Lootah Biofuels Reveals Plans To Increase Emiratisation Up To 50% Within Two Years

Lootah Biofuels, a leading circular economy company producing biofuel from used cooking oil in the UAE, has unveiled an ambitious plan to increase Emiratisation to 50% of its workforce within two years in administrative departments.

The announcement comes as a part of Lootah Biofuels’ expansion and development strategy. It is in line with the vision of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council ‘NAFIS’, which aims to promote Emirati participation in the private sector, enhance their competitiveness globally and equip young Emiratis with skills and competencies needed in the private sector.

NAFIS aims to increase the percentage of Emiratisation in private sector companies, with more than 50 employees, by 2% annually in order to employ 75,000 UAE nationals in the private sector over the next five years and has numerous initiatives to empower cadres and encourage private companies to attract Emirati talent.

Lootah Biofuels’ Emiratisation strategy is based on identifying Emirati talent whose skills and qualifications match the company’s needs and requirements and training them through integrated and comprehensive programmes run by the Institute of Applied Expertise, the training arm of the Yusuf Lootah Group in order to qualify them to work in administrative and technical roles in the Company and its factories and facilities.

Lootah Biofuels Company is keen to capitalise on the initiatives under the “NAFIS” programme as it focuses on strengthening Emirati talent to participate in its growth and consolidating its leadership in sustainable development and innovative industry.

The skills development and practical experience programme developed by the Institute of Applied Experience (IAE) contributes to bridging the gap between the knowledge acquired by students in academic institutions and the labour market requirements. This contributes to providing graduates with appropriate employment opportunities and helping organisations to attract cadres, who are competent theoretically and practically.

Through IA Experience, Lootah Biofuels has partnered with several companies and institutions to offer skill development and work experience and provide broader opportunities for participating students to gain appropriate work experience.

The comprehensive training programme is designed by academic supervisors and corporate officials, and includes theoretical and practical training to enable trainees to gain the necessary hands-on experience that will qualify them for career opportunities in their field of specialisation.

Yousuf bin Saeed Lootah, CEO of Lootah Biofuels, said, “The launch of this ambitious Emiratisation plan reflects our commitment and the belief in the importance of developing Emirati talent and skills. Also, it provides them with the right conditions to contribute to economic and social development. As a leading clean energy company in the UAE, promoting compliance with environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards is one of our core missions. In this regard, we have developed various programmes to train and upskill human capital through the Institute of Applied Experience.”

He added: “Providing training and employment opportunities is part of our responsibility and duties to society, and we look forward to working with the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (NAFIS) to lay the practical foundations for the implementation of the Emiratisation plan at Lootah Biofuels Company, as we believe in the council’s vision which prioritises   empowering human capital, supporting Emirati cadres, meeting the needs and aspirations of our society, enhancing the vitality and resilience of the national economy and consolidating the UAE’s position as a global hub for talent, business and investment.”

Emiratisation in the industrial sector, particularly in the “green economy”, in which Lootah Biofuels is a pioneer, contributes to enhancing the economic diversification strategy, developing the workforce by increasing the participation of UAE nationals in the industrial workforce, transferring knowledge and creating specialised employment opportunities with high skills through training programmes that meet the requirements of modern skills, fourth industrial revolution technologies and technological advancement.

Lootah Biofuels promotes and stimulates sustainable development by producing biofuels from used cooking oils that power transport vehicles, reducing emissions and providing environmentally friendly energy solutions. Lootah Biofuels currently has a production capacity of 60 million litres of biofuel per year. It is expected to increase its capacity by opening a new plant in Abu Dhabi this year, which will help meet the growing demand for clean energy in the transport sector.