Oman Environmental Services Holding Company (be’ah) announced the launch of the Oman Sustainability Week Awards 2023, inviting expressions of interest from local organisations.

The 2023 edition of Oman Sustainability Week (OSW) Awards, to be held on 12 March 2023, will be jointly organised by be’ah (co-organiser) and CONNECT (organiser), in partnership with the globally renowned Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE), and under the patronage of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals.

They will be held as an integral part of Oman Sustainability Week (12-16 March) which has Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) as the Host Organisation, be’ah and Oman Shell as the Strategy Partner, and BP Oman as the Platinum Sponsor of Oman Sustainability Week.

Established as a prestigious annual event, the Awards will assess organisations operating in Oman in the areas of sustainability and corporate responsibility. In accordance with sustainability initiatives identified under Oman Vision 2040, the focus of the Awards will be on clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, industry innovation and infrastructure, sustainable cities and responsible consumption and production.

The primary goal of the OSW Awards is to raise awareness regarding sustainability issues and to assist businesses and organisations in incorporating responsible and sustainable practices into their corporate strategy, thereby demonstrating that economic, social, and environmental responsibility is a long-term commitment.

Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the OSW Awards continue to recognise vital contributions to sustainability that have helped businesses surge ahead of their competitors.

Themes under the Environment segment will cover Environmental Strategy, Environmental Management System, Energy Consumption, Water Consumption, Emissions, Waste Management and Environmental Impacts; the Social segment will include Strategy, Measure Social Impact, Local Communities Support, Supply Chain, Customer Health and Safety, Customer Privacy; the Governance segment will focus on Corporate Vision and Values, Strategic Goals on Sustainability, Anti-Corruption Policy and Stakeholder Engagement; whereas the Employment segments will cover health, safety, wellness and wellbeing, and Training and Education.

Organisations wishing to provide a submission may submit an ‘expression of interest’ from 17 October 2022 to 17 November 2022.

As per the set structure, submissions for the OSW Awards will be scored against the internationally recognised Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework. Submissions will be limited to 25 in total, across all categories (Enterprise, Government, SME and Academic) with high performers announced at the awards ceremony on 12 March 2023.

Participating firms will be assessed according to an overall index score and benefit from a bespoke report, mapping out their current sustainability status against industry peers and identifying the medium- and long-term risks and opportunities. Business entities that have set themselves apart with their contributions to sustainability will be honoured.

Dr. Mohab Ali Al-Hinai, Vice President – Sustainability and Circular Economy, be’ah, said: “With sustainability at the heart of the Oman 2040 vision, organisations in the Sultanate are increasingly becoming conscious of adopting ESG principles in their business operations.

“Such practices have proven to have a long-term positive impact, ensuring sustainable economic development. The Oman Sustainability Week awards serve as a platform to honour those organizations that are transforming their business practices into ones that are more socially and environmentally responsible.”

It is significant to note that the previous OSW Awards honoured OQ with the Platinum Award, and PDO and ASYAD with the Gold Award. The Silver Award was given to Nama Holding and Bank Muscat, while Bank Nizwa and Shell Oman received the Bronze Award. Nama Holding received special recognition for Governance, Oman Broadband for Education, OQ for Society and Environment, and ASYAD for Employees.

These Awards, developed by be’ah and the Center for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE), form a part of the week-long Oman Sustainability Week, comprising an Exhibition, ISRTC, Thought Leadership Summit, and Site Visits.

For more information, visit https://www.omansustainabilityweek.com/awards