Environmental

The transition to net-zero offers significant economic opportunities, driving innovation and job creation through the development of new products, technologies, and services. However, to create a fairer and more equitable society, we must ensure that everyone can participate in this emerging green economy. This requires providing groups such as students and professors within our communities with access to the essential skills and training required to secure high-quality green jobs. Ensuring inclusive access to these opportunities is pivotal for driving sustainable and equitable economic growth. Creating meaningful and lasting change in the world requires collaboration and collective action, particularly as we confront the impact of climate change and strive toward a low-carbon society.

To help address this challenge, Deloitte has collaborated with the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA) to develop and deliver a green skills training course, “Green skills for a green economy: An introduction to environmental sustainability.” This course is specifically designed to equip people, including underrepresented groups, with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a future driven by sustainability and gain access to fulfilling green career pathways. The interactive course introduces environmental sustainability, an overview of the changing economy, and the implications for green jobs and skills. The training supports participants in developing green skills for their current roles or exploring new career opportunities, bridging the gap between education and employment market needs. In FY24, Deloitte trained nearly 400 individuals from more than 22 nationalities across the Middle East and the UK. In the Middle East alone, six training modules were delivered to university students and professors in the UAE, Jordan, and Lebanon. This training indirectly impacted over 9,000 individuals in the region, as the participating professors integrated their newly acquired knowledge into their classrooms, creating a powerful ripple effect.

Dr. Dima Jamali, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Canadian University Dubai (CUD), one of the universities that benefitted from the training, emphasized the program's strategic importance, stating, "This training represents a pivotal advancement in harmonizing our academic practices with both international sustainability benchmarks and the UAE's ambitious sustainability agenda. By empowering our students and faculty with this knowledge, we are not merely educating; we are cultivating a generation of sustainability advocates who are equipped to actively contribute to sustainable practices in their professional and personal spheres." 

The Green Skills training course highly aligns with Deloitte’s WorldClass ambition to impact 100 million people by the year 2030, and Deloitte’s WorldClimate strategy aimed at driving responsible climate choices within our organization and beyond.

We understand that every decision we make in delivering our services carries a profound responsibility to drive positive change. We are committed to leading by example and championing sustainability, both for our clients and within our own operations. In an ambitious stride, we have introduced a new Sustainable Delivery Clause, also known as Clause Zero, in our client engagement letters.

The Sustainable Delivery Clause is a standard text developed to be included in all engagement letters across all service lines, demonstrating to our clients and our people how we intend to place sustainability at the forefront of all our work and conversations. The clause differentiates Deloitte Middle East in the market, especially as an increasing number of our clients seek evidence of the steps taken to decarbonize the services we provide to them. 

The clause will encourage and support our clients in delivering projects in a more sustainable way – for example, by opting for digital options such as virtual meetings and using online tools to help make low-carbon choices when travel is required. It is designed to place sustainability at the forefront of every project, from initial pursuit through to completion.

Teams across all of our business lines have been given access to tools such as a web-based travel emissions calculator, as well as checklists designed to support sustainable decision-making on the delivery of projects.

Watch this video and hear from Sustainability experts on what this clause means for our business and our clients.

The sustainable delivery clause is part of Deloitte’s WorldClimate strategy and the latest tangible step to transform our business and empower our people to help create a better future.

The 4Xtation Program is built on 3 key pillars:

Reviving ecosystems: Collaborate with external partners such as NGOs, universities, and municipalities, to plant trees across several countries to mitigate the impacts of climate change through carbon sequestration and coastal protection

Empowering our people: Create meaningful opportunities for our professionals to actively engage in the program through volunteering in plantation events, while empowering them to become catalysts for change, fostering a strong sense of ownership, and instilling a deep responsibility in combatting environmental challenges

Engaging communities: Engage students, youth, community organizations, and other stakeholders in the broader ecosystem with plantation activities, raising awareness about the importance of mangroves and environmental stewardship, while empowering them to contribute to sustainable change 

The 4Xtation program has brought together hundreds of Deloitte volunteers and local high school students, who have joined hands to plant trees at numerous events to date. 

Each year, the United Nations Global Compact Network celebrates the extraordinary efforts of business leaders who drive transformative change by advancing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and embodying the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact. These distinguished individuals, known as SDG Pioneers, play a pivotal role in inspiring action and demonstrating the profound impact of business in creating a sustainable future for all.

In 2024, twelve SDG Pioneers who exemplify dedication, innovation, and leadership in advancing the SDGs were recognized. Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Lead, Rybale Al Hage, was recognized globally as a 2024 SDG Pioneer, representing Deloitte Middle East on the global stage during the Leaders Summit in New York. 

Through her role, Rybale is dedicated to embedding sustainability into every aspect of operations, fostering a culture of cooperation on sustainability, and engaging ecosystems to extend our impact beyond the organization. 

We are committed to driving meaningful change through our Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability strategy, with ambitious goals of empowering 200,000 futures by 2030 and achieving our publicly validated net-zero commitments. This honour underscores our dedication to making a significant impact, striving to create a more sustainable and equitable world.

Footnotes: 

[1] Limited assurance was provided by BDO LLP at a consolidated Deloitte NSE level over all reported carbon metrics. This included consideration of the underlying country data in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Middle East, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK plus Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man and Gibraltar.[2] The FY2024 GHG Emissions Basis of Reporting - Deloitte North & South Europe is available here. [3] Where possible, Deloitte firms procure and claim renewable energy in accordance with the Climate Group’s RE100 Technical Criteria and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) topic standard GRI 302: Energy 2016. In certain markets where procuring renewable electricity is challenging or is not possible, Deloitte firms may procure renewable electricity from a neighbouring country. This allows Deloitte to demonstrate commitment to our renewable electricity target and signal market demand. As this approach meets only one out of three market boundary conditions included in the RE100 Technical Criteria, there may be variances between renewable electricity amounts reported here and within Deloitte's RE100 reports. Deloitte anticipates increasing the alignment with RE100 Technical Criteria over time as market availability of renewable energy increases.[4] In accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) disclosure 305-2, Deloitte publishes purchased electricity emissions using both a location- and market-based methodology. The location-based method involves using an average national, regional or subnational emission factor that relates to the local grid from which electricity is drawn, whereas the market-based method involves deriving emissions factors from contractual instruments, allowing for a zero-emission factor to be applied to portions of electricity consumption that is matched to a renewable energy source, resulting in lower emissions compared to the location-based method. Deloitte's near-term science-based targets use a market-based methodology for purchased electricity, hence this figure is the one used in the emissions inventory, whereas the location-based figure is shown below for comparative purposes. Within NSE, all electricity has either been purchased on REGO-backed green tariffs, or covered by the purchase of Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs). Under the market-based method this means our electricity consumption is reported as zero-emissions.[5] The PG&S methodology is based largely on procurement spend data for 6 geographies within NSE, accounting for 74% of PG&S emissions. 6% of PG&S emissions are based on actual supplier data (Scopes 1 & 2) submitted to CDP. The remainder of PG&S emissions are extrapolated. We apply a number of assumptions to the spend data, including how we allocate spend into procurement categories, how we treat our suppliers’ reported Scope 3 emissions, the CDP sector emission factors we apply to each spend category, and the extrapolation factors. In FY24, Deloitte revised the methodology for calculating contingent labour emissions that were previously included in purchased goods and services (PG&S) emissions to increase the precision of these calculations. Additionally, Deloitte enhanced spend-based PG&S calculations methodology to more precisely identify and exclude supplier spend items that are deemed non-emission generating (e.g., taxes, intercompany transactions, etc.). Additional details on the methodology used to calculate PG&S emissions and further details on this restatement are provided in the Deloitte NSE FY24 Basis of Reporting. Deloitte will continue to review its approach to Scope 3 reporting in the future, aiming to continually improve the accuracy of its disclosures. When these enhancements lead to a material change in a reported figure, Deloitte will explain the nature of the change, the reasoning for its appropriateness, and the variance compared to the previous methodology.[6] Actual activity data on commuting was sourced from survey for 6 geographies within NSE in FY24, however, a proportion of the commuting and working from home calculation still rests on assumptions and extrapolation. We will refine these assumptions and improve the methodology moving forwards as guidelines develop.[7] In line with SBTi guidance, in FY24 we are purchasing CERs ('carbon offsets) equivalent to 50% of our total gross emissions; we are additionally providing direct investment and skills-based support to projects that will drive the net zero transition outside of our value chain. We are therefore no longer reporting 'net emissions' that solely factor in carbon credit purchases.