At Dubai Holding, we are committed to supporting local communities through targeted philanthropy. Together with the government, entrepreneurs and communities we innovate for positive social and environmental change.

Dubai Holding launched the award-winning Gift It Forward initiative in partnership with the Community Development Authority during Ramadan 2024. Combining the spirit of giving with our Sustainability Strategy, we repurposed new inventory sourced from across our portfolio and contributing partners into meaningful gifts for low-income beneficiaries across the UAE.

In line with the UAE’s Year of Community 2025, we aim to increase the number of items donated and reach more beneficiaries. This will expand our impact from 2024, when we gifted over 120,000 items to more than 10,500 individuals across Dubai.

Gift It Forward underscores the power of collaboration, uniting over 25 partners, including Dubai Holding brands Jumeirah and Dubai Parks and Resorts. Partners also include CDA, DHL Global Forwarding, AZADEA Group, L’Occitane en Provence, Virgin Megastore, Apparel Group, Alshaya Group, GMG, The Giving Movement, Fairmont Printing Services, Greenline FZC, Restofair RAK, Rove Hotels, Accenture Middle East, Adeco Technologies LLC and Earthbags, as well as outreach partners Beit Al Khair Society, Dar Al Ber and SmartLife. Execution partners include Lapis Group, Innov8 Tech Education Services and The Surpluss.

By ensuring these products did not go to waste, the campaign highlights the importance of circularity and sustainable use of resources. It reflects our commitment to giving back and supporting local communities, with volunteers from Dubai Holding and partners actively participating in the initiative, while also promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 (responsible consumption and production).

You can learn more about the impact of the 2024 initiative here.

Dubai Holding has announced the winner and runner-up of its ‘Innovate for Tomorrow’ Challenge, which attracted 150 submissions from 31 countries. The challenge showcased future-focused solutions addressing critical sustainability issues in alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal 12, 'Responsible Consumption and Production'.
Frank Cato Lahti from Othalo, Norway, secured first place with his innovative 'Upcycling Plastic into Homes' solution. Rana Hajirasouli from The Surpluss, UAE, was named runner-up for her 'Transforming Excess into Equal Access' initiative. Additionally, three other scale-up company finalists—Manhat, UAE; Mi Terro, USA; and Midori, UAE—were recognised.
The awards were presented during a Pitch and Award Ceremony at the Museum of the Future, where the five finalists showcased their scalable solutions to a distinguished judging panel. The winner, Frank Cato Lahti will implement his solution through a pilot programme with Dubai Holding, guided by the Group’s top experts. Both the winner and the runner-up have been granted one-year access to TECOM Group’s in5 business incubator, the challenge’s execution partner. All five finalists will benefit from Dubai Holding’s extensive support network and have the opportunity to pitch their innovations to a group of investors, providing a platform to elevate their ideas to the next level.
Dubai Holding remains committed to supporting the UAE’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. By fostering a culture of innovation and sustainability, the 'Innovate for Tomorrow' Challenge underscores the importance of implementing solutions that drive significant impact and promote a circular economy.

You can watch the highlights of the Pitch and Award Ceremony here and listen to testimonials from the winner and runner-up.

In the lead up to COP28, we reached almost 387,000 listeners through Climate Conversations in partnership with Dubai Eye radio. The main objective of the campaign was to promote public awareness and understanding of climate change, emphasising the urgency, while encouraging sustainable consumer choices and supporting local businesses for environmental benefits.

You can listen to the conversations here.