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Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has launched the second phase of the ‘Inclusion POD Innovation Incubator’ initiative to encourage DEWA’s subsidiaries on the inclusion of People of Determination (POD). This is part of DEWA’s social responsibility and efforts to integrate and empower People of Determination. It also supports knowledge transfer and customisation for the region, creating awareness, and capacity building to make Dubai a city of the future.
The second phase of the initiative, launched by DEWA in November 2019, includes a programme on training, knowledge management, and benchmarking visits. The training includes 8 sessions by experts and specialists on the inclusion of People of Determination in the workplace in DEWA. The sessions discussed the corporate inclusion of POD in the workplace, according to the highest international standards; equipping buildings and facilities according to the Dubai Universal Design Code; facilitating their access to information according to Smart Dubai Government’s criteria; the social responsibility towards People of Determination; the basics of sign language and organisational frameworks of People of Determination; inclusive employment according to DEWA’s Integration and Empowerment Guide; dealing with People of Determination according to the “Sanad Bag”; the basics of inclusive health and safety as per DEWA’s Inclusive Health and Safety Guide; and designing and organising inclusive social initiatives.
“DEWA is committed to transfer its experiences and knowledge to its partners and stakeholders to achieve the UAE Vision 2021 which strives to preserve a cohesive society proud of its identity and sense of belonging. The Inclusion POD Innovation Incubator initiative is one of DEWA’s milestones to integrate and empower People of Determination, according to the highest international standards. DEWA’s journey to empower POD has different steps including inclusive leadership, redesigning buildings and facilities, facilitating access to information and services, capacity building, employing and empowering them, launching inclusive social initiatives, adopting a strategy for them, making strategic achievements and knowledge transfer. By encouraging its subsidiaries to integrate POD in the workplace, DEWA achieves the National Policy to Empower People of Determination, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to create an inclusive society that ensures empowerment and a decent life for People of Determination and their families. It also supports the ‘My Community... a City for Everyone’ initiative, launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, to turn Dubai into a friendly city for People of Determination by 2020,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
Al Tayer commended the fruitful collaboration of DEWA’s subsidiaries and their efforts to achieve the national agenda and the wise leadership directives. This enhances DEWA’s role as a socially responsible government organisation. “One of our most prominent achievements to include POD was the redesigning of 100% of our facilities and buildings to meet the Dubai Universal Design Code. DEWA also employs 27 people of determination in seven divisions, and their happiness score was 99% in 2018. DEWA’s staff includes more than 2,600 employees trained in etiquette for dealing with POD and 22 employees hold a sign language diploma,” said Al Tayer.
“DEWA partners with different national and international organisations to achieve the Dubai Plan 2021 to make Dubai a city of happy, creative, and empowered people who live in an inclusive and cohesive society. DEWA won the People-of-Determination-Friendly Government Entity award at the 21st Dubai Government Excellence Program. DEWA also received the MVO8000 in CSR, becoming the first government organisation in Dubai to receive this international certification. This in recognition of its pioneering achievements in social work,” said Dr Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources at DEWA and Chairman of DEWA’s Advisory Council for People of Determination.
The Inclusion POD Innovation Incubator includes programmes such as the Motivating Leadership, Training, Knowledge Management, Benchmarking Visits and Successful Stories. The Inspiring Leadership programme includes orientation sessions on public and private efforts regarding POD, and the directives to senior management of DEWA’s subsidiaries on POD inclusion. The Knowledge Management programme provides information and resources on inclusion and qualifying POD, to ensure knowledge transfer and application on the ground as well as the sustainability of knowledge. The Benchmarking Visits programme includes visits for representatives of participating companies to different DEWA centres, where they are briefed on best practices. The Successful Stories programme monitors and documents the latest practices for companies working in this field.
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