UAE Superbrands To Be Honoured

Superbrands, the independent authority and arbiter of branding, today announced that they will be hosting a tribute event to honour the UAE’s strongest brands for their achievements and excellence in branding at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City. The event, which will be held on June 28th, 2009, will also see the unveiling of the 5th Edition of the Superbrands book as well as the announcement of the much anticipated ‘Brand of The Year’.Speaking about the event, Mr. Mike English, Director, Superbrands Middle East, said, “We are delighted to host our fifth tribute event to celebrate the success of the UAE’s strongest brands, which are among the most recognised brands in the world. This year, Superbrands were voted not only by the brand council but also by online voting, which has expanded the voting base to almost 3,000 marketing professionals. The brand with the highest score will be awarded ‘Brand of the Year’ at the event.”Sixty four leading UAE brands, which met the stringent selection criteria set by the Superbrands Council, were awarded ‘Superbrand’ status. The Superbrands Organisation also introduced the new voting system where over 3,000 professionals were invited to vote along with the Council. More than 1,160 leading UAE brands were scored by the Superbrands Council and invitees. The Superbrands voters evaluated and scored hundreds of brands available within the UAE and the highest scoring brands were then designated as Superbrands. Only brands that achieve the level of recognition set by the independent Superbrands Council are eligible for inclusion in the Superbrands UAE book, which traces the history and achievements of each of the brands.The Superbrands Council comprises individuals who have shown exceptional aptitude in business and who have a thorough knowledge of the market and methods of business. To be voted as a Superbrand by the Council is a powerful endorsement and evidence for existing customers, potential customers, the media, suppliers, investors and employees of each brand’s exceptional status.The Superbrands Organisation will unveil the much coveted coffee-table style Superbrands book, which includes a two-page profile of each of the Superbrands, at the Tribute event. “The brands featured in the book range from corporate giants to FMCG brands. We are happy to see so many of the UAE’s local brands included in the book alongside key international brands. Participation in the Superbrands book is by invitation only and acknowledges the intrinsic strength of the organisation and its brand value,” Mr. English adds.The Superbrands tribute event is set to be a true celebration of many of the country’s highest profile brands, and promises to live up to its global reputation as the "Oscars of Branding".
 

DEWA Honours Dubai Students, Schools And Universities For Achieving Outstanding Success In Emirate-Wide Conservation Campaign

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), in conjunction with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), today awarded students, parents, schools and universities in Dubai for, leading by example, reducing water and electricity consumption as part of its “Conservation for a Better Tomorrow” campaign.

In its fourth year, DEWA’s ‘Conservation for a Better Tomorrow’ initiative urged all residents of Dubai to contribute to the emirate’s ambitious objectives of reducing its carbon footprint. The campaign reflects DEWA’s consistent efforts to create and widen awareness of the urgent need to conserve energy and water resources, and instil a culture of conservation in future generations.

Cash prizes ranging from AED6,000 – AED10,000 were awarded to over 15 institutions for reducing usage of water and electricity. Similarly, students from the various education levels, ranging from kindergarten to preliminary, intermediate, secondary, colleges and universities, were awarded cash prizes ranging from AED1,000 – AED3,000 for reducing the energy consumed at their homes.

Present at the awards ceremony, which was held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City, were Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA, Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General at Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Fatma Al Marri, a member of the Federal National Council and CEO, Schools Agency.

Al Tayer said: “Energy conservation is not for water and electricity only but for all our natural resources. Conserving energy is a life-long practice that each one of us must adopt and make a permanent part of our daily lives. Significant savings have been achieved through this initiative, especially where water is concerned with approximately 42% reduction.

“KHDA has played a tangible role in supporting this initiative by encouraging schools, educational institutions and students to participate, and their continuous assistance throughout this initiative cannot be understated.”

Commenting on the energy conservation initiative, Dr. Al Karam said: “The ‘Conservation for a Better Tomorrow’ Award encourages schools to protect their environment as students work as ambassadors of conservation within their community.

“KHDA sees schools as a community where students from different cultures and backgrounds study together. Our objective is to prepare the current generation for the future. We want the students to be better prepared to take on the social responsibility to face the challenges of the future. The ‘Conservation for a Better Tomorrow’ Award is the best platform to achieve this. Not only does it inspire a sense of responsibility within students and teachers, it also helps them identify the value and concept of conservation in all aspects of life.”

The winning schools in each of the categories were: Al Manhal Kindergarten, which saved 57% of water consumption; Al Khoulafa’ Al Rashedeen preliminary school which saved 40% of water consumption; Nad Al Hamar intermediate school which saved 26% of water consumption; Al Ma’aref secondary school which saved 76% of water consumption and Zayed University which saved 27% of electricity consumption.

Spearheading the drive for creating a sustainable environment in Dubai, DEWA has successfully collaborated with various institutions, such as Dubai Municipality, to formulate new eco-friendly policies for the real estate and construction industries. The new regulations will mandate the installation of low energy light bulbs, solar panels, energy saving modules for air conditioning units, low flow taps and dual flush water systems in all new buildings.

In addition, DEWA recently launched a series of initiatives with the objective of curtailing the amount of energy used in residential and commercial establishments throughout Dubai. The initiative includes the Best Consumer Award, which encourages homeowners to reduce their electricity and water consumption.

As an institution keen to mitigate the UAE’s carbon footprint and support green measures, DEWA was actively engaged in the promotion of Earth Hour 2009, a global initiative that took place on 28 March and helped Dubai save 146,000 kWh of electricity.