Our Impact

We are on a mission to empower organizations and individuals for impact in the MENA region.

We are deeply rooted in the Arab World, its heritage, culture, and unique narrative, which drive our sustainable actions.

We are a purpose-driven company, Arab and female-owned, based in the UAE. Our founder is a Moroccan immigrant who grew up in France and immigrated to the UAE in 2018.

Our mission is to create a significant impact in the region, viewing our work as systemic change rather than transactional. Thus, we forge long-term partnerships with private and public organizations, as well as with all individuals we work with.

We focus on providing job opportunities to youth from underemployed populations like Palestinians, helping them thrive and unite for impact in the region.

We are a fully remote team, working from three different countries.

As an unconventional organization, we are not driven by traditional business metrics but by a commitment to making an impact our sole driver.

“Building an impact business model is the most rewarding and challenging endeavor I have undertaken. Our capacity to achieve greater impact is intertwined with our stakeholders' abilities to do so, which is why partnership is a core value for us. We never strive to be the leader in the industry; instead, we aim to make a difference in the world.”

Nadine Zidani

Founder & CEO of Mena Impact

Impact is our North Star, guiding everything we do.

Our Journey of Impact

It has been a journey of listening, empathy, and understanding of our stakeholders and their needs, shaping an impact business model in service to them.

August 2021

  • Problem
    Lack of awareness about environmental and social issues, and the regional narrative.
  • Solution
    Event engagements and launch of Impact Talk podcast.
  • Problem
    Limited use and awareness of impact standards.
  • Solution
    Consulting services and awareness initiatives focused on standards like B Corp.
  • Problem
    Lack of green skills to support organizations transformation.
  • Solution
    Launch of a Learning Management System offering online courses and workshops.
  • Problem
    Need for a holistic approach to systemic change.
  • Solution
    Launch of Mena Impact, an impact-driven Consultancy, Academy, and Think Tank.
  • Problem
    High unemployment rate among youth in the region.
  • Solution
    Hiring talents from underemployed populations (e.g. Palestine).

April 2024

Our Impact Commitments

Empowering Arab Youth through Employment

Driving the Adoption of Impact Standards and Disclosure

Environmental & Social Issues Awareness

Access to Sustainability Literacy and Education

We are committed to considering all our stakeholders, and our mission is embedded in the environmental and social impacts we aim to achieve in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. We take pride in dedicating our impact exclusively to this region, operating from our base in the UAE. Mena Impact is a woman-led and owned company. We update our impact reporting at least annually and share our impact goals to catalyze partnerships in their achievement.
We are committed to considering all our stakeholders, and our mission is embedded in the environmental and social impacts we aim to achieve in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. We take pride in dedicating our impact exclusively to this region, operating from our base in the UAE. Mena Impact is a woman-led and owned company. We update our impact reporting at least annually and share our impact goals to catalyze partnerships in their achievement.
Mena Impact primarily targets the main barrier of high unemployment rates in the MENA region, which are even higher for underserved populations. According to ILO, the youth unemployment rate in the MENA region remains one of the highest globally, averaging 25%. Underserved populations within the region face even greater barriers to accessing decent work opportunities. Palestinian youth encounter particularly high levels of unemployment, with rates reaching up to 44% in some areas, as reported by UNICEF. To address this challenge, we have joined forces with a social enterprise, which assists talents from Palestine in accessing job opportunities abroad. We have committed to hiring all our staff from their pool of talents. Currently, we have three Palestinians working full-time remotely. We provide mentoring to these talents, along with access to our sustainability courses. This support aims to help them build sustainability skills that can enhance their employability.
Mena Impact primarily targets the main barrier of high unemployment rates in the MENA region, which are even higher for underserved populations. According to ILO, the youth unemployment rate in the MENA region remains one of the highest globally, averaging 25%. Underserved populations within the region face even greater barriers to accessing decent work opportunities. Palestinian youth encounter particularly high levels of unemployment, with rates reaching up to 44% in some areas, as reported by UNICEF. To address this challenge, we have joined forces with a social enterprise, which assists talents from Palestine in accessing job opportunities abroad. We have committed to hiring all our staff from their pool of talents. Currently, we have three Palestinians working full-time remotely. We provide mentoring to these talents, along with access to our sustainability courses. This support aims to help them build sustainability skills that can enhance their employability.
Diversity and inclusion are part of the DNA and ethos at Mena Impact. We prioritize local suppliers and support the local economy, primarily in the UAE and the surrounding region. Additionally, we are ambassadors of the B Corp movement in the region and encourage businesses to measure, benchmark, and improve their impact using the B Impact Assessment. We foster a sense of community by spotlighting B Corps' achievements, such as the B Corp podcast series we developed to inspire other businesses to follow suit. We have also launched the Mena Impact Think Tank, which gathers insightful papers on sustainable development in the region. We collaborate with researchers and other think tanks throughout the region to enrich our work.
Diversity and inclusion are part of the DNA and ethos at Mena Impact. We prioritize local suppliers and support the local economy, primarily in the UAE and the surrounding region. Additionally, we are ambassadors of the B Corp movement in the region and encourage businesses to measure, benchmark, and improve their impact using the B Impact Assessment. We foster a sense of community by spotlighting B Corps' achievements, such as the B Corp podcast series we developed to inspire other businesses to follow suit. We have also launched the Mena Impact Think Tank, which gathers insightful papers on sustainable development in the region. We collaborate with researchers and other think tanks throughout the region to enrich our work.
At Mena Impact, we are stewards of the environment. Our team works remotely across three countries. We have adopted a remote working policy and limit our travel to what is necessary. We are committed advocates for climate and environmental issues in the Middle East. In partnership with Veolia Middle East, a leading environmental services company, we have raised awareness about the triple planetary crisis affecting our region. Together, we produced 12 podcast episodes, which garnered over 150,000 views. Additionally, we have participated in multiple events in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, including the recent COP28.
At Mena Impact, we are stewards of the environment. Our team works remotely across three countries. We have adopted a remote working policy and limit our travel to what is necessary. We are committed advocates for climate and environmental issues in the Middle East. In partnership with Veolia Middle East, a leading environmental services company, we have raised awareness about the triple planetary crisis affecting our region. Together, we produced 12 podcast episodes, which garnered over 150,000 views. Additionally, we have participated in multiple events in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, including the recent COP28.
We are dedicated to supporting the sustainable transformation of the MENA region and equipping individuals with the necessary skills to become change agents. To achieve this, we developed the Mena Impact Academy, which offers online courses and workshops on sustainability. We successfully launched our first cohort for the Climate Strategy course in the region in 2023.
We are dedicated to supporting the sustainable transformation of the MENA region and equipping individuals with the necessary skills to become change agents. To achieve this, we developed the Mena Impact Academy, which offers online courses and workshops on sustainability. We successfully launched our first cohort for the Climate Strategy course in the region in 2023.

We are building an impact ecosystem with the achievement of the 17 SDGs as its core purpose.

We are contributing to
7 SDGs and 9 targets

Our Impact So Far

0
Podcast Episodes
0
Events Engagements
0
Partnerships for the Goals
0
Sustainable Online Courses in the Academy
0 %
Of employees from underemployed populations in the MENA region
0 K+
Podcast Views
0
Think Tank Publications

Our Impact Goals

  • 100

    Companies Impact Certified in the MENA Region

  • 30

    Events Engagements

  • 100

    Youth from Underemployed Populations Aquire Green Skills and Secure Employment

  • 1M

    Podcast Views

  • 100

    Podcast Episodes

  • 60%

    Academy Learners Who Transitioned to a Sustainability Job

100
Companies Impact Certified in the MENA Region
30
Events Engagements
100
Youth from Underemployed Populations Aquire Green Skills and Secure Employment
1M
Podcast Views
100
Podcast Episodes
60%
Academy Learners Who Transitioned to a Sustainability Job

A Company on a Mission

We set ambitious goals because the planet won’t wait for us to wake up and start taking action. Action is needed now; systemic change through our everyday commitments is the only way forward. Join us on our mission to make an impact in the region!