Emirates Global Aluminium welcomes 79 Emirati women over past year

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) on Thursday announced that more than 188 women have joined the company since Emirati Women’s Day 2025, including 79 UAE nationals.

EGA today employs 833 women in the UAE, including 462 UAE nationals. More than 408 women at EGA hold operational roles, with Emiratis representing over 44 per cent of women in operations.

The company continues to expand opportunities for women across all areas of the business, including operations, technical roles, leadership positions and corporate functions, supporting the UAE's vision to increase female participation in the industrial sector.

EGA also continues to advance gender diversity beyond its own operations through the Challenger Programme, a collaborative initiative launched by EGA in 2023 with a number of leading industrial companies in the UAE.

The programme aims to address common barriers faced by women in the industrial sector and develop practical solutions that accelerate progress and enhance their participation in the sector.

Through EGA's Challenger Programme, participating companies are working together on practical initiatives that support a more inclusive workplace culture and women’s career development and retention.

The programme’s efforts have included the development of shared resources and tools to help companies implement best practices for fostering more inclusive workplaces in the industrial sector.

Abdulnasser bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said, "Emirati Women’s Day is an opportunity to recognise the remarkable contribution of Emirati women to EGA, our industry, and the nation. We are proud of the progress we have made in gender diversity at EGA, particularly in operational and technical roles.

"Our ambition is not only to increase participation but also to ensure women have the support, development opportunities, and environment they deserve to succeed and thrive. Through our own initiatives and collaborations such as the Challenger Programme, we remain committed to helping build a more diverse and inclusive industrial sector for future generations."

In 2022, EGA opened to women for the first time its long-standing National Training programmes for front-line roles in industrial operations.

In the following year, women accounted for some 20 percent of new joiners to the National Training programmes. By 2025, the proportion had risen to over 40 percent.

EGA is a signatory to the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles and remains committed to advancing gender diversity across its business.

Through attracting, developing and supporting female talent, EGA continues to champion women’s participation and leadership in industry, contributing to the UAE’s vision for a more sustainable and competitive economy.