic imperative for long-term business prosperity in the Emirates' evolving economy.
Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) with Speeki Carbon Lens.
Companies must establish robust systems to monitor and report greenhouse gas emissions using methodologies approved by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE). This goes beyond simple energy consumption tracking to encompass comprehensive emissions inventories covering direct emissions (Scope 1), indirect emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2), and potentially value chain emissions (Scope 3).
Even if you are not required to disclose, you should still be building your key programmes for non-financial ESG topics
You may not need to disclose data right now, but you may have to do so in the future. If you work in countries outside of the UAE, you may also need to report there. Of course, your stakeholders may require you to report issues regardless.
Where Speeki can help your business in the UAE
Depending on your company type, you may have mandatory or optional reporting requirements in the UAE. However, whether you are required to disclose or not, an ESG and Sustainability strategy is no longer optional. Your stakeholders expect it, your customers expect it, and the planet demands it. Every listed or major company operating in the UAE should develop a comprehensive strategy around ESG and Sustainability as a growth engine for both your business and the UAE itself.
Develop an ESG and Sustainability strategy first and start building initiatives
Before thinking about reporting, you need to develop a clear climate and sustainability strategy. With a clear strategy and an understanding of risk and materiality, you can build or retrofit existing programmes around that strategy. If they are well designed, your programmes will produce the data needed for reporting and disclosures.
Remember, even though the law in the UAE is very much focused on climate, ESG and Sustainability are more than measuring emissions.
The Speeki platform includes embedded tools and guidance across all ESG topics
Speeki stands out by offering more than consulting; we designed, built, and maintain our own SaaS software with embedded tools for incident reporting, surveys, disclosures, and more.
Facilitate effective communication, promote transparency, and engage stakeholders like never before.
The Speeki platform is more than just software.
Climate change reporting is only part of the solution
It is true that climate reporting is the first area chosen for regulated disclosures. However, like every other country, it certainly won't be the last. Expect to see more and more requirements in other areas.
Most countries now require broader disclosures – and even if the UAE regulations don't, your customers will.
Speeki helps you build a proactive system, not focus on responses to requirements.
Developing a sustainability programme with Speeki allows you to cover all topics in a consistent manner
By choosing Speeki, you're not just adopting a platform; you're partnering with a leader in ESG and sustainability solutions. From building and maintaining ESG and sustainability programmes to driving accountability and generating reports, Speeki supports your journey in ESG and sustainability and other non-financial reporting aspects.
Managing the performance of your non-financial programmes will be your advantage.
ESG insights
Explore our expert articles on implementing ESG and Sustainability programmes in the UAE.
The UAE is a leader across the Gulf countries for governance and compliance. Leading ESG and sustainability is just the next evolution for UAE businesses.
Reporting for UAE and beyond
Speeki continuously incorporates new global or local reporting standards from countries as they are published. We ensure that your business can produce necessary disclosures, not just in UAE but abroad.
Building your own data-driven metrics
More than just climate change, Speeki helps you build programmes across 20+ areas. Businesses can align their sustainability efforts with Speeki and other software products like climate accounting or energy management systems.
More than software, Speeki has embedded tools and guidance
Many companies don't necessarily have their own ESG experts and might struggle to find capacity at a reasonable price elsewhere. Speeki is packed with guidance and AI to help you build ESG and Sustainability with our support.
Scott Lane
Scott Lane has worked as a leader in global companies across legal, compliance and governance for most of his career. He has helped over 500 global companies develop parts of their ESG programmes, including governance, board, risk, supply chain, sales channels, anti-corruption, workplace issues and overall ESG. Scott is a strong strategic thinker and communicator who helps to align large companies on a common goal.
Some examples of how Speeki can help you in the UAE with ESG and sustainability
You will need a clear strategy led by the board and executed through management. With oversight and assurance, your board can feel comfortable that ESG and sustainability are a competitive advantage, not simply a cost. Working with the board and management, we help you understand risks and opportunities and define a strategy to execute.
Many countries now require you to conduct deep-dive due diligence on your value chain. Even if the UAE doesn't have this requirement, other countries in which you operate do. Plus, you will undoubtedly be impacted as a supplier to major companies. Lean in and get ahead of the regulations.
Through our subsidiary Speeki Europe, Speeki is an experienced certification body for ISO management system standards. Subject to our independence rules, we can certify you in the UAE (and your global operations) against standards like anti-bribery, compliance, governance, social responsibility, whistleblowing, and more.
Speeki can be used by a wide range of entities in UAE, including businesses of all sizes across various industries. Whether a small enterprise starting its sustainability journey or a large corporation enhancing its ESG practices, Speeki has software and solutions that cater to your company’s needs.
If all you need right now is help to build a whistleblowing solution, an anti-bribery compliance or management system, or a global human rights and modern-day slavery system, Speeki can help. With consulting, technology, and assurance solutions, we are ready to step in and add value to your business.
Speeki provides assurance solutions across ESG and sustainability. Subject to our independence rules, we can build a plan for an audit and assurance of your ESG reporting. Validate your reporting with the comfort of independent assurance.
Your ESG and sustainability journey in UAE begins here
