Sabban Property Investments partners with EWS-WWF

By joining EWS-WWF, the local arm of the internationally renowned conservation group WWF, SPI aims to increase environmental awareness and intensify its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. The move follows the developer's decision to partner with The CarbonNeutral Company to achieve Carbon-Neutral status for its QR1bn Sabban Towers project, and its investment into various carbon-offset projects across the globe, which currently includes projects in Uganda, Jamaica, and New Zealand.

WWF is one of the world's largest and most experienced environmental conservation organisations, and is present in over 100 countries with a network comprised of almost 5 million environmentally aware individuals and organisations. Through the partnership with EWS-WWF, SPI is aiming to utilise the group's extensive local and global knowledge. In addition to its relevant partnerships with high profile environmental organisations, the developer has recently participated at the 'Estate Qatar 2007', where it highlighted its extensive CSR initiatives, with aims to establish itself as a major player and influencer in Qatar real estate industry.

"Our partnership with EWS-WWF will enable us to remain informed of relevant regional and global environmental issues, thereby giving us valuable information to adjust our policies and practices to become even more environmentally sustainable. This speaks of our desire to help protect and safeguard the environment for the future as we believe that responsible corporate practice means integrating environmental issues into everyday business activities and is essential in halting damage to our natural resources,"

said Nicola Clarke, Environmental Advisor, Sabban Property Investments.

In 2006, SPI sponsored and participated in the Ecological Footprint workshop conducted by the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG). Research findings from the WWF's Living Planet Report highlighted that some GCC countries have the highest ecological footprint per capita in comparison to the rest of the world. SPI's presence in these countries has added weight to the property developer's decision to take a proactive part towards becoming a Carbon Neutral company as well as constructing a Carbon Neutral development.

"The responsibility of protecting the environment falls on each and every one of us. The corporate sector, which has the capability and financial resources, has an even greater obligation to facilitate environmental protection. Our partnership with EWS-WWF's is in line with our commitment to protect and safeguard the environment and we guarantee our full support to their initiatives. Local and international environmental groups play an important part in any society and need support and backing of companies such as ourselves," concluded Clarke.

As well as being founding members of the Emirates Green Building Council, SPI are also members of the EEG who are currently spearheading the 'Plant a Million Trees Campaign'. As the region's first carbon neutral developer, SPI has symbiotically combined the activities in both the EEG's "Plant a million trees campaign" and the WWF's "Save the Ghaf tree campaign" to increase awareness on the benefits of planting trees to reduce carbon footprint and to spread awareness of the endangered Ghaf tree in the region. SPI has also laid out its plans to undertake a Ghaf tree planting activity in Al Ain, in the WWF's headquarters in Bastakiya and in local schools with the assistance of the EEG.