Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the winners of the second edition of the Emirates Labour Market Award were honoured by H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, and Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and Chairman of the award’s Supervisory Committee, in a ceremony held today by the ministry at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi).

During the ceremony, 84 winners including companies and workers were honoured, selected out of 7,700 applications submitted across the award’s five main categories, with a total prize pool valued at AED37 million.

Applications were evaluated by expert committees based on criteria such as employment and empowerment, occupational health and safety, creativity and innovation, talent acquisition, labour relations and wages, and social responsibility, among several other comprehensive, integrated and category-specific criteria.

On this occasion, His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, “The UAE Government’s forward-thinking and sustainability-driven vision, under the exceptional leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has enabled our nation to stand out as an inspiring example of excellence and leadership, a beacon of innovation across all vital sectors, and a role model for constructive collaboration between the public and private sectors. This synergy empowers us to move forward and achieve the ambitious strategic objectives outlined in the UAE 2031 vision and the UAE Centennial 2071 Plan, further enhancing the country’s global competitiveness and standing.

“We congratulate the winners in this second edition of the Emirates Labour Market Award, whose name embodies the UAE’s ambition to be a world leader in every field. We are proud of all the award submissions, which play a critical role in the UAE’s pioneering economic development journey, supporting the country’s efforts to build a competitive, robust, diverse, and sustainable knowledge-based economy. These contributions empower the UAE to be a global destination for talent and a launchpad for businesses, offering a healthy and agile environment that upholds international standards and best practices.”

For his part, Dr. Abdulrahman Al Awar thanked His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his continued support for the award.

He said, “The Emirates Labour Market Award has become a pillar in the UAE labour market’s journey towards excellence. It forms a strategic approach for enhancing competitiveness in the business environment and work culture, offering an essential contribution to the UAE’s efforts to advance its position as an ideal global destination for living, working, and investing."

Al Awar thanked H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his presence and honouring the winners of the second edition of the award.

He said, “The second edition of the award received highly innovative submissions that required significant effort from judging panels to adapt governance and evaluation methodologies to meet the award’s stringent criteria and the high-quality, competitive entries. The submissions truly embody our wise leadership’s vision of excellence and innovation as fundamental principles, setting a benchmark for a comprehensive working system that serves to maintain the country’s journey towards great achievements and strengthen its sustainable development framework.

“This resonates with the UAE’s vision to build an integrated, competitive knowledge economy, develop its economic infrastructure and business environment, and position itself among the world’s most powerful and fastest growing economies.

“The award submissions reflect the deep sense of social responsibility among private-sector companies and their compliance with labour market regulations, as well as their competitiveness and commitment to developing their workers’ skills in a safe and empowering work environment. Submissions also highlighted companies’ ability to establish a comprehensive work system centred on efficiency and creativity, underlining their commitment to fostering innovation and becoming a leading partner in government efforts to shape the future.”

He congratulated the award winners, applauded the efforts of all applicants, and extended his gratitude to the award’s sponsors, judging panels, and everyone who contributed to the success of this edition.

In the Companies category, which recognises leading companies in the labour market, 24 companies were honoured across 9subcategories based on evaluation results. The category includes a total of 33 winners across 11 subcategories.

Subcategories include the Mining and Quarrying sector, where Oceaneering OIS Company took first place, while Emirates District Cooling (Emicool) won first place in the Manufacturing sector, followed by Siemens Industries in second and Arabian Packaging Co. in third.

The first-place prize in the Wholesale and Retail Trade sector went to Sharjah Co-operative Society (Sharjah Coop), followed by Chalhoub Group in second, and Masafi Co. along with Majid Al Futtaim Hypermarkets in third place.

In Real Estate, Damac secured first place, followed by Binghatti Development in second, and Mazrui & Hawi Painting Co in third.