GORD Academy – the knowledge dissemination arm of the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD) – has successfully concluded the first training workshop for its ESG Leadership Certification Program. The two-day workshop, held at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC), brought together 30 professionals, including senior executives from prominent government and private organizations in Qatar. Participating entities included Qatar Fertiliser Company (QAFCO), Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa), Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Qatar Central Bank (QCB), Waseef, and MEEZA.

The comprehensive training provided attendees with a deep understanding of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles and practices. Key topics covered the evolution of ESG and global trends, as well as the drivers and benefits of integrating ESG into business operations. The program also focused on the alignment of ESG with Qatar's National Vision and other national initiatives.

The workshop delved into specific technical areas, including ESG ratings and sustainable finance. Participants were given a thorough introduction to GHG inventory management, particularly Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, and learned about climate risk and the path to Net Zero. The training also provided practical knowledge of ESG reporting guidelines, with a special focus on GRI standards and the latest IFRS S1 & S2 disclosures. A part of the program was dedicated to materiality assessment, with practical examples that enabled hands-on application of these skills.

Participants praised the program for its depth and practical relevance. Ahmed Saleh D. Dalloul, Senior Civil Engineer and Sustainability Program Manager at Aspire Zone, who oversees the Hayat Program for integrating sustainability into sports, said, “It’s beyond my expectation. I thought it would be simple and brief. But it is very detailed,” adding that the takeaways will be directly implemented into the ESG reporting at Aspire Zone.

Maher Cheikhrouhou, Director of Internal Audit, Risk & Standards at MEEZA, who attended the workshop to enhance his ESG knowledge and prepare for regulatory and stakeholder changes, said, “That's exactly what I expect from this course. There is a theoretical part which is very important with case studies and exercises, which is great to give us a better understanding of the scoring system, and the importance of the ESG, among other aspects.” He added that the knowledge would be critical for navigating changes from regulators, particularly in light of new frameworks issued by the Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA).

Startups also benefited from the program. Karina Veloso, Decarbonization Manager at Circle Process Technologies, an R&D company which developed a technology to produce hydrogen without carbon emissions, said, “As a very new startup, we want to early on start implementing the best sustainability methods,” and she joined the course to better understand how to navigate the sustainability system. Her goal was to gain an overview of sustainability, learn how to approach it, navigate it, and experiment with the governance framework. Praising the instructors, she added, “The instructors are very, very experienced. They have really helped navigate with a lot of practical examples… It's not an easy method or easy topic to navigate. And, and they've really brought on their expertise and their experience with real-life examples.”

Maya Nachabe, Sustainability Officer at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), emphasized the growing importance of ESG, “ESG is no longer a trend; it’s a must across all industries.” She said the course gave her a strong foundation, especially on “the many ways of reporting the ESG” and that the content was engaging with real-life examples applicable to her work.

Upon completion of the program, participants received the Certified ESG Professional certification, demonstrating their expertise in this rapidly expanding field. The workshop, led by GORD Advisory’s seasoned ESG professionals, provided practical, actionable knowledge that equips executives with the skills and strategies to drive sustainable change within their organizations.

The ESG Leadership Program will be followed by a more specialized training program titled Certified GHG Professional Training Program, that will be held from October 27 to 29.