UDC celebrates Qatar Sustainability Week 2023

United Development Company (UDC), the master developer of The Pearl Island and Gewan Island, recently celebrated the eighth edition of ‘Qatar Sustainability Week’ through a series of community events and activations, a statement said Sunday.
The initiative was launched by Earthna Centre, a member of Qatar Foundation.
UDC has consistently been at the forefront of addressing sustainability challenges, advocating for community engagement, and implementing award-winning environmental initiatives and programmes that underscore its commitment to building sustainable communities.
These efforts align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically targeting the promotion of sustainable cities and communities, climate action, good health and well-being, and the conservation of life on land.
This year’s edition featured a weeklong series of events, including the Community Garden Activation, highlighting UDC’s awareness raising efforts at The Pearl Island.
Last month, UDC hosted a special seasonal flower planting event at Hadiqa Centrale, located at The Pearl Boulevard. On November 6, The Pearl Island unveiled its new Collec’Thor Sea Cleaners at the Corinthia Yacht Club in Porto Arabia.
The Collec’Thor Sea Cleaners, also known as Seabins, are floating trash collectors made from recycled materials, capable of holding up to 20kg of waste. In 2021, UDC initiated the Seabins project in Porto Arabia, installing 10 sea bins that successfully collected 1,740kg (1.74 tonnes) of debris from Porto Arabia Marina.
Building upon the success of the project, UDC expanded the Seabin initiative in 2023 by adding 10 more new sea cleaners in various areas of The Pearl Island. Since its inauguration in 2021, the Seabin project has filtered more than 3bn litres of water litter and collected over 1.5 tonnes of waste from the marina.
In early 2023, UDC conducted a Beach Cleanup Drive at Bahri Villas South Beach on Global Recycling Day. Additionally, a World Water Day awareness campaign was launched to promote the use of automated water taps instead of traditional ones.
On November 9, UDC hosted a recognition ceremony to honour and celebrate the achievements of retailers that participated in a six-month The Pearl Island recycling initiative. Trophies made of recycled material were presented during the event, organised in collaboration with Earthna Centre, Seashore Group, and Power Waste Management & Transport Co.
During the campaign period, 1,095kg of plastic was collected, bringing the total since the last campaign to 2,295kg. Additionally, 1,200 retail discount vouchers were utilised this year.
A campaign was launched in collaboration with retailers to minimise the use of plastic in daily catering operations. UDC is implementing a new policy to eliminate single-use plastic cutlery from all retail food and beverage outlets at The Pearl Island.
In partnership with Hamad Medical Corporation, UDC organised a blood donation campaign which saw over 200 donors participating, surpassing records from previous years. In 2022, UDC achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first listed real estate company in Qatar to release its Environmental, Social, and Governance Report (ESG) to the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE).
In 2022, UDC attained an overall ESG score of 94%. The score breakdown, 100% (environmental), 93% (social), and 89% (corporate governance), align with the stringent requirements set forth by the QSE sustainability standards.
UDC’s initiatives and sustainability practices have garnered recognition for their positive impact on The Pearl Island community. These practices are in alignment with the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy.
UDC received the ‘Best in Corporate Social Responsibility’ accolade at the Qatar CSR Summit 2023. This year, UDC received the highest Gold Certification award by CSR Accreditation, a leading UK-based organisation associated with Buckinghamshire New University that delivers a global standard of social responsibility.
UDC is transitioning 50% of its transportation fleet from petrol-powered vehicles to electric alternatives. Additionally, the company has introduced a hybrid plug-in limousine service, aimed at reducing urban heat and greenhouse gas emissions by an impressive 65%, all while providing luxurious and sustainable transportation.
UDC also operates the region’s inaugural fully electric water taxi within The Pearl Island. Earlier this year, UDC received five International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) certifications through the British Standards Institution.
This year, UDC was honoured with four international environment and sustainability awards by The Green Apple Organisation, recognising achievements in pollution control, energy efficiency, water management, and carbon reduction.
UDC’s consecutive participation in Qatar Sustainability Week for the second-year underscores not only the company’s commitment to the well-being of the community but also its strategic environmental and sustainability initiatives outlined for 2022 to 2026. Recognising the environmental implications of plastic on climate change, UDC is dedicated to offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions. This commitment involves the promotion of low-carbon solutions, a drive to reduce plastic usage, and the establishment of comprehensive recycling mechanisms throughout The Pearl Island.