A Sustainable Commitment to Empowering People of Determination
Inspired by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, to empower People of Determination and ensure their active participation in society, the Abu Dhabi Excellence Award for POD Inclusion- Damj was launched as part of the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination, initiated in 2020.
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, this award has inspired various organizations to develop frameworks and policies that enhance inclusion and ensure effective participation of People of Determination in all aspects of life.
With the completion of the first phase of the strategy, the award comes as a step to ensure the sustainability of these efforts and amplify their positive impact.
This award is not just a form of recognition—it is a call to action, to innovate and inspire organizations to embrace inclusivity, foster creative solutions, and create a supportive environment where People of Determination can reach their full potential and actively contribute to society. It is a move toward a brighter future where everyone plays a key role in development and success.
Why This Award?
Because inclusion is the foundation of thriving communities, the Abu Dhabi Excellence Award for People of determinations Inclusion- Damj was launched to honour and incentivise organizations that have made a tangible impact in delivering inclusive services, ensuring accessibility, and enhancing inclusive employment opportunities.
The award reflects the wise leadership’s vision to empower all members of society and improve the prospects of People of Determination across various sectors, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable community.
It represents an integrated recognition and encouragement system that includes government, private, and third-sector organizations. It honours pioneering, sustainable initiatives and projects that contribute to empowering People of Determination and boosting their effective participation.
By highlighting best practices, the award aims to inspire organizations to provide innovative and sustainable solutions that promote equity, fairness, and equal opportunities within an inclusive framework.
In its first cycle, the award focuses on Abu Dhabi and targets key priority areas for improving the quality of life of people of determination and ensuring lasting positive impact.
Award Structure
The award revolves around three main pillars:
- Inclusive Services
- Inclusive Employment
- Accessibility (Physical & Digital)
These pillars are represented in 10 award categories for government, private, and third-sector organizations, recognizing impactful efforts and outstanding initiatives that contribute to building a more inclusive society.
Award Objectives
- Recognize outstanding institutions delivering inclusive services, ensuring accessibility, and promoting inclusive employment.
- Sustain and amplify efforts to ensure long-term impact of inclusive initiatives.
- Economically empower People of Determination by enhancing their effective participation in the labour market.
- Expand inclusive services across sectors to meet the diverse requirements of People of Determination.
- Support compliance with international standards by adopting global best practices in disability inclusion.
Participation Benefits
- Supporting Abu Dhabi's Vision and Sustainable Inclusion
Participation aligns with Abu Dhabi’s disability inclusive vision, fostering more open and accessible environments in line with global standards.
- Opportunity for Excellence and Development
Beyond recognition, participation offers self-assessment, continuous improvement, and long-term sustainable benefits—even for those who don’t win.
- Enhancing Reputation & Credibility, and Expanding Customer Base
- Private Sector: Winning or even participating in the award strengthens the organization's reputation, increases customer loyalty, and attracts a broader customer base by demonstrating its commitment to inclusion. This is particularly important for organizations dealing with people of determination, as inclusive services and products tap into a market valued at no less than $13 trillion globally.
- Government Sector: Receiving this award reflects leadership's ability to foster an inclusive community, enhancing public trust in the government's capability to support all community groups. Additionally, it helps build trust and broadens the reach of public benefits.
- Third Sector: Recognition through the award can help increase financial support and future partnerships, thereby amplifying the organization's impact.
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Private Sector: Participation provides an opportunity to learn from best practices, enhancing the organization's competitiveness in the market.
- Government Sector: The award fosters innovation in government policies and practices, aligning them with global best practices.
- Third Sector: It offers opportunities to improve inclusion programs, enhance internal performance, and expand social impact.
- Expanding Cooperation and Impact
- Private Sector: Winning or participating in the award opens doors for collaboration with government organizations and other private-sector partners, leading to joint projects.
- Government Sector: Governments can leverage collaboration between the public and private sectors to drive innovative solutions for the inclusion of people of determination.
- Third Sector: The award fosters partnerships between organizations and government organizations, enhancing the effectiveness of initiatives and sustainable collaborations.
- Recognition and Media Exposure
- Private Sector: Participating offers companies a valuable opportunity for media exposure, potentially opening doors to new business prospects and collaborations with organizations dedicated to social responsibility and sustainable development leadership.
- Government Sector: Reflects public recognition of the government's commitment to developing an inclusive society, reinforcing trust among citizens and residents.
- Third Sector: The award provides third-sector organizations with a greater opportunity to raise awareness about their cause, helping them attract more support from individuals and institutions.
- Alignment with International and Local Standards
- Private Sector: Participating enhances an organization's alignment with international and local inclusion standards for people of determination by providing a clear roadmap and vision. Furthermore, the entire award cycle participation process serves as a free consultation and assessment, enabling organizations to identify areas for improvement and gain a deeper understanding of the needs of people of determination within their institutions.
- Government Sector: Demonstrates government organizations' dedication to national and international strategies for the rights of persons with disabilities. It offers a valuable opportunity for government agencies to enhance compliance from their operators with policies, frameworks, and systems that they have designed to promote the inclusion of people of determination, a part of the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination.
- Third Sector: Helps non-governmental organizations align with best global practices, enhancing their ability to attract funding and support.
- Sustainable Commitment to Disability and Social Inclusion
- Promotes long-term integration policies that ensure sustained social impact.
- According to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, economically empowering people of determination is not just a humanitarian issue but a key driver of comprehensive and sustainable development.
Timeline of the First Cycle
- Award Announcement: January 2025
- Awareness Workshops: April – May 2025
- Submissions’ Start Date: 1st July 2025
- Submissions’ Closure Date: August 31, 2025
- First Stage Assessment - Online: September 2025
- On-site Assessment (Shortlisted): October 2025
- Finalist Notification: December 2025
- Award Ceremony: January 2026
Stay tuned for more updates on the application process and orientation workshops.
For more information, contact us via: damj@addcd.gov.ae