Kaplan Middle East & North Africa (Mena), one of the region’s professional learning providers, has  hosted two exclusive Sustainability & ESG Forums in Riyadh and Dubai respectively on October 28 and 29, 2025.

The two events brought together some of the influential voices in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) leadership from across the globe.

The Riyadh event, held in collaboration with the Financial Academy, the entity responsible for developing human capital capabilities in the financial sector, and the Dubai event, hosted solely by Kaplan Mena, gathered senior decision-makers from government, industry, and finance to address the urgent challenge of transitioning ESG from a compliance exercise to a core business value driver.

Under the theme “Turning Sustainability into a Competitive Advantage: From Cost Center to Value Driver,” both forums featured panel discussions and keynote addresses from globally recognised sustainability and ESG leaders, including executives from ACWA Power, Emirates Global Aluminium, Al Safi Danone, VFS Global,  as well as a UN-awarded sustainability expert.

Conversations focused on operationalising ESG strategies, future-proofing businesses, and aligning with national visions such as ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ and ‘UAE Net Zero 2050’.

“These forums are more than just conversations; they are accelerators for meaningful change,” said Stuart Whent, Chief Operating Officer at Kaplan MENA. “We are convening the people who have the influence and vision to reshape how sustainability is embedded in our region’s economic future.”

At the heart of the forums was the official launch of Kaplan’s Sustainability & ESG Foundations Certificate, an accredited learning program in the region tailored specifically for GCC professionals. This programme integrates:

• Regional context, including a module tailored to GCC policy and regulatory frameworks
• Sector-specific pathways, allowing learners to specialise in industries such as finance, energy, and tourism
• Global academic rigour, co-designed with Melina Taprantzi, Founder of Earth & Co. and a UN-awarded ESG expert

“We designed this program to close the gap between ESG intent and credible implementation,” said Melina Taprantzi. “The curriculum bridges global standards with regional realities, ensuring learners walk away with both strategic insight and practical tools.”

As more organisations across the Middle East adopt ESG strategies, the need for robust, localised training becomes increasingly urgent. Kaplan’s initiative directly supports national priorities by:

• Enabling better ESG reporting and data quality
• Helping companies access green capital and lower cost of funding
• Creating a scalable, sustainable talent pipeline equipped with verified ESG skills
• Catalysing cross-sector collaboration through high-level convening power -OGN/TradeArabia News Service