Careem, the leading ride-hailing service in the Middle East and North Africa, has appointed Nadia Rouchdy as Head of Sustainability and Social Impact.
In this role, Rouchdy will lead Careem’s efforts in sustainability, both internally and externally, and integrate our vision of long-term strategic planning to create a positive impact on the business, the environment and society as a whole.
Rouchdy brings to Careem a solid track record in sustainability, climate change policy, stakeholder engagement, and strategic community investment, and will be responsible for devising and implementing corporate giving and sustainable development strategies across the region. Specifically, this will involve encouraging and building a culture of cross-functional teams that will work in concert to identify and execute on opportunities to embed social and environmental sustainability into tasks, projects and activities where possible.
Rouchdy will also work closely with Careem’s board and senior management to enlist their support and involvement in key sustainability initiatives and will additionally be responsible for engaging with external stakeholders and establishing partnerships in the private and governmental sector to maximize community impact.
“Careem’s aim to have a greater positive impact on the environment and society – both through how we do our business and how we engage with the world beyond – is a part of our corporate DNA. And after witnessing the incredible impact of our community programs in the past, including our partnership with UNHCR, we decided to invest in making our mission a reality and providing the resources it needs to scale sustainably,” said Dr. Abdulla Elyas, chief people officer and co-founder, Careem.
Careem’s sustainability vision is to create a positive impact in the region. Fulfilling this vision means setting new standards for brands in the broader Middle East for how to be a good corporate citizen. This will be done through making sustainability part and parcel of what Careem does for its users, colleagues and Captains.
“Nadia brings a strong background and expertise in sustainability management and social and environmental planning, and with her in charge of this strategic role, it will give more focus and depth to Careem’s sustainability strategies and allow us to continue making headway toward our goal of building a sustainable institution that inspires. Nadia will act as Careem’s internal and public ambassador for sustainability and related issues, and will have a key role to play in aligning our business interests and activities with the broader interests of society,” Elyas added.
Rouchdy joins Careem from Emirates Wildlife Society in association with WWF (EWS-WWF), where she led the drafting of adaptation strategies for regional governments. She has also worked on climate change mitigation and adaptation research to support the advancement of energy efficiency and in tackling climate change risks. Previously, Rouchdy worked in the private sector for luxury retailer, the Chalhoub Group, to develop regional sustainability strategies and programmes as well as consulted organizations on sustainability frameworks and reporting during her time as a sustainability advisor.
Rouchdy holds a bachelor degree in Commerce and Business Administration from McGill University in Montreal, Canada and is currently pursuing an MSc in Environmental Management from SOAS, University of London.
