Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has published its 6th Sustainability Report 2020, an annual publication reflecting its efforts in improving sustainability to become one of the most sustainable government organizations specializing in roads and transport worldwide.
Releasing this report conforms to the UAE Vision 2021 and Dubai Plan 2021 and the sustainable development goals of the United Nations (UN), WAM states.
The publishing of this report coincides with the RTA’s participation in the Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) and Dubai Solar Show from 5th to 7th October, 2021, at the Dubai Exhibition Centre – Expo 2020 Dubai. One can download the report using the QR Code at the RTA’s stand at WETEX.
The Sustainability Report 2020 showcases the RTA’s methodology towards realising and managing sustainability and integrating it in strategies and operations. It also spotlights the efforts in combating COVID-19 and supporting Dubai’s efforts in tackling the pandemic.
Commending the report, CEO of the RTA’s Strategy and Corporate Governance Sector, Nasser Hamad Abu Shehab, stated that the concept of sustainability had been embedded in the RTA’s corporate performance. “RTA has revitalised its vision to ‘The world leader in seamless and sustainable mobility’. It also revised the corporate value (Excellence and Success) to (Pioneering and Competitiveness).”
“In 2020, the RTA launched the formal operation of Route 2020 of Dubai Metro that stretches 15 kilometres from Jebel Ali Station on the Red Line to Expo 2020 Station connecting seven stations. The route contributes to the sustainable growth of Dubai and upgrading the infrastructure and services to meet the requirements of sustained growth of the future city. It also fits with the UAE’s efforts to prepare for the next 50 years,” he added.
The RTA became a global pioneer in 2018 in the roads and public transportation sector globally to publish its sustainability report in accordance with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, with a reasonable level of assurance as per the international standard: ISAE 3000.
In 2020, the RTA also signed the UN Global Framework for Sustainable Development and aligned the data of its sustainability reports with the UN goals of tackling global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, peace, justice, human rights and anti-corruption, which reflects its commitment to the 10 Principles of the Charter related to these areas.
Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the RTA was one of the first government entities to transform all customer services into smart services purposely designed to be innovative and accessible. RTA also revised its artificial intelligence strategy to align with the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031. This drive encompassed more than 140 projects.
Events of 2020 franked the importance of adopting sustainability as corporate culture and practice to ensure the continuity of business and enhance the confidence between the entity and clients. The RTA realized this challenge early on and dedicated all efforts to implement the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into the smartest and happiest city in the world – a city which provides services through innovative channels around the clock.
From the economic perspective of sustainability, the RTA achieved cost rationalism of 104 percent through a host of initiatives to save expenditure. In sustainable procurement, the RTA is proud to be the first government entity in the roads and public transport sector to obtain ISO 20400 certificate for sustainable procurement. It is also the first government agency in the roads and public transport sector to the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) certification in procurement and supply. In 2020, the RTA attracted foreign investments to infrastructure projects and services through the public-private partnership model with numerous international organisations from the United States and Europe.
In the environmental field, and under its 5th Strategic Goal (Safety and Environmental Sustainability), the RTA achieved record savings of over 51 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, 31 million liters of fuel, and around 113 thousand tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by implementing 52 energy and green economy initiatives in 2020. Through effective waste management practices, the RTA also recycled about 340,000 tons of waste away from landfills.
The RTA adopted a specialized strategy for the first and last mile towards improving the well-being of people in the emirate and adopting a healthy and active lifestyle. The process required promoting an integrated and effective transport system and providing multiple transportation options for users on par with the industry’s best practices. Such a drive ranked Dubai as one of the leading cities in this field that provides on-demand transportation, taxis, limousines, smart rental vehicles, shared private and public vehicle trips, and automated individual mobility devices like scooters, electric bikes, and other non-motorized means such as walking, cycling, and non-mechanized personal mobility devices.
The RTA’s corporate social responsibility services covered about 2.2 million beneficiaries through 28 initiatives. The RTA provided support 24/7 to all Dubai residents during the lockdown, benefitting nearly two million riders.
In line with the efforts to make Dubai a safe global destination, RTA obtained the My Care-Infection Prevention Trust Mark certificate confirming the effective preventive measures taken since the outbreak of COVID-19 in all public transport facilities.
