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An infographic titled "ESG Becomes Mandatory" contrasting the UAE's old and new ESG models. The left side shows a small section for the pre-2025 marketing-led "Old Model." The dominant right side features an Emirati corporate boardroom under the "New Mandatory Model (Governance)," highlighting a digital dashboard with emissions tracking, data audit trails, risk registers, and a "30 May 2026 Deadline" marker. Four key shifts are listed at the bottom: board ownership, new C-suite roles, financial-grade data, and risk register integration.

ESG Becomes Mandatory: How UAE Companies Are Redefining Governance Models

ESG Just Stopped Being a Marketing Story For about a decade, ESG in the UAE meant the same thing in most boardrooms. A glossy annual report. A few photos of solar panels. A community engagement page. Maybe a paragraph from the Chairman about sustainability values. The Marketing department wrote it. The board signed it. Everyone moved on. That era ended on 30 May 2025. That's when Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2024, the UAE Climate Law, came into force. Full compliance is due 3

Directors' Institute

May 267 min read