Ajman Free Zone (AFZ) announced the winners of the first edition of its Sustainability Awards. The ceremony was held on March 17, at the AFZ’s AI Robotic Hub. Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AFZ launched the Sustainability Awards “to help boost the emirate’s shift to a green economy and promote eco-friendly projects in the free zone, as well as Ajman.” 

The awards consisted of five categories including Green Project, Green Initiative, Green Workshop, Green Awareness and Training, and Green Personality. The categories covered a range of sustainability topics and practises, such as ways to reduce energy consumption, using clean energy, significance of water recycling, and more. 

AFZ said the inaugural edition of the award proved to be a success, receiving over 25 applications for the award. Applicants submitted their entries for their relevant categories and winners were chosen by a judging committee of experts and leaders, including Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Ali bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Environmental Advisor for Ajman Emirate and the executive President of Al Ihsan Charity Association, “Green Sheikh”, Dr. Riadh H. Al-Dabbagh, Professor at Ajman University, Dr. Reyad Shaker Obaid, Head of Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Sharjah, and Dr. Raed Bkayrat, Chief Energy Strategist and Senior Advisor to several public and private entities. The committee evaluated the candidates based on specific criteria and selected the winners in each category.

H.E. Eng. Ali AlSuwaidi, Director General of Ajman Free Zone, said, “The Sustainability Awards were launched to help accelerate Ajman’s shift to a green economy and promote green projects in both the free zone and the emirate, which is in line with the directives of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Board of Ajman Free Zones Authority. This step demonstrates AFZ's commitment to supporting climate action and creating sustainable solutions.”

“As one of the most prominent free zones in the country, our commitment is to provide an investment-friendly environment, combining business growth and sustainability to make a positive impact in all our operations. Through this pledge, we are confident to attract clean energy and eco-friendly companies, as well as suppliers of environment-friendly products and materials,” he noted.

Winners of the Ajman Free Zone Sustainability Awards 2022 include: Cyrus Petroleum Products Limited Company, securing first place in the Green Project category, for the optimisation of Bitumen heating project and Al Fakher Factory, coming in second place, for the wastewater treatment project. 

The Green Initiative category saw Al Fakher Factory securing the first and second places for their LEED Building Design and Construction (Warehouses and Distribution Centres), and their compressed air initiatives. Gulf Chinese Trading Corporation secured first place in the Green Workshop category, for their recycling material initiative, followed by Elfit Arabia in second place for its Air-to-Water initiative. 

Al Fakher Factory was in the first place for the Green Awareness and Training award for their EHS Awareness Training initiative and Intercontinental Tobacco Company securing second position for its HSE Training initiative. The owner of Elfit Arabia company Kesar Kothari won the first position in the Green Personality category for adopting sustainability in daily practices, and implementing environmental initiatives such as solar power, planting of trees, etc. The second position was shared by Fuad Al Ameer, Facility and HSE manager and Siham Eddaqqaq, Head of environment at Al Fakher factory, for their efforts in adopting sustainability into their curriculum and developing numerous sustainability initiatives.