Newsweek has included 12 Emirati companies in its global list of "Most Environmentally Sustainable Companies 2026", which includes 850 companies in 28 countries based on their outstanding performance in environmental sustainability and the low impact of their operational activities.UAE companies accepted in this category included Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company, Drake & Scull International, Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, National Bank of Fujairah, Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding Company, Emirates Islamic Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, International Holding Company and Mashreq Bank.The evaluation is based on independent, publicly available research compiled until April 2026, in collaboration between the Just Impact Foundation and Plant-A Insights Group.The selection process was closely vetted in its first phase involving more than 8,000 companies from around the world, of which only 850 were nominated for the final report after an in-depth assessment based on more than 25 environmental and institutional criteria, so that the newspaper could produce an assessment that sheds light on companies that are making steady progress towards sustainability and contributing to a more resilient future.To ensure the accuracy of the assessment, the study required that participating companies have published their most recent official sustainability data on or after January 31, 2025, excluding organizations with fewer than 500 employees to ensure parity in operational size and comparability.Research institutions subjected all companies to rigorous scrutiny in accordance with the EU's exclusion criteria, with the study automatically excluding companies associated with controversial weapons activities, nuclear weapons, or tobacco cultivation and production.Companies that rely heavily on fossil fuels, specifically those that generate major financial returns from coal, lignite, or gas and oil, as well as facilities that generate electricity with high greenhouse gas emissions, have also been excluded, to ensure that the classification is limited to companies with a truly low carbon footprint, while excluding companies with fewer than 500 employees to ensure fair comparison.
