Sustainability Report Academic Year 2016 - 2017 TABLE of CONTENTS

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Sustainability Report Academic Year 2016 - 2017 TABLE of CONTENTS Sustainability Report Academic Year 2016 - 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABOUT THIS REPORT ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������03 Message from the Chairman of the Board ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������04 Message from the CEO �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������05 ABOUT GEMS EDUCATION GROUP ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������07 Key Highlights �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������07 Overview ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������08 Financial Performance ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12 SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������15 Listening to our Stakeholders ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������15 Materiality Analysis �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������17 Defining the Report’s Content ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������17 GOVERNANCE, RISK MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS CONTINUITY ���������������������������������������������������21 The Board and its Committees ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 21 United in Guarding Our Ethics ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������25 School Internal Reviews ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������26 Internal Review Process��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������26 Risk Management ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������29 RESPONSIBLE PROCUREMENT �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������31 Suppliers’ Engagement ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������31 Working with Local Suppliers ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������31 Sustainable Construction and Property Management ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������31 QUALITY EDUCATION WITHIN THE REACH OF EVERY CHILD������������������������������������������������������������33 GEMS Students ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 33 GEMS Teachers and Principals ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������36 The Academic Council ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 37 Global Citizenship Education ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 44 Parental Engagement��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������46 GEMS Rewards ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������47 OUR PEOPLE �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������49 Recruitment and Hiring ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������49 Employee Engagement ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������50 Diversity and Inclusion �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������51 Learning and Development ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������54 Rewards and Recognition �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������58 Health, Safety and Wellbeing ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 59 OUR APPROACH TO SOCIAL INVESTMENT �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������65 Social Investment Strategic Framework�����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������66 Aligning with the UAE Vision ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������67 Social Investment Initiatives �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������68 THE GEMS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������75 Energy Consumption ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������76 Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Emissions ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 77 Water Consumption �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������78 Waste Management �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������78 Green Initiatives ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������79 GRI CONTENT INDEX ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������86 ”Teaching children about the natural world should be seen as one of the most ABOUT THIS important events in their lives�“ REPORT (102-10); (102-45); (102-48); (102-49); (102-50); (102-51); (102-52); (102-53); (102-54) This is GEMS Education’s first GRI Sustainability Report, covering our sustainability Thomas Berry, The Dream of the Earth performance for the academic year 2016 - 2017 throughout our operations in the MENASA region (Middle East, North Africa and South Asia)� This report has been prepared in All restatements are noted and our team has reviewed all necessary accordance with the GRI Standards: whenever comparable data has been information to give management, Core Option� Additionally, we have available, we have compared results shareholders and stakeholders referred to the set of United Nations between specific indicators across confidence in all data disclosed� We Global Compact (UNGC) Principles the academic years 2015-2016 and chose not to invite an external party which are related to our Report’s 2016-2017� to audit our non-financial data for this content� We have followed the GRI Report, but will
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