The importance of data and collaboration to drive ESG strategy goals

The conversation around ESG in the Middle East region is changing from whether to have a sustainability strategy to exploring whether strategies can deliver their objectives in the real world.

At the recent World ESG Summit in Dubai, discussions took place around key themes defining the region's sustainability agenda. Execution gaps, data quality, board accountability and the mechanics of net zero were the dominant themes. Yet, beneath each of these conversations was a deeper idea that ESG must move beyond ambition and towards leveraging data to deliver impactful results. 

Georges Ibrahim, VP of Operations, speaking at the World ESG Summit & Awards.

Ambition is entering its accountability era and importance of data

Today, strategies are written, targets are set and pledges are signed. Although, this lays foundations, it is bringing these ideas and practices to life that can be the most challenging part.  

The progress of ESG has been measured by the strength of a commitment and this could be impacted based on budget, changes of strategies or in leadership.

As such, organisations are not short of data anymore. In fact, there’s a raft of figures and insights able to show what is working or not, as reflected during discussions at the World ESG Summit. Although data is imperative, what’s lacking is agreement on what that data means, and taking measure to act on it regularly.

Scott Breadmore (left) and Roberto Quieroz (right) at the World ESG Summit & Awards. 

Equally important was the attention given to verification and assurance. Building a sustainability dashboard is no longer enough. The conversation has shifted towards demonstrating that the numbers can work and that methodologies are consistent to deliver.  

This is crucial as ecosystems and supply chains respond differently under pressure. Claims built on self-reported figures alone quickly lose credibility once regulators, investors or certifiers start asking how the number was produced.

At Nabat, our approach to this is structural. Every restoration site we monitor is measured against an untouched control site with the same conditions, not against its own history alone. Satellite screening, drone-level precision and field teams ground-truthing are combined into a single audit-ready trail, built to the standard a validation body would expect to review.

We do not certify our own outcomes. Instead, we build the evidence a certifier can check. Trust in ESG reporting is not achieved through more data alone, it’s earned through continuous, independent verification against the reality on the ground.

Robrerto Quieroz (left) showcasing the NabatOS.

Governance and a collective effort

The Summit also highlighted the importance of working together to drive action. Boards are under growing pressure to produce measurable outcomes, which means governance structures need to deliver rather than simply oversee. Therefore, accountability has to sit with decision-makers together.

One of the most importance insights raised during the event was collaboration. Meaningful progress increasingly depends on governments, the private sector, technology partners and investors coordinating rather than working in parallel. 

Partnerships such as the one between the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi and Nabat show what this looks like in practice. EAD selected Nabat as its main partner to restore more than 20,000 hectares of Abu Dhabi's mangroves over seven years - with over 1,900 hectares of restoration already underway and 6,000 hectares under active monitoring. This is proof of what is possible when a government sets the ambition and a technology partner brings the execution and verification capability to match it.