IWESTING NIGHT

East, and Africa, is focusing on sustainability, inclusion, and diversity to drive forward progress for the company. Having already planted 26,000 mangrove trees across the U.A.E., the FMCG giant is branching out.

When you think of Procter Gamble P&G), the first things that cross your mind are likely cleaning and laundry products, shampoos, baby care, grooming products, and so on. You’re unlikely to think of a green forest in the middle of the sandy deserts of the U.A.E., but the consumer goods company may surprise you. We have planted 26 mangrove forests in the U.A.E. so far through the P&G ForestsforGood program,” says Omar Channawi, CEO of P&G Middle East for Global Entrepreneurial Markets and Sub-Saharan Africa and Senior Vice President of Sales for Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa.

P&G ramped up its commitment to sustainability by unveiling its Dubai Mangrove Forest project in April 2021. The forest, planted in the Jebel Ali Wildlife Sanctuary by the Emirates Marine Environmental Group EMEG)), is a contribution to the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, which aims to transform 60% of the emirate’s total area into nature reserves. Mangrove is actually self-filtrate of saltwater, which takes irrigation out of the equation in a region that is under water stress. It also captures five times as much carbon as other trees,” adds Channawi.

In September 2021, the company also partnered with Carrefour, which is owned and operated by Majid Al Futtaim, to drive the dialogue even further. The campaign ran during highfootfall, seasonal periods to drive engagement on sustainability amongst our consumers via our packaging displays, where shoppers were educated on the importance and environmental significance of forestation and were gifted a tree,” Channawi explains. Shoppers could adopt their own tree and