BrazilKPMG named Middle East's best workplace at Fast Company awards
At the Middle East’s Most Innovative Companies 2023 Awards held last night in Dubai, KPMG took home the prize for best workplace in the entire region.
Hosted for the second time by Fast Company, the Middle East’s Most Innovative Companies 2023 list honors businesses and organizations that have demonstrated innovative excellence in their sector, and been successfully driving change in the region. Winners were announced across 20 categories, including sectors such as consumer goods, education, and media, as well as topics such as social good, corporate social responsibility, and workplace.
That latter award – Best Workplace – was scooped by KPMG, one of the region’s largest professional services firms. Ahmed Almusharraf, Head of People at KPMG, received the award on behalf of the Big Four firm.
KPMG stood out from the other finalists in the category for a number of reasons, said Fast Company’s jury report.
The accounting and consulting firm was lauded for promoting a high-performing work culture that encourages excellence, collaboration, and learning and development opportunities (KPMG provided its people with over 28,000 hours of training in 2022).
Fast Company highlighted KPMG’s strengths in integrated team learning and development programs, exemplified by the Digital & Data Foundations course where KPMG donated SAR300 on behalf of each employee completing three modules to allow for upskilling and tutoring for mothers of children with Down Syndrome.
KPMG was further recognized for its corporate social responsibility initiatives. The firm last year supported communities through 3.705 hours of pro bono, skill-based activities, and 17 wider initiatives, nurturing a culture of giving back to build a better community.
The firm has been an active participant in various charitable initiatives, including supporting the ‘Mubadarty’ initiative for disabled children and contributing to the expansion of facilities at the Down Syndrome Children Association. KPMG’s support extends to providing free financial audits to Wedad Charitable Foundation and raising donations for natural crises in Syria, Turkey, and Pakistan, reinforcing the culture of giving back and serving others.
Additionally, KPMG has collaborated with MiSK Foundation to offer a Job Shadowing Program for high school students, helping students make informed decisions about their academic future plan. In addition, KPMG has shown a commitment in supporting women in the tech domain through the ‘Code for Girls’ initiative, as well as partnering with Almashtal Community House & Creative Incubator to provide professional support and mentorship to entrepreneurs in general.
Fast Company added that ESG and sustainability are firmly rooted within KPMG’s strategy and culture. The firm was celebrated for the steps it is taking to achieve its global net-zero goal by 2030.
“In its efforts qualifying for this award, KPMG actively demonstrated its commitment to creating impact across four fundamental pillars: planet, people, prosperity, and governance,” summarized the jury report.
Last week, KPMG was also named one of the top consulting firms in the Middle East for 2023.
Most Innovative Companies
Other winners at the Middle East’s Most Innovative Companies 2023 ceremony included e& (Best Workplace), PepsiCo (sustainability), L’Oréal (social good), Chalhoub Group (retail), Al Arabiya News Channel (media), Dawrat (education), and Masdar City (architecture).
