The ESG and Data for Good Center of Excellence hosted a high-level roundtable at The Arab Academy for Management, Banking and Financial Sciences (AAMBFS) on August 17, 2026. The roundtable brought together leaders and experts from across the public and private sectors, regulatory bodies, and various industries for an open, cross-sector dialogue on advancing ESG across the MENA region.
The roundtable featured contributions from the following experts:
The roundtable titled “Governing ESG: From Policies to Performance” focused on moving ESG from compliance and reporting toward long-term value creation and measurable performance, with governance and board-level accountability at the center. Experts explored how organizations can balance short-term business priorities with long-term climate goals, make informed ESG and climate investment decisions, navigate evolving disclosure and regulatory requirements such as CBAM, and strengthen the credibility of sustainability data through verification, certification, and robust reporting.
The conversation also examined the role of data, AI, and technology in strengthening ESG performance, alongside the need to address emerging challenges such as AI’s own environmental footprint, life-cycle data gaps, and ESG skills and literacy. Across sectors, speakers emphasized stronger coordination among business, government, regulators, civil society, and academia to build the capabilities and governance mechanisms needed to turn ESG commitments into credible action, competitiveness, resilience, and sustainable economic impact.
The full roundtable report, including key insights and consolidated recommendations from all participating experts, is now available.