TL;DR

Abu Dhabi City Municipality has set a new benchmark in public service excellence by securing 11 prestigious awards at the 2025 Harvard Business Council (HBC) International Awards, held at the historic Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce (RSA) in London. This remarkable feat marks the municipality’s most significant performance to date at the HBC Awards, both in terms of the number of awards won and the diversity of categories represented. The accolades spanned key areas such as innovation, leadership, professional excellence, and the empowerment of women in public service, reflecting the municipality’s strategic vision, operational efficiency, and commitment to global best practices. As reported by WAM, Emirates News Agency, Ahmed Fadhel Almehairbi, Acting Director-General of Abu Dhabi City Municipality, expressed immense pride in the achievement:“These awards affirm the high standards and professionalism of our teams across all sectors. Their efforts continue to position Abu Dhabi City Municipality as a leader in public service innovation and institutional excellence,” he said. He further added that this recognition aligns with the Emirate’s broader vision: “This achievement aligns with the vision of Abu Dhabi’s leadership and reinforces the municipality’s commitment to continuous improvement and to delivering modern, integrated services that meet the evolving needs of the community and stakeholders.”

The 2025 HBC International Awards, hosted during the AI & Innovation Convention, spotlighted standout institutions and professionals across 30 global categories. From a competitive pool of 4,172 applications and over 5,500 assessment hours, 63 winners were selected, highlighting innovation, AI adoption, sustainability, and excellence in governance. Abu Dhabi City Municipality emerged as a clear standout with the following recognitions:

The 2025 convention also featured the global launch of the Intelligent Sustainable Excellence (ISE) Model, signaling a new direction in how organizations assess and implement long-term, sustainable performance. These awards reflect Abu Dhabi City Municipality’s elevated role as a global benchmark in smart, sustainable governance, made even more significant by its active participation as a Gold Sponsor, a contribution that was formally recognized and appreciated by the HBC International Awards Foundation. Abu Dhabi City Municipality continues to carry the banner of urban innovation, following a legacy that dates back to its founding in 1962. Originally tasked with planning and maintaining roads, lighting, sewage, landscaping, agriculture, and markets, its role has since expanded dramatically. Today, it stands as a central force in executing the wise leadership’s vision for infrastructure development and sustainable urban transformation in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

This isn’t the first time that Abu Dhabi’s public institutions have dominated on the HBC international stage. As reported in 2024, Abu Dhabi Customs received six gold awards at the HBC International Awards in New York City, including categories such as:

These achievements reflect a consistent national commitment to global excellence, institutional development, and digital transformation.