As sustainability shifts from a reporting requirement to a boardroom priority, companies in the Gulf rethinking how climate, technology, and long-term value creation intersect. In this interview with Gulf Business portal, Daniel Gribbin, director of Sustainability at Deloitte Middle East, discusses how C-suite leaders across the region are embedding sustainability into core strategy, why investment and AI adoption are accelerating, and where execution gaps still remain.
How is the role of sustainability evolving at the C-suite level beyond compliance and reporting?
Sustainability is rapidly moving beyond a compliance checklist to become a core strategic priority for C-suite leaders across the Gulf. In fact, 53 per cent of executives in the Middle East now rank climate change and sustainability among their top business priorities and higher than the global average.
Many organisations are embedding sustainability throughout their operations, with some integrating it without altering their core business models, while others, around 37 per cent, are transforming their business models entirely to address sustainability challenges.
This evolution reflects a clear understanding that sustainability is critical not only for risk management but also for driving growth, enhancing resilience, and maintaining competitiveness in a fast-evolving market.
Boards and executive teams are increasingly engaged in governance and capacity building to ensure sustainability is embedded at the heart of business strategy.
Read the full interview here.
