How Tadweer in Abu Dhabi Used the EDGE Business Simulation to Build Sustainable Leadership Capability

Sustainability has become a strategic imperative for organisations operating at the intersection of public service, infrastructure, and environmental stewardship. For leaders, the challenge lies not only in setting ambitious sustainability goals, but in making informed decisions that balance environmental impact, operational performance, and long-term resilience.

In Abu Dhabi, Tadweer partnered with AEQLIA to integrate the EDGE Business Simulation into a leadership development programme for senior leaders and managers. The programme aimed to strengthen leaders’ ability to navigate sustainability challenges through realistic decision-making and collective reflection.

The Leadership Context

Leaders at Tadweer operate in a complex environment shaped by:

• Increasing sustainability and circular-economy ambitions

• The need to balance environmental outcomes with operational efficiency

• Long-term infrastructure and investment decisions

• Stakeholder expectations across government, industry, and society

• The responsibility to translate sustainability strategy into everyday decisions

While sustainability was firmly embedded in the organisation’s mission, leaders needed an opportunity to experience sustainability trade-offs in action, rather than discuss them conceptually.

The EDGE Business Simulation

At the heart of the programme was the EDGE Business Simulation, an immersive experience focused on embedding sustainability into strategic and operational decision-making.

Participants stepped into the role of a leadership team within a simulated organisation facing sustainability-driven transformation. They were required to:

• Navigate trade-offs between People, Planet, and Profit

• Make decisions under uncertainty and long-term impact considerations

• Balance short-term performance pressures with future sustainability goals

• Align leadership priorities across functions and time horizons

• Reflect on how leadership behaviours influence sustainable outcomes

The simulation was embedded within the broader leadership programme and supported by facilitated debriefs connecting insights directly to Tadweer’s operational reality.

What Leaders Experienced

The simulation created a shift from abstract sustainability conversations to practical leadership decision-making.

Participants experienced:

• The complexity of sustainability trade-offs in real time

• How leadership choices compound over the long term

• The tension between immediate results and systemic impact

• The importance of cross-functional alignment in sustainability initiatives

Many leaders recognised patterns from their own context, making the learning highly relevant and actionable.

The Impact

The EDGE Business Simulation generated strong engagement and meaningful reflection among senior leaders and managers.

Leaders reported:

• A deeper understanding of sustainability as a leadership challenge, not just a technical one

• Greater confidence in making sustainability-driven decisions

• Increased awareness of how leadership behaviour shapes environmental and organisational outcomes

• Practical ideas for embedding sustainability into daily operations and strategic planning

The shared experience also helped create a common language around sustainability across leadership levels.

From Sustainability Strategy to Leadership Practice

By integrating the EDGE Business Simulation into a leadership development programme, Tadweer enabled leaders to experience the realities of sustainable decision-making before applying them in their roles.

The programme reinforced a critical insight: sustainability is not delivered by policy alone, but by leaders who can navigate complexity, make informed trade-offs, and lead with long-term responsibility.