WiSER
Championing women as leaders of sustainable change through year-long initiatives in thought leadership, personal and professional development and community engagement.
WHAT IS WISER
WiSER marks 10 years of empowering women to lead change
We’re Just Getting Started paves the way for the next chapter of impact.
Founded in 2015 by Oryx Sovereign Wealth Advisors and the Zayed Sustainability Prize, WiSER is born out of the UAE leadership’s longstanding and continuing commitment to the role of women; a commitment that reflects the vision of the late founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
WiSER focuses on education, engagement and empowerment by providing women with leadership training, sustainability knowledge and opportunities to connect with global leaders to address gender and sustainability challenges.
WiSER is aligned closely with the UAE’s broader vision of driving inclusive action and promoting gender equity, by championing women’s leadership in critical sectors such as renewable energy, the environment and sustainable development.
WHY IS IT NEEDED?
Women and girls are crucial to building a more sustainable world.
Recognizing that women account for less than 25 percent of the global workforce in key sustainability areas, WiSER is committed to providing women with the skills, knowledge and platforms needed to lead and contribute to a sustainable and equitable future.
WiSER GOVERNANCE
Advisory Council
The WiSER Advisory Council comprises global policymakers, business leaders and influential figures who provide strategic direction and guidance on WiSER initiatives to enhance the participation of women in the sustainability industry.
H.E. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber
Board of Directors
UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Chairman of Masdar
Elizabeth Sofia
WordPress Dev.
A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary
Charlie Cooper
WordPress Dev.
A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary
Lucy Evelyn
WordPress Dev.
A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary
WiSER Impact
150+
Professional young women representing 30+ nationalities have graduated from the WiSER Pioneers Program
4,000+
Influential figures have been convened by WiSER to advance gender parity and sustainability
565+ hours
One to one mentoring has been provided to young women to become sustainability leaders.
540+ hours
Of workshops have been conducted with WiSER Pioneers
Y4S Programs
WiSER Annual Forum
WiSER takes place at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and promotes thought leadership through its Annual Forum, which has to date brought together over 4,000 influential figures to address global issues, while year-round it fosters dialogue through WiSER’s key pillars, including thought leadership, personal and professional development, and community engagement.
WiSER White Papers
Explore the key findings of the WiSER Annual Forum.
WiSER Words of Wisdom Podcast
WiSER’s Words of Wisdom Podcast brings together voices from across the sustainability community to share ideas, experiences, and personal journeys shaping a better future. Each episode offers mentorship insights, practical reflections, and transformative stories that champion WiSER’s pillars of education, engagement, and empowerment.
WiSER Pioneers Program
The year-long WiSER Pioneers Program offers young women aged 25 to 35 access to educational workshops, mentorship and global networking opportunities with industry experts. The program provides women with the skills and knowledge needed to become sustainability leaders. Interested in applying? Find out if you are eligible for the next application cycle.
WiSER Mentorship Program
The WiSER Mentorship Program is open to women enrolled in the WiSER Pioneers Program. Its purpose is to aid career progression by providing one-to-one mentoring sessions with senior industry figures. The sessions focus on goal setting, skills-building, and preparing participants for leadership roles.
If you wish to volunteer as a mentor, please register your interest with the WiSER team and tell us your designation, the number of years of experience you have, and what you hope to offer as a mentor.
WiSER Networking Opportunities
At WiSER, engagement lies at the heart of our field trips and high-level forums, where women can increase their sustainability knowledge and build connections. Empowerment drives our events, where global influential leaders gather to find solutions to gender and sustainability issues.
WiSER Cares
The WiSER Cares program aims to strengthen leadership cultural exchange with hands-on sustainability experience. WiSER Pioneers have been taken on field trips to increase their sustainability knowledge and build partnerships. Recent trips include spending time living with, and learning from, a rural, off-grid community in Rwanda; visiting Morocco to understand more about adaptive agriculture; and advancing knowledge on energy transformation, community resilience and innovation in Indonesia.
WiSER Newsletter
This quarterly e-newsletter is filled with updates about WiSER’s achievements and developments. The newsletter contains stories and statistics about WiSER’s impact and encourages readers to continue to champion women as agents of sustainable change.
WiSER Campaigns
Through its campaigns, WiSER aims to recognize and empower women’s efforts to build a more sustainable future, and position women of all nationalities as drivers of change and innovation, whether on issues of policy, technology or business. By championing innovators, we inspire the next generation of women leaders and pioneers in the field of sustainability.
