The built environment can contribute to a more equal, inclusive and cohesive society if the places where we live, the facilities we use, and our neighbourhoods and meeting places are designed and managed in a way to be accessible and inclusive. EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) is an important consideration in the built environment, as it plays a critical role in ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, has equal access to and can benefit from the built environment.

To promote EDI in the built environment, it is important to consider its pillars - accessibility, inclusivity, and social justice. This can involve designing buildings and public spaces that are accessible to people with disabilities, promoting the use of sustainable and environmentally-friendly building materials, and ensuring that all members of the community are able to participate in the development and management process.

This also translates to EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) in the field of facilities management as it plays a critical role in ensuring that all occupants of a building are able to access and benefit from its services and amenities, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Integrated Facilities Management businesses have a responsibility to and can promote EDI by addressing issues such as accessibility, inclusivity, and social justice in the buildings they manage as well as businesses themselves. This can involve implementing policies and procedures that ensure the staff they hire and groom to reflect the socio-cultural mix as well as the facilities they manage are accessible to people with disabilities, promoting the use of sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices, and ensuring that all occupants are able to participate in building-related activities.

In addition, facilities managers can work to address issues of systemic discrimination and unconscious bias in their organizations, and to actively promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. This can involve providing training and education on EDI issues, promoting diversity in hiring and promotion practices, and working to create a workplace culture that values and respects diversity.

Tarek Nizameddin, Chief Executive Officer of AG Facilities Solutions (AGFS), a leading provider of facilities management solutions in the UAE, outlines the ethos of AGFS. He says, “The effort is to build a purpose-driven organization, and our mission is to empower facilities and enhance life, with a vision of being pioneers in the pursuit of better to enhance life every day. With over 1,700 female colleagues across all positions, from frontline roles to senior leadership, we acknowledge the importance of diversity and inclusion in achieving success and sustainability.  Critical departments like technical support, people & culture are headed by female colleagues while we have senior managers in operations, procurement, finance, sustainability, and business development.”

Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion: The Cornerstones of Success

Diversity and inclusion are integral aspects of a thriving workplace. They ensure that employees from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences work together to foster innovation and creativity. Understanding the pillars that ensure the creation of an equitable built environment will bring about real change. Facilities management enterprises are in a unique position to push forward this objective through:

       Accessibility: Facilities managers need to ensure that the building is designed and maintained in a way that is accessible to all people – irrespective of their abilities. This can include providing accessible entrances, elevators, restrooms, and parking spaces. This also can involve implementing policies and procedures that ensure accessibility requirements are met, such as conducting regular accessibility audits and ensuring that all maintenance and repair work is done in compliance with accessibility standards. It should also include training of staff to be cognizant of diverse needs and sensibilities of the occupiers of the managed facility.

       Inclusivity: Facilities managers need to ensure that the built space is designed and maintained in a way that is inclusive of all occupants, regardless of their background or circumstances. This can involve implementing policies and procedures that ensure the building is designed to be welcoming and inclusive, such as providing amenities that meet the diverse needs of occupants and creating spaces that promote social interaction and community building.

       Social justice: Facilities managers need to ensure that the building is managed in a way that promotes social justice and equitable access to resources and services. This can involve implementing policies and procedures that ensure the facility is fair and equitable. This could include implementing energy-efficient practices that reduce costs for all occupants and creating programmes that promote sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Tarek Nizameddin breaks down the benefits of implementing EDI at AGFS. He explains, “By embracing diversity, organizations like AG Facilities Solutions can tap into a wider range of ideas, problem-solving approaches, and customer insights. Diversity and inclusion offer numerous benefits for both employees and the organization as a whole. We have benefitted from increasing our diversity and achieved:

• Increased innovation and creativity
• Enhanced problem-solving capabilities
• Greater employee engagement and satisfaction
• Improved financial performance
• Better decision-making
• Positive brand image and reputation
• Attraction and retention of top talent

Women as Equal Partners in the Journey Towards Sustainability

In recent years, the UAE government has implemented policies and initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability, accessibility, and social inclusion in the built environment. For example, the government has launched initiatives to promote the use of sustainable and environmentally-friendly building materials, as well as programmes to increase accessibility for people with disabilities.

Additionally, there has been an increased focus on promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including in the construction and real estate industries. Many companies in the UAE are taking steps to promote EDI in their operations, such as providing training and education on EDI issues and promoting diversity in hiring and promotion practices.

As a major operator in the UAE’s built space, AG Facilities Solutions’s commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment reflects in its workforce composition. Tarek Nizameddin says, “Our female workforce of more than 1,700 colleagues is a testament to our dedication to gender equality, which is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic advantage.”

 AGFS commemorated Women's Day 2023 and described it as an opportunity, “To celebrate the achievements and contributions of our female colleagues. We recognize their resilience, hard work, and dedication in shaping AG Facilities Solutions into the successful organization it is today.” Tarek Nizameddin said, “Our commitment to empowering women extends to various aspects of our operations:

       Promoting women in leadership positions

       Offering flexible working hours and policies to accommodate different needs

       Providing opportunities for skill development and career growth

       Ensuring a safe and supportive work environment

The pursuit of sustainability requires the active involvement of all stakeholders, including women. Gender equality and sustainable development are interconnected – by empowering women and promoting gender equality, organizations can drive sustainable growth and create a better future for everyone. Women play a vital role in promoting sustainability. This belief is underscored by the UAE government’s focus on implementing several initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability in the built environment. The UAE dedicated this year’s International Women’s Day to ‘Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow’. The theme was to acknowledge “the fundamental role of women and girls in leading the way towards a brighter future.”

The UAE has made immense strides in creating gender equitable spaces as the country has jumped 38 positions on the Gender Inequality Index since the establishment of the UAE Gender Balance Council seven years ago. The UAE was also ranked first for the second consecutive year both in the World Bank’s ‘Women, Business and the Law 2022’ report and the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Report 2022. “AG Facilities Solutions not only empowers women within the organization but also advocates for gender equality in the wider community. We actively support initiatives that promote women's rights and strive to make a positive impact on society. By championing gender equality, we contribute to a more equitable and inclusive world for all,” says Tarek Nizameddin.

AG Facilities Solutions: Promoting Sustainability and Gender Equality

“At AG Facilities Solutions, we recognize the crucial role women play in driving sustainability and actively encourage their participation in related initiatives. Their unique perspectives and experiences enable them to offer valuable insights into various aspects of sustainable development, such as resource management, social innovation, and environmental conservation,” says Tarek Nizameddin. He emphasises, “AG Facilities Solutions is committed to promoting both gender equality and sustainability. We have integrated these values into our operations and strive to set an example for other organizations.”

“Today, our Commercial department, Business Development team, and Center for Enhancing Life all have more than 50% female involvement. Female participation in our core operations has grown by 45% in the last two years. There is a more conscious bias to keep a very broad degree of diversity and inclusion in all that we do now that diversity is at the helm and in several teams. As we speak, technological change is reshaping society, and successful business cannot stay a male-dominated domain. To stay relevant in today's world, the regular requirements of corporations, management, and facility maintenance demand highly creative and technical minds - and the best way to achieve this is to harness and leverage the strength of diversity.”