Arabic Sustainability Dictionary

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The global plan of action adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015 that sets out the Sustainable Development Goals.

Chief sustainability officer (CSO)

The senior executive responsible for leading an organisation's sustainability strategy and performance.

CN code (CN)

A code of the EU Combined Nomenclature used to classify traded goods; under CBAM it determines whether an imported good is covered.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR)

A company's voluntary commitment to operate in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible way beyond legal requirements.

Corrective action

An action taken to eliminate the cause of a gap, nonconformity or off-track performance and prevent it from recurring.

Environmental pillar

The part of ESG that covers a company's interaction with the natural environment, including emissions, energy, water, waste, pollution and biodiversity.

ESG (ESG)

Shorthand for the environmental, social and governance factors used to assess a company's sustainability performance and related risks and opportunities.

ESG maturity

The degree to which an organisation has developed its sustainability governance, data, processes and performance, from initial to advanced.

Green economy

An economy that results in improved human well-being and social equity while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities (UNEP).

Key performance indicator (KPI)

A quantifiable measure used to evaluate progress towards a strategic or operational objective.

Long-term value creation

Generating sustained value for shareholders and other stakeholders over time, rather than maximising short-term results.

Low-carbon economy

An economy based on energy sources and practices that produce low levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

Middle East Green Initiative (MGI)

A regional initiative launched by Saudi Arabia in 2021 to reduce emissions and expand tree planting across the Middle East.

Saudi Green Initiative (SGI)

A national initiative launched in 2021 that targets net zero emissions by 2060, large-scale tree planting and the protection of land and sea areas in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Vision 2030

Saudi Arabia's national strategic framework launched in 2016 to diversify the economy and develop public services, including sustainability and environmental goals.

Self-assessment

A structured questionnaire through which an organisation evaluates its own sustainability maturity and identifies gaps.

Stakeholder

A person or group that affects or is affected by an organisation's activities, such as employees, investors, customers, suppliers and communities.

Stakeholder engagement

The process of involving stakeholders in dialogue to understand their concerns and inform a company's decisions.

Stakeholder survey

A questionnaire used to gather stakeholder views, often to inform a materiality assessment.

Supply chain

The upstream part of the value chain: the network of suppliers that provide the goods and services a company uses.

Sustainability

Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs, balancing environmental, social and economic considerations.

Sustainability policy

A formal statement of an organisation's commitments and principles on sustainability, approved by its leadership.

Sustainability strategy

An organisation's plan for managing its material sustainability impacts, risks and opportunities and integrating them into its business model.

Sustainable development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Brundtland Report, 1987).

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The 17 goals adopted by UN member states in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda, covering poverty, health, education, climate, equality and other areas.

Sustainable procurement

Purchasing goods and services in a way that takes into account environmental, social and economic impacts across their life cycle.

Triple bottom line (TBL)

A framework that measures business performance across three dimensions: social, environmental and financial (people, planet, profit).

United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)

A UN initiative under which companies commit to ten principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.

Value chain

The full range of activities, resources and relationships related to a company's business model, from upstream suppliers to downstream customers and end-of-life.