DEWA has been at the forefront of supporting the empowerment and inclusion of People of Determination in the society and the work environment, in line with the National Policy for Empowering People of Determination launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and the ‘My Community… A City for Everyone’ initiative launched by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai.
DEWA has a well-defined strategy in place in supporting the People of Determination, having several services and facilities to ensure ease of usage and customer happiness. With these initiatives, it has achieved a customer happiness rate of 95.24%.
It has also trained over 8,440 employees in appropriately and respectfully dealing with customers with disabilities and has recorded 100% level of happiness of its ‘Employees of Determination.’
Limitless, the official e-newsletter of AccessAbilities Expo, had the privilege to have an inclusive interview with His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Ahmad Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), where he talks about these accomplishments.
1. DEWA has many accomplishments in empowering People of Determination and making Dubai a friendly city. What motivates these accomplishments?
DEWA is committed to protecting the rights of People of Determination and their inclusion into society and the work environment. DEWA also has worked on developing the capabilities of its subsidiaries including and empowering People of Determination. This is in line with the National Policy for Empowering People of Determination launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. This is also coinciding with the ‘My Community… A City for Everyone’ initiative launched by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, in November 2013. The initiative aims to transform Dubai into a friendly city for People of Determination through projects and initiatives that maximise the participation of this important group in society and remove obstacles to their positive involvement as capable individuals in society.
2. Advanced technologies play an important role in facilitating the lives of People of Determination. What are DEWA’s most notable initiatives and technologies that ensure that your customers from this segment have easy and happy visits to all your centers?
DEWA provides inclusive services and facilities for People of Determination, which are offered through its Customer Happiness Centers, Customer Care Centre, Website, and Smart App. These facilities include special parking for People of Determination as per the Dubai Universal Design Code; a phone number for assistance; special accessibility slopes, equipped entrances, priority services, and specialised seating areas, and equipped washrooms as per the Dubai Universal Design Code; tactile paving for customers with visual impairment; and tactile maps with voice notification. DEWA also provides its publications in Braille and has employees who are trained to deal with People of Determination and certified in sign language. Moreover, DEWA has launched various services for People of Determination, such as “Ash’ir”, a live video chat service using sign language for customers with a hearing impairment that allows them to connect with customer care employees; “Hayak”, the online text chat with option of video chat with Customer Care Centre; and many more. In addition, DEWA provides exclusive discounts and offers for People of Determination through the DEWA store available on the DEWA app. It also offers special discounts for “Thukher” and “Sanad” Card Holders (for UAE nationals) on the fees of select services.
3. What are your vision and plans to ensure the happiness, inclusion, and Empowerment of People of Determination, in line with the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) which aims to make Dubai one of the best cities in the world in all fields?
We are keen to enhance the percentage of community happiness about DEWA’s role in supporting people of determination, which reached 94% in 2022, by launching and encouraging community initiatives and programmes to enhance the engagement of this important segment in society and consolidating their positive involvement with their community.
This is part of our commitment to achieving the National Policy for Empowering People of Determination, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to create an inclusive society that ensures empowerment and a decent life for People of Determination and their families. It also supports the ‘My Community… a City for Everyone’ initiative, launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, to transform Dubai into an accessible and friendly city for people of determination.
We also attach great importance to transforming Dubai into one of the most dynamic cities in the world. We adopt a well-defined and sustainable strategy to support the inclusion and empowerment of People of Determination in the workplace and society. The strategy focuses on 4 main pillars: employees, customers, society, and partners. It provides opportunities that allow people of determination to unleash their potential, prove their capabilities, and consolidate their contribution to promoting the development process on an equal basis with others.
4. DEWA provides various services for People of Determination. Some of these services are free and some have major discounts. Please tell us about these services.
DEWA provides exclusive discounts for “Thukher” & “Sanad” Card Holders (UAE Nationals) on the fees of select services. This includes a 50% discount on registration fees for the Activation of Electricity/Water (Move-In) service; 50% discount on service fees for the De-Activation of Electricity/Water (Move Out) service; a 50% discount on meter inspection (in case the meter is in working order); and no fees on updating customer information.
5. You have recently announced that DEWA completed all strategic indicators for including and empowering people of determination and the happiness of their families. Who did achieve this?
We adopt a well-defined and sustainable strategy to support the inclusion and empowerment of People of Determination in the workplace and society. The strategy focuses on 4 main pillars: employees, customers, society, and partners. DEWA’s strategy for People of Determination is in line with its strategic goals and the UAE’s legislative framework for the integration and empowerment of People of Determination, as well as the best global practices. The strategy includes programmes and strategies implemented by various divisions in DEWA under the supervision of DEWA’s Council for People of Determination.
In 2022, and for the third consecutive year, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) completed all strategic indicators in the field of including and empowering people of determination, most notably the happiness of employees of determination, and the happiness of their families about the safe and inclusive work environment at DEWA, as well as the equal job opportunities. The happiness of employees of determination (EOD) reached 100% in 2022, while the happiness of their families reached 96.60%. The percentage of community happiness about DEWA’s support for people of determination (POD) reached 94%, while the happiness rate of customers of determination about DEWA’s services reached 95.24%.
6. It is essential to allocate qualified employees to deal with customers of various segments of People of Determination and ensure that they are provided with care and excellent service. Please tell us about your accomplishments in this regard.
DEWA has enhanced its position as an inclusive organisation with the total number of employees trained in how to deal with PODs increasing from 8,443 in 2021 to 9,688 by 2022. All Employees of Determination at DEWA have completed their trainings to include and empower them. The number of employees of determination increased from 19 in 2017 to 41 in 2022.
This supports DEWA’s ongoing efforts to develop its employees’ capabilities in dealing with people of determination, as well as ensuring an advanced level of understanding, awareness, and training among its staff to provide high-quality services that meet the special needs of different disabilities.
7. Dubai Universal Design Code is an important factor in making DEWA buildings friendly and easily accessible for People of Determination with various types of disability. How far along have your reached in this regard, and are all your buildings friendly for People of Determination?
DEWA works to facilitate access for People of Determination to its services, buildings, and facilities including the Customer Happiness Centres, all of which are 100% compliant with the Dubai Universal Design Code since 2019.
As such, DEWA received the Golden Certificate “Accessible UNI” for a number of its buildings, including DEWA Head Office Building, Burj Nahar Customer Happiness Centre, and DEWA Campus for Occupational and Academic Development. DEWA has also been certified to be in conformance with the international ISO standard 21542:2021 Building Construction – Accessibility and Usability of the Built Environment, further highlighting its continuous efforts in attaining the highest standards in the well-being of the built environment for customers.
Moreover, DEWA provides its Customers and Employees of Determination with smart systems and support services with assistive technologies that help them easily access information and various facilities within DEWA’s buildings. This includes Braille maps with voice notification that are available at all entrances of the building and next to elevators on every floor; in addition to hearing loops, which are advanced audio aid systems designed to help people with hearing impairments by facilitating clear and noise-free access to sounds.
8. Please tell us about the initiatives and services you provide to People of Determination.
As a government socially responsible organisation, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) contributes to achieving the wise leadership’s vision of integrating and empowering People of Determination (POD) into society. This is in accordance with plans and strategies that align with the best international standards and practices under the supervision of the Advisory Council for People of Determination.
DEWA has developed an institutional framework to support POD. As part of its strategy, DEWA has signed agreements with partners and prepared and implemented communication plans with stakeholders for social initiatives and sponsorships that support the empowerment and integration of People of Determination.
Some of DEWA’s community initiatives in this regard include participating in various awareness campaigns, such as the annual autism awareness campaign, and interactive workshops for People of Determination. DEWA has also offered many sponsorships in collaboration with its community partners, to promote inclusion and empower people of determination. Most recently, DEWA has sponsored a sports treatment hall at the Senses Residential and Day Care for Special Needs in Dubai, to provide the best treatment for children of determination in the areas of motor, functional, and mental rehabilitation. As part of this sponsorship, DEWA provided the necessary equipment and devices to ensure the provision of an inclusive treatment programme, compatible with the needs and requirements of people of determination with various disabilities. More than 30 volunteers from DEWA participated in preparing the hall to receive people of determination.
Between 2015 and 2022, DEWA organised 82 programmes and initiatives related to People of Determination. The cumulative average of the number of beneficiaries of these community initiatives reached 3,509,986 people. The percentage of community happiness about DEWA’s role in supporting People of Determination reached 94% in 2022. DEWA is working to align its strategy for People of Determination with the UAE’s local and federal strategies to integrate and empower People of Determination.
9. DEWA won the People of Determination Friendly Government Entity award at the 21st Dubai Government Excellence Program. What are your plans to maintain your leadership in this field?
DEWA strives to meet the needs of society, especially People of Determination. DEWA aims to adopt the best international practices in the inclusion and empowerment of POD, in order to achieve the national agenda of creating an inclusive society and make Dubai the best place to work and live. This is achieved by implementing DEWA’s programmes and initiatives for POD. DEWA also aims to transfer knowledge to local partners and subsidiaries and conduct benchmarking visits in collaboration with leading institutions in the field of including and empowering POD. In addition, DEWA works to build the capabilities of its employees in the field of including and empowering POD to ensure that they work professionally to provide the best services to POD and enhance their happiness in work and society. DEWA is also keen to develop its digital services to meet the needs of all its customers, including POD, exceed their expectations, and enhance their involvement and happiness, leading to a pioneering, sustainable, smooth and innovative experience for generations to come.
In 2022, DEWA continued its efforts in including and empowering People of Determination which it started in 2015, in order to facilitate the access of Employees of Determination and customers of Determination to services, buildings, and facilities. Moreover, DEWA’s website compliance scored 100%, while the smart app scored 10/10 by the POD Accessibility Evaluation Report by Digital Dubai Authority.
