First introduced during COP28 in 2023, this initiative now features defined goals across three core pillars: energy efficiency via reducing carbon emissions, eco-friendly store design, and waste management. By aligning resources and expertise, these five industry leaders are setting a new standard for sustainability in the region to advance environmental stewardship.

The findings and finalized objectives of this initiative were officially presented on December 12th in Paris, France, during the LVMH “LIFE 360 in Stores Awards” ceremony. This event, gathering experts, partners, employees, and industry leaders, was established in 2016 by LVMH, and celebrates every two years, the most virtuous and innovative initiatives that enhance the environmental performance of the LVMH’s Maisons’ stores, based on an external audit conducted by an independent agency. 

Key Objectives and Achievements:

Energy Efficiency

Work towards achieving a minimum of 5% annual energy savings or carbon emissions reduction for all shopping malls starting 2024.

Key Performance Indicators: Reduce energy consumption to:

Eco-Design

Launch a 12-criteria ecodesign checklist ensuring sustainable retail renovations and new projects, including:

Guidelines will be distributed to stakeholders by early 2025, accompanied by compliance training programs.

Waste Management

Achieve zero waste to landfill by 2030 for LVMH and Chalhoub Group, and a 50% diversion from landfill for Aldar Properties, Emaar Malls Management (L.L.C.), and Majid Al Futtaim.

Implement digitized waste management and traceability systems across properties by 2026.

Create unified waste policies and stakeholder training manuals by April 2025.

Next Steps

The initiative aims to maintain momentum with actionable next steps:

Detailed Implementation Guidelines: Comprehensive manuals for energy efficiency, eco-design, and waste management will be released to stakeholders in early 2025.

Progress Dashboards: A digital dashboard system will track and share progress with stakeholders to ensure transparency and alignment.

Stakeholder Training: Unified training content for internal and external teams will be rolled out by December 2025 to reinforce compliance and engagement.

"This announcement marks a bold step forward in our collective mission to reduce carbon emissions and waste across the UAE’s retail landscape," said Florence Bulte, Chief sustainability officer, Chalhoub Group. "One year on from the creation of Unity for Change, this partnership reflects our communal dedication to sustainability. By aligning our goals and pooling resources with LVMH, Emaar Malls Management (L.L.C.), Majid Al Futtaim, and Aldar Properties, we are redefining sustainability for the Middle East’s retail sector and leading ESG goals across the region’s prominent luxury market."

Saoud Khoory, Chief Retail Officer, Aldar Investment said: “we are pleased to be part of this important sustainability collaboration, which brings together some of the largest retail players operating in the UAE. At Aldar, sustainability is at the core of everything we do, and our commitment to a net-zero future aligns with leading global real estate industry benchmarks. We recognize that impactful climate action requires collaboration, and we look forward to implementing the new sustainability framework across our retail assets. By adopting a whole value chain approach and working closely with our partners, we aim to create climate resilient places that deliver long-term social and economic value in the UAE and beyond.”

Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Executive Director, Emaar Properties, said: “At Emaar Malls Management (L.L.C.), sustainability is not just a goal; it is a responsibility we embrace wholeheartedly. Through Unity for Change, we proudly join industry leaders to redefine environmental stewardship in the retail sector. This marks a pivotal step in our commitment to eco-friendly innovation, energy efficiency, and waste reduction.”

Commenting on the progress made on Unity for Change, Ahmed El Shamy, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, said: “It’s been truly inspiring to see how the Unity for Change initiative has evolved since its announcement at COP28 last year. At Majid Al Futtaim, we are proud to stand alongside other industry leaders in this transformational partnership that reflects the urgency of tackling climate change. By uniting expertise and resources, we have outlined actionable goals to address critical challenges in waste management, energy efficiency, and eco-design, setting a scalable model for sustainability in the retail sector.”

“One year after the launch of Unity for Change, we are proud to see this pioneering collaboration in the UAE deliver a robust sustainability framework for the retail sector. By addressing key areas such as energy efficiency, eco-design, and waste management, this initiative reflects our collective ambition to redefine retail practices in harmony with environmental priorities. This milestone, presented during the LIFE 360 in Stores Awards, embodies the spirit of ‘Joining Forces’ to drive meaningful transformation and underscores our unwavering commitment to addressing climate challenges,” said Hélène Valade, LVMH Environmental Development Director

About Unity for Change

“Unity For Change - أفــــــــــــــــق” (pronounced UFQ in Arabic, meaning horizon and symbolizing the future), celebrates a one-year anniversary of this pioneering partnership among prominent retailers and real estate developers in the Emirates (Chalhoub Group, LVMH, Emaar Malls Management (L.L.C.), Majid Al Futtaim, and Aldar Properties PJSC) dedicated to defining and achieving collective sustainability targets. Launched during COP28 in 2023, it is the first partnership of its kind in the Middle East, dedicated to achieving ambitious goals in energy efficiency, eco-design, and waste management, demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental responsibility and achieving each of the parties’ Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals.

This initiative reflects how to reduce the carbon and biodiversity footprints of the retail sector, with all entities intending to negotiate and execute a formal agreement within the next year.

The cooperation specifically aims to enhance understanding and management of energy consumption across the entities’ properties, tenant stores, and landlords’ common areas, while also developing a comprehensive eco-design checklist, polling resources for clean energy purchases to optimize energy consumption, cooperating in chilled water management and air conditioning to enhance efficiency, as well as other initiatives. Additionally, there will be concerted efforts to research green concrete usage to achieve recycling objectives.

-ENDS

ABOUT CHALHOUB GROUP

INSPIRE | EXHILARATE | DELIGHT

For over six decades, Chalhoub Group has been a partner and creator of luxury experiences in the Middle East. The Group, in its endeavour to excel as a hybrid retailer, has reinforced its distribution and marketing services with a portfolio of eight owned brands and over 300 international brands in the luxury, beauty, fashion, and art de vivre categories. More recently, the Group expanded its expertise into new categories of luxury watches, jewellery, and eyewear.

Every step at Chalhoub Group is taken with the customer at heart. Be it constantly reinventing itself or focusing on innovation to provide luxury experiences at over 750+ experiential retail stores, online and through mobile apps, each touch point leads to delighting the customer. 

Today, Chalhoub Group stands for 15,000 skilled and talented professionals across eight countries, whose cohesive efforts have resulted in the Group being certified as a Great Place to Work® in several countries.

To keep the innovation journey going, the Group has set up “The Greenhouse”, which is not just an innovation hub, but also an incubator space and accelerator for start-ups and small businesses in the region and internationally. This is just one of the several initiatives taken by the Group to reinvent itself, catalysed by forward thinking and future proofing. The Group has also been embedding sustainability at the core of its business strategy with a clear commitment towards people, partners and the planet, and by being a member of the United Nations Global Compact Community and signatory of the Women's Empowerment Principles.