Dubai, UAE — As financing mechanisms and governance structures took shape during CARE MENA 2025, the conversation naturally shifted to the element that underpins every sustainability commitment, investment decision, and policy framework: data.
In a high-impact panel discussion, thought leaders from global reporting bodies, AI-enabled platforms, industrial sustainability, and ethical consumer brands examined why data remains one of the most persistent bottlenecks — and one of the greatest opportunities — in the region’s sustainability journey.
The panel featured:
- Katharina Bryan, Senior Policy Advisor, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
- Pratik Shah, Founder & CPTO, Emtribe
- H.E. Maher Al Kaabi, UAE Circular Economy Council Member & Advisor to Group Chairman, Alserkal Group
- Oscar Giulio Santi, COO, Veganologie
The Data Challenge: Fragmentation, Noise, and Frameworks That Don’t Align
Panelists outlined several key hurdles organizations continue to face:
- Fragmented data flows across complex, multi-tiered supply chains
- AI systems that amplify noise, making it harder — not easier — to obtain actionable insights
- Reporting standards that fail to meet the expectations of both regulators and investors
- Siloed operational systems that make cross-functional ESG integration difficult
- Inconsistent taxonomies and definitions, undermining comparability and transparency
These barriers create a gap between sustainability ambition and execution, slowing climate progress and weakening investor confidence.
No Silver Bullets — Just Real Work, Done Well
Instead of chasing shortcuts, the panel mapped out the practical, foundational work required to build credible, decision-ready sustainability data ecosystems:
1. Standardizing Data Taxonomies
Creating shared definitions and frameworks across industries, regions, and reporting bodies to enable consistency and comparability.
2. Training Teams to Interpret AI Outputs Critically
Empowering decision-makers to distinguish between meaningful patterns and algorithmic noise — ensuring AI elevates insight, not confusion.
3. Building Reporting Systems That Do More Than Comply
Designing ESG reporting models that satisfy regulatory requirements and tell a strategic, accurate story aligned with business performance and stakeholder expectations.
4. Connecting Data to Decisions
Developing systems that integrate ESG metrics into core business planning, investment decisions, risk management, and product development.
The Core Insight: Better Data Changes Decisions — Not Just Reports
One of the session’s strongest conclusions was that improved data quality does more than produce better disclosure.
It fundamentally shifts what gets prioritized, funded, scaled, and redesigned inside organizations.
As CARE MENA 2025 continues, the event is highlighting that sustainability transformation isn’t only a question of capital or policy — it depends on the integrity, structure, and usability of the data fueling every decision.
Stay tuned for more insights from CARE MENA 2025.
More information: careforsustainability.com
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