How sustainability benefits business performance

How sustainability benefits business performance

How sustainability benefits business performance
Using renewable energy can minimize vulnerability to fluctuations in the price of fossil fuels. (Shutterstock)
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Sustainability today is a core consideration in planning for organizational success. With tightening emissions targets and rising environmental awareness, there are tremendous pressures on businesses to become more sustainable.

This transition is not solely about compliance and social responsibility, however. It is about sustainability as a performance enabler — a driver of change that unlocks competitiveness and adaptability across the value chain.

Business sustainability can thus be described as a process of managing business activities in a way that maximizes efficiency without harming future generations.

Environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and corporate financial performance can all be included in the definition of the environmental, social, and governance concept, known in common parlance as ESG.

Sustainable value generation entails those actions that create and sustain growth, profitability, and enhanced value for shareholders in the long term.

There are clear economic benefits to be gained from greater sustainability. Embracing energy efficiency and reducing waste, for instance, cuts costs in production, while using renewables can minimize vulnerability to fluctuations in the price of fossil fuels.

Sustainable businesses are also able to attract cash from investors who prefer firms with strong ESG disclosures. Other analyses have revealed that a high ESG score reduces capital costs and enhances a firm’s performance.

The strategic management of environmental impact can bring both short and long-term benefits to organizations, including customer loyalty, reduced legal risks, and reputational capital.

Corporate social responsibility refers to the responsibilities that a business has to society and the impact of its operations on communities. To meet these responsibilities, firms are encouraged to respect labor practices and use ethical sources of labor.

Sustainability can give companies a competitive edge over their rivals, while at the same time being considerate to people and the planet.

Majed Al-Qatari

Cultivating a rapport and engaging with stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers, and communities, is an effective way of meeting those responsibilities.

Organizations with good social performance can attract talent, encourage return custom, and stave off the possibility of boycotts. Stakeholder engagement is a key factor in this, helping firms develop a robust business model that can easily cope with social shifts.

Potential barriers to sustainability include costs, resistance to change, and difficulties evaluating social and ecological impact. But with adequate planning, stakeholder input, and the use of technology in gathering and analyzing data, these can be overcome.

Meanwhile, industrial partnerships and government subsidies can assist with financial and operational challenges, while training and education programs can help shift organizational culture in favor of greater sustainability.

The circular economy, with its emphasis on recycling, and the growth of green finance will define the future business world, while artificial intelligence and the internet of things will allow organizations to monitor the effectiveness of their sustainability initiatives.

In sum, sustainability can give companies a competitive edge over their rivals, while at the same time being considerate to people and the planet.

Every firm that dreams of a prosperous future should invest in sustainable practices, thereby guarantee lasting benefits for itself and its stakeholders.

Majed Al-Qatari is a sustainability leader, ecological engineer and UN Youth Ambassador with experience in ESG and sustainability goals in business, nonprofits and financial institutions.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News' point of view

Trump tells Cabinet, others that Musk will leave soon, Politico reports

Trump tells Cabinet, others that Musk will leave soon, Politico reports
Updated 4 min 53 sec ago
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Trump tells Cabinet, others that Musk will leave soon, Politico reports

Trump tells Cabinet, others that Musk will leave soon, Politico reports
  • Trump has tasked the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to lead efforts to cut government funding

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has told members of his Cabinet and other close contacts that his billionaire ally Elon Musk will soon step back from his government role, Politico reported on Wednesday, citing three people close to Trump.
Trump has tasked the Tesla and SpaceX CEO to lead efforts to cut government funding and dismantle various US agencies as a special government employee.
Politico reported that both Trump and Musk decided in recent days that Musk will soon return to his businesses.
Representatives for the White House and the Musk-led task force could not be immediately reached to confirm the report.


Saudi equestrienne sets sights on racing to glory

Saudi equestrienne sets sights on racing to glory
Updated 8 min 50 sec ago
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Saudi equestrienne sets sights on racing to glory

Saudi equestrienne sets sights on racing to glory
  • Nawal Al-Anazi’s ‘ultimate goal is to compete in the 2025 World Cup in AlUla and represent Saudi Arabia globally’
  • Al-Anazi believes equestrianism builds character, teaching patience, courage, quick thinking, and responsibility

MAKKAH: In the world of equestrianism, where courage and endurance reign supreme, Saudi rider Nawal Al-Anazi has established herself as a rising star. 

With unwavering determination and limitless ambition, she has transformed her childhood passion into a professional pursuit, becoming a certified equestrienne with the Saudi Federation and a proud horse owner who dreams of representing her nation on the international stage. 

“I have been riding since childhood, but I decided to pursue it seriously about five years ago,” Al-Anazi explained. “What began as a hobby evolved into a lifestyle after I committed to intensive training under professional guidance.” 

The road to professionalism was not without challenges, but Al-Anazi’s passion drove her forward. Through rigorous training and acquiring her own horses, she achieved a significant milestone by competing in the prestigious Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla.

“Participating in that championship fulfilled one dream, but I am setting my sights higher,” she said. “My ultimate goal is to compete in the 2025 World Cup in AlUla and represent Saudi Arabia globally.”

For Al-Anazi, equestrianism transcends sport; it is about forming profound connections with these animals. “Each horse has its unique personality,” she said. 

“They are not just racing vehicles but true partners who understand their riders and respond accordingly. The relationship must be built on mutual trust and respect.”

The equestrienne emphasized that Saudi society has become increasingly supportive of women in this traditionally male-dominated sport. “I have received tremendous encouragement from my family, friends, and the Royal Commission for AlUla Governorate,” she said. “This is a sport for everyone with the passion to pursue it.”

To aspiring equestriennes, she offers straightforward advice. “Follow your passion, train diligently, and embrace challenges. Equestrianism builds confidence and strength of character.”

For Al-Anazi, equestrianism is a lifestyle that demands commitment and enduring passion. She said that successful horsemanship requires patience and an intuitive understanding of each animal’s distinct character.

“The essence of true horsemanship is not about domination,” she explained. “It is about cultivating a partnership founded on mutual trust and respect.”

She believes equestrianism builds character, teaching patience, courage, quick thinking, and responsibility — qualities that extend beyond the riding arena into daily life. Her ambitions are not solely personal; she hopes to inspire other Saudi women to enter the field. 

The rider said that contemporary Saudi women are empowered to fulfill their aspirations across all domains, with equestrianism now receiving substantial backing throughout the Kingdom.

“The journey toward any ambition begins with a single step forward. When you truly believe in your vision and pursue it with unwavering resolve, no obstacle can ultimately prevent your success,” she said. 

As Al-Anazi continues her journey toward international competition, she remains grounded in her philosophy: “The horse is a magnificent creature that deserves our utmost respect. If you have a dream, pursue it relentlessly. With determination, you can overcome any obstacle and reach the top.”


New bill seeks to amend law on Muslim land management in India 

New bill seeks to amend law on Muslim land management in India 
Updated 40 min 24 sec ago
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New bill seeks to amend law on Muslim land management in India 

New bill seeks to amend law on Muslim land management in India 
  • India has one of the largest number of waqf assets in the world, valued at around $14.2bn
  • Waqf tradition in India can be traced back to the Delhi Sultanate period in the 13th century 

NEW DELHI: The Indian government tabled on Wednesday a bill in parliament aimed at making sweeping changes to the decades-old Waqf Act, which governs vast tracts of properties run and managed by Muslims in the country. 

With over 200 million Indians professing Islam, Hindu-majority India has the world’s largest Muslim-minority population.

The country has one of the largest numbers of waqf assets in the world, including over 870,000 properties spanning more than 900,000 hectares, with an estimated value of about $14.2 billion. Domestically, only the military and railways control more land. 

In Islamic tradition, a waqf is a charitable or religious donation made by Muslims for the benefit of the community. Properties categorized as waqf, which typically involve mosques, schools, orphanages or hospitals, cannot be sold or used for other purposes.

In India, where the tradition of waqf can be traced back to the Delhi Sultanate period in the early 13th century, such properties are currently managed by about 30 government-established waqf boards, whose members are all Muslims. 

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, proposes more than 40 changes to the 1995 Waqf Act aimed at shifting the management of waqf properties from the boards to state governments, including the inclusion of non-Muslim members. 

“The government is not interfering in any religious practice or institution. There is no provision in this to interfere in the management of any mosque. This is simply an issue of management of a property,” Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, who tabled the bill, said during a parliament session on Wednesday. 

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board, which works to safeguard Islamic law in the country, said the bill could weaken waqf properties and their management. 

“I think this bill has been brought with an intention to destroy the waqf board, not to improve it. The new law is very weak and aimed at attacking waqf properties,” board member Malik Mohtasim Khan told Arab News. 

“They want to make a waqf law which is free from the influence of Muslims. I feel that their main aim is to make Muslims a second-class citizen.” 

Indian Muslims have faced increasing discrimination and challenges in the past decade, accompanied by tensions and riots ignited by majoritarian policies of the Hindu right-wing BJP since it rose to power in 2014.

“They want to weaken Muslims’ rights in India,” Khan said. “The existing government has created such an atmosphere that there is no respect for parliamentary values and judicial values are also getting diluted. Today the Muslim community is being pushed to the margins. This is a lived reality.” 

 The bill’s fate will be decided with a vote by the ruling alliance and opposition lawmakers in the lower house, before it moves to the upper house for another debate and voting. If approved by both houses of parliament, it will be sent to President Droupadi Murmu for her assent before becoming law. 

 Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, a New Delhi-based author and political analyst who has focused on Hindu nationalist politics, described the bill as an “unfortunate development,” referring to the way it was prepared without proper consultations with Indian Muslims. 

 “I’m deeply disturbed by the manner in which this government is going about enacting the waqf bill in complete disregard of the sentiment of the Muslim community and their representatives,” he told Arab News. 

 “The only message which this government is repeatedly making — because that is the only thing which is going to continue to keep its electoral support — is that ‘we are tightening the screws on the Muslims; we are forcing them to act as the majority community wants.’”
 


Teenager uses metaverse technology to create link between Chinese and Saudi students

Teenager uses metaverse technology to create link between Chinese and Saudi students
Updated 49 min 36 sec ago
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Teenager uses metaverse technology to create link between Chinese and Saudi students

Teenager uses metaverse technology to create link between Chinese and Saudi students
  • Superbund Alpha Project allows students to create virtual avatars and teach others about their culture
  • Young founder aims to host a student trip to Saudi Arabia for her peers

RIYADH: At just 13 years old, Chinese student Alia Kong is spearheading an initiative that utilizes the power of technology to introduce Saudi culture to her peers in Hong Kong.

With a vision of creating an open space for international students to connect with each other, the Superbund Alpha Project allows users to create virtual avatars in the metaverse.

Students in both countries will be able to create a personalized space and promote their culture through a virtual workshop and the young visionary hopes it will help forge strong links between them.

“I (would) like to create that connection between Riyadh and Hong Kong,” Kong told Arab News. “Imagine if can create your own cultural heritage and enhance it with spatial computing, with just prompting and images.”

Additionally, as a part of the project, she has set up an immersive experience to present Saudi culture to her classmates.

Kong’s story began five years ago when, aged eight, she and 25 friends decided to start a non-profit organization called Kids Power Society. The group’s aims were to educate students about different cultures, enhance mental wellness and promote positivity.

The teenager now plans to host Superbund Event Day, to be held simultaneously in both Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia virtually and in reality.

Kong highlighted the importance of embracing emerging technologies, saying Generation Alpha could envision a desired lifestyle through the metaverse.

Her admiration for Saudi Arabia stems from stories she has heard from her godfather, Alaudeen Alaskary, former consul-general of Saudi Arabia in Hong Kong. He is now honorary advisor to the Superbund Virtual Exchange Program.

Kong, who has visited the Kingdom previously, said she planned to host a student trip dedicated to teaching her peers about Saudi’s cultural history.

“He (Alaskary) showed me the culture and lifestyle of Saudi Arabians. I love attending his Saturday gatherings and parties. (They are) very warm, loving and we all enjoy each other’s company,” she said.

In July 2024, the group will host a virtual event, Superbund Virtual Society, with more than 100 attendees expected from Hong Kong, mainland China, Canada and Saudi Arabia.

“This new ecosystem with blockchain technology will let us register our digital assets with our avatar identities ... things can be created in virtual and make impact on reality,” said Kong.

“I have a concept where the older generation creates the hardware of technology, or the hardware we need in order to access the software that could be created by younger generations, and with the content and software and hardware finalized, we can come together and bridge that generation gap.”

Over the past five years, Kids Power Society has published four science fiction books, with contributions from 125 children around the world. The proceeds were donated to British Columbia Children’s Hospital in Vancouver and Hong Kong’s Sowers Action.


Inside National Library’s digitization project to preserve Pakistan’s literary heritage

Inside National Library’s digitization project to preserve Pakistan’s literary heritage
Updated 02 April 2025
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Inside National Library’s digitization project to preserve Pakistan’s literary heritage

Inside National Library’s digitization project to preserve Pakistan’s literary heritage
  • Library has digitized over 5.4 million pages, scanning about 15,000 pages daily between 2018 to 2021
  • Top official says greater number of scanners, more funds can further enhance digitization capacity 

ISLAMABAD: For staff at Pakistan’s leading reference and research library, the biggest challenge is handling an overwhelming volume of data and lack of funds, the facility’s director general said this week, detailing a digitization campaign launched nearly eight years ago to preserve the country’s literary and journalistic heritage.

Established in 1951 in the federal capital of Islamabad, the National Library is the country’s largest repository of printed material and serves as the official legal depository for a variety of publications.

According to Director General Rana Javed Iqbal, the library’s main objective is to comply with the Copyright Ordinance of 1968, which mandates the preservation of “the best copy” of all publications in Pakistan, including newspapers and periodicals.

The ordinance is a legal framework designed to protect the rights of creators and authors over their original works. One of its sections mandates that a copy of every published work produced in the country, such as books and newspapers, be deposited with the library for preservation.

“In 2018, a decision was made to digitize 16 major newspapers covering the period from 1968 to 2015,” Iqbal told Arab News. “We have digitized over 5.4 million pages in Urdu and English, scanning approximately 15,000 pages daily from 2018 to 2021.”

One of the biggest challenges in the endeavor was “handling the sheer volume of data,” with the library receiving around 300-350 newspapers daily in various languages, a problem exacerbated by financial constraints.

The library is now developing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) capabilities in both English and Urdu, a technology that converts scanned text into machine-readable format, enabling efficient keyword and title searches for easier access to digitized records. 

The primary objective of the digitization exercise is to make access to information more convenient for students and scholars, eliminating the need for manual searches and enabling users to retrieve information within minutes on their desktops. 

The National Library also actively collaborates with government departments to prevent duplication of digitization efforts, ensuring a more streamlined and efficient approach to preserving Pakistan’s printed heritage.

“Our goal is to digitize all magazines and newspapers under copyright,” Iqbal said. “Increasing the number of scanners would further enhance our capacity.

“Digitizing is an ongoing process,” he added. “We continue to receive a large volume of newspapers, and we are working on digitizing publications from 2016 onward.”

The library initially outsourced the digitization process, but later decided to bring it in-house to reduce costs and maintain efficiency by acquiring its own equipment and leveraging skilled staff.

Iqbal said 11,000 rare books and manuscripts had also been digitized, though access was only available on various campuses, with plans to upload them online.

“Our next major initiative involves digitizing 1,500 different magazines,” he said. “We have also undertaken the digitization of the Gazette of Pakistan from 1949 onward.”

Speaking to Arab News, Rana Asad Ullah Khan, a serving additional attorney general who was visiting the facility this week, praised the library management for preserving valuable written material to promote art, education and culture.

“I found a treasure of newspapers in this library which I couldn’t in Lahore,” said Khan, who is researching the history of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, which was founded in 1861.