MA Jabbar recognised as UN Global Compact SDG Pioneer

MA Jabbar, managing director of DBL Group, has been recognised as Global SDG Pioneer for Large National and Multinational companies by the United Nations Global Compact at the UN General Assembly in New York on 19 September.

"After becoming the Bangladesh SDG Pioneer, Mr Jabbar was nominated for the Global Round where he has been recognised as one of 12 Global SDG Pioneers advancing the #GlobalGoals around the world," reads a LinkedIn post by the Global Compact Network Bangladesh.

MA Jabbar is the fourth Bangladesh that has been named a Global Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Pioneer and the first time for Large National and Multinational companies.

Previously, Farzana Chowdhury, managing director and CEO of Green Delta Insurance Company, was recognised for Women's Economic Security in 2016, Sonia Bashir Kabir, former managing director at Microsoft Bangladesh, for Women's Digital Empowerment in 2017 and Mashook Mujib Chowdhury, sustainability manager at DBL Group, for Empowerment of Working Women in 2019.

MA Jabbar is the managing director of a family business conglomerate of Bangladesh, DBL Group, established in 1991. He is a Computer Science graduate from the University of Texas at Dallas, USA.

In a span of three decades, DBL has grown and diversified into Apparel, Textiles, Ceramic Tiles, Pharmaceuticals, Dredging, Telecom, VLSI, and IT industries. 

He is also a senior vice president of Bangladesh Economic Zone Investors' Association (BEZIA) and vice president of Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BCMEA).

After achieving the accolade, MA jabbar said, "My superpower is the Power of Five. At DBL, we call this Sustainability 5.0. People, Process, Product, Community and Environment are the pillars that constitute this power. By proactively leading and engaging our organisation in these five areas, I am fighting to make our world greener and fairer, aligning with the SDGs.

"Being recognised as a 2023 Local SDG Pioneer opened my way to access the global stage. The SDG Pioneer recognition is a testimony to all our sustainability efforts. Representation of my country Bangladesh and my industry DBL by the UN Global Compact is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. My presence being so near to the UN headquarters is unlocking a new level of creating impact."