Achieving business sustainability in the Gulf region is still far-off, a recent YouGov Omnibus Poll showed. The poll, commissioned by Celerant Consulting in October and surveyed over 1,100 respondents in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, also highlighted concern over the perceived cost of putting sustainability at the heart of business strategy. The poll showed that only 38 percent of the respondents in the Kingdom said sustainability is essential in business decision-making, In UAE, it registered 51 percent. Besides, 76 percent admitted to not knowing exactly how to implement a more sustainable direction for their companies with just only 31 percent having little or no idea, the poll showed. Moreover, the survey indicted that 80 percent of those polled said cost was a barrier to the implementation of more sustainable practices in their organization. Ian Clarkson, founder and CEO of Celerant Consulting, said: “Attitudes and practices toward sustainability have come a long way over the past decade but there is still a long way to go. Organizations are facing pressures on both sides from those who want more environmentally-friendly operations and those who want increased cost-savings and profits.” He further said: “Sustainability does not have to mean a hit to the bottom line,” noting that “companies which embrace sustainability see greater certainty in cost management and the sourcing of raw materials, not to mention the benefits to customers and their recruitment efforts.” “Education is urgently required to demonstrate the importance and benefits of sustainability,” he added, saying that “companies need help in implementing sustainable practice(s).”
