The inaugural Impact Summit 2025 took place today in Abu Dhabi, organised by Majra – the National CSR Fund – under the theme “Unifying the Common Good of the Nation.”
The event was attended by Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of Majra’s Board of Trustees, alongside a broad range of participants including ministers, senior executives, CSR and sustainability experts, leaders from government bodies and private companies, non-profit organisations, academics, youth representatives, People of Determination, and investors.
As the federal authority responsible for shaping the UAE’s corporate social responsibility and sustainable-impact framework, Majra positioned the Summit as a platform to strengthen economic empowerment, environmental protection, and social well-being. The event sought to consolidate the efforts of government, private-sector institutions, and community organisations under a unified national CSR vision.
Marking the first gathering of its kind in the UAE, the Summit aims to redefine the country’s sustainable-impact economy and reinforce the concept of shared value by aligning cross-sector initiatives with national-priority projects, in line with the UAE leadership’s ambitions in CSR and sustainability.
During his opening speech, Al Marri launched the “UAE Companies for Good 2031” Strategy, a comprehensive national roadmap designed to boost private-sector engagement in sustainable development and channel CSR efforts toward the country’s collective good within an integrated impact-driven economic model.
He explained that the strategy is guided by the “Strategic Compass Approach,” a federal framework that directs CSR and sustainability efforts in the private sector. This approach strengthens long-term sustainable planning, enhances corporate governance, and promotes coordination among government entities, companies, the third sector, and social entrepreneurs (the fourth sector). It also supports companies in developing stronger capabilities and adopting transparent impact-measurement and CSR practices.
Al Marri emphasised Majra’s continued role as a key enabler by creating tools and mechanisms that encourage companies to participate in national strategic programmes and by offering incentives to increase engagement in sustainable-impact initiatives. This includes the Sustainable Impact Digital Portal, which allows companies to document their contributions and submit their institutional Impact Declaration based on clear sustainability criteria.
He also highlighted the importance of activating Majra’s governance model through the Sustainable Impact Committees, which are chaired by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry across each emirate.
Furthermore, he noted that the UAE is studying a gradual connection between the Impact Declaration and the renewal of private-sector commercial licences. This reflects the nation’s commitment to enhancing transparency, reinforcing CSR disclosure practices, and advancing a human-centred impact economy aligned with We the UAE 2031 and the UN SDGs 2030.
Al Marri added that the launch of this strategy marks a major step toward positioning the private sector as a strategic contributor to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. He affirmed that the impact economy aligns with the UAE leadership’s broader vision of building a sustainable, people-focused economy that balances growth with positive social and environmental outcomes.
Majra continues to expand its partnerships with local entities, such as Abu Dhabi’s Authority of Social Contribution (Ma’an) and Dubai’s Jood Foundation.
Speaking to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Al Marri stated that the Impact Summit 2025 supports the development of an economy rooted in community-focused progress. On the sidelines of the event, he said that declaring 2025 as the Year of Community and 2026 as the Year of Family underscores the leadership’s dedication to strengthening the social sector.
He explained that the purpose of the Impact Summit is to shift the private sector’s focus to not only generating profit, but also creating meaningful social value. He noted that the Summit set out to clarify goals and present a clear strategy leading up to 2031, supported by practical initiatives and programmes. Several agreements were signed during the event with entities across the private, government, third, and fourth sectors.
Al Marri concluded that the Summit aims to build an economic system that integrates social impact, adding that the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, in collaboration with Majra, seeks to create a stronger link between economic activity and positive outcomes across key national sectors. He also noted that while the private sector already leads many important community-oriented initiatives and investments, these efforts must be further structured and developed into clearly defined projects.
