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Hanan Chaaibi

CEO & Senior Sustainability Manager, Aridzone Sustainability Management Consulting, UAE

Hanan Chaaibi is a sustainability leader with extensive experience in ESG strategy, reporting, stakeholder engagement, and decarbonization planning. She holds a Master’s degree in Global Governance & Sustainable Development from Middlesex University in the UK, and a Bachelor’s in International Business & Languages from Inholland University in the Netherlands.

With over a decade of multidisciplinary experience across the private and public sectors, Hanan is known for delivering practical ESG solutions aligned with global frameworks like GRI, ISSB, and national agendas such as UAE Vision 2031 and Saudi Vision 2030. She is deeply committed to guiding organizations through honest, open, and transparent ESG journeys—ensuring their sustainability efforts are not just compliant, but genuinely reflective of their values. Her approach is data-driven and impact-focused, helping clients build lasting trust and drive real, meaningful change.

1. What are the most effective global strategies to prevent greenwashing in sustainable finance and ensure integrity in ESG-linked investment products?

Greenwashing remains one of the biggest threats to the credibility of sustainable finance. To prevent this, global markets are increasingly shifting toward transparency, standardized reporting, and credible verification. Preventing greenwashing requires a mix of regulation, accountability, and global alignment to ensure ESG-linked investments deliver real impact—not just good marketing.

What’s already being done globally:

  • Standardized frameworks: o ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board – Global) offers a global baseline for ESG reporting. o SFDR (EU) mandates financial institutions to disclose ESG risks and impacts. o EU Taxonomy provides a unified classification for green economic activities.

  • Supervisory action: Regulators like the SEC (USA) and ESMA (EU) are cracking down on unverified ESG claims.

  • Voluntary codes: Some asset managers are adopting the Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI).

What else is needed globally:

  • Mandatory third-party assurance to verify ESG data and performance claims.

  • Clear ESG labeling backed by uniform definitions across markets.

  • Penalties for misrepresentation to hold greenwashing accountable.

  • Investor education campaigns to help detect misleading ESG branding.

  • Global alignment between ISSB, EU frameworks, and national rules to ease cross-border investments.

Governments and regulatory bodies must lead by requiring consistent ESG disclosures and auditing, while incentivizing integrity through responsible finance incentives.

2. How can regulatory environments in the Middle East evolve to support sustainable finance and attract global ESG investors?

The Middle East has taken promising first steps in ESG regulation, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. However, to attract global ESG capital, regulators need to create a more transparent, credible, and data-driven investment landscape.

This includes harmonizing local frameworks with global standards and incentivizing disclosure and verification.

What’s already happening:

  • The UAE launched a Sustainable Finance Framework and mandated ESG disclosures for listed companies on DFM and ADX. ● Saudi Arabia’s CMA issued ESG disclosure guidelines aligned with global frameworks.

  • Regional banks and exchanges are beginning to integrate ESG in capital markets.

What else can be done:

  • Mandate ESG reporting for all large and listed entities, not just voluntarily.

  • Align local standards with ISSB, TCFD, and CSRD to attract global investors.

  • Support capacity-building programs for companies and financial institutions.

By taking a regulatory leadership role and prioritizing ESG consistency and accountability, Middle Eastern governments can position their markets as competitive, credible, and ready for sustainable capital inflows.

3. How are local investors and sovereign wealth funds integrating ESG and impact considerations into their portfolios in the Middle East?

Sovereign wealth funds and large investors in the Middle East are increasingly embedding ESG into their portfolios—not only as a risk-management tool but also as a driver of long-term value. This is creating a ripple effect, pushing the wider ecosystem toward sustainable investment norms.

What’s already happening:

  • ADQ, PIF, and Mubadala have public commitments to ESG integration.

  • Saudi PIF’s ESG Strategy aligns with Vision 2030 and Net Zero ambitions.

  • Green and sustainable bonds issued by sovereigns and large corporates are gaining traction.

  • Many funds have joined global initiatives like One Planet SWF and UN PRI.

What more can be done:

  • Adopt unified ESG due diligence frameworks across sovereign entities.

  • Include impact metrics tied to the SDGs for measuring real-world outcomes.

  • Scale up investments in green infrastructure and technology startups.

  • Disclose ESG metrics publicly to build investor trust and market credibility.

By expanding from ESG risk avoidance to impact-focused investing, local funds can accelerate innovation, resilience, and reputation—all while supporting national sustainability agendas.

4. How can the Middle East improve data quality and disclosure standards to foster trust in local ESG investments and avoid greenwashing?

Data quality is the backbone of trustworthy ESG investing. In the Middle East, inconsistent disclosures and limited data comparability make it harder to assess ESG performance. Closing this gap will require better infrastructure, more regulatory alignment, and upskilling across industries.

What’s already being done:

  • Stock exchanges (DFM, ADX, Tadawul) have introduced ESG disclosure guidelines. 

  • Government roadmaps (e.g. the UAE’s Net Zero Strategy) call for more transparent data practices.

  • Regional companies have already been adopting GRI, ISSB, and TCFD frameworks.

What’s still needed:

  • National ESG registries or databases to consolidate, validate, and benchmark ESG data.

  • Mandatory sustainability reporting laws for large and high-impact companies.

  • Sector-specific guidelines for material ESG topics such as large sectors for a start in oil & gas, real estate, and logistics.

  • Data verification mechanisms, including third-party assurance and ESG ratings.

  • Upskilling programs for sustainability, legal, and finance teams on disclosure practices.

Building trust requires not just collecting data—but ensuring it’s relevant, accurate, and accessible. When companies and governments take ownership of ESG disclosure, they foster both local investor confidence and international capital attraction..