AN INTERVIEW WITH MAHA ALQATTAN, GROUP CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER, DP WORLD

The global trade and shipping industry, a key player in economic development and environmental impact, is increasingly tasked with balancing operational efficiency and reducing its carbon footprint in the face of climate change.

In the following Q&A, Maha AlQattan, Group Chief Sustainability Officer, DP World, emphasizes DP World’s strategic roadmap to carbon neutrality, innovative climate solutions, and the crucial role of stakeholder engagement in amplifying impact.

1. How is your organization approaching climate change?

Our sustainability strategy sits at the heart of our business to ensure that we operate in a responsible way and have a real impact on people, our environment and wider society. We have a clear roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and net zero by 2050 across our operations – through innovations like renewable energy, low-carbon fuels, electrification and research and development.

2. What’s your top best practice to solve the climate crisis?

For me, best practice means finding solutions no matter how small or big they may seem, from working with ZeroNorth to enable software on our vessels to optimize shipping routes and use less fuel, to initiating the electrification of our port equipment in Santos, Brazil.

3. How is your organization engaging local stakeholders in your climate actions?

Taking action on climate, for us, is not possible in isolation. We have so many partners and stakeholders involved in global supply chains with us – because global trade is so interconnected and has a direct impact not only on the movement of goods but on economies and communities too. Whether speaking to local communities in Senegal, where we’re training women to become solar energy technicians, or collaborating with the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping on Green Shipping Corridors, constant engagement is key to turning actions into impact.

4. Outside of your organization, what climate action inspires you?

The work our partners are doing to take climate action truly inspires me. Our collaboration with the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots and Shoots program has created a worldwide movement, inspiring thousands of young people to undertake projects in their communities and driving both local and global impact.