About Aurora50
Aurora50 was co-founded by Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan and Diana Wilde in 2020 with a powerful vision: to achieve gender balance in the workplace.
A UAE-based social enterprise, our first – successful – initiative has been to increase the number of women on boards in the UAE through the Pathway20 accelerator programme and Manarat invite-only club for regional women who are independent board directors. We have now expanded our focus to support listed corporations, large private organisations and high-growth businesses alike with all their diversity, equity and inclusion (also known as DE&I, D&I, DEI, DEIB, DEIA or EDI) needs.
The Accelerator for Internal Management (AIM) is a customised executive leadership development accelerator for high-potential women leaders and executives and Gateway gives executive women the tools to seek out their first board position, while our Table Talks are a series of curated discussions to build inclusive leaders and teams by exploring diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) issues and tackling unconscious bias. Aalam Games are a fun way to kickstart your company’s DEI journey.
Talented men and women thrive in organisations that provide equal opportunities, which need to attract, retain and promote new staff to create the balanced, performance-led businesses they wish to become. From first-time managers all the way to the boardroom, Aurora50 develops inclusive leaders and environments, finding solutions to your DEI goals.
To empower stakeholders to rebalance the ecosystem, to achieve gender balance in the workplace for the next generation.
To support listed corporations, large private organisations and high-growth businesses alike to become and remain balanced and performance-led, with inclusive leaders, workplaces and culture.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI): We celebrate differences, and create safe spaces for different perspectives to be explored.
- Integrity: We act with uncompromising honesty and integrity in everything we do.
- Discretion: We respect the privacy and confidential information shared with us.
- Accountability: We empower each other to take ownership of our actions, words, and results.
- Teamwork: We achieve more when we collaborate, and all work together.
- Innovative: We encourage thoughtful, creative, and inspirational ideas and challenge the status quo.
- Awareness: Work closely with top media companies to raise awareness of gender inequality and encourage people to pursue different, more gender-equal futures.
- Aurora50 is a social enterprise dedicated to building the pipeline of female leaders needed for the workplace of the future.
- We promise to always provide solutions that drive impact and to re-invest a minimum of 51 percent of any profits made back into solving the problem of achieving gender balance in the workplace.
Social impact of Aurora50 initiatives
Aurora50 helps organisations with their environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) ratings, in line with the United Nations’ sustainable development goal 5 (SDG 5) of gender equality.
The UN 2030 Agenda has been adopted by the UAE to align with its national development plan, Centennial 2071 (previously Vision 2021).
Our founders
Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan
Sheikha Shamma is a progressive, entrepreneurial member of the Royal Family of the United Arab Emirates, sharing the vision established by her beloved great-grandfather and the UAE’s founding ruler, HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, for the sustainable development of the UAE and its people, particularly in education, culture and the empowerment of women and youth.
A philanthropist and published author, as well as co-founding Aurora50, she is chief executive of Alliances for Global Sustainability, founder of RESET MENA, and founder of the Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan Sustainability Initiatives. She also serves as a member of the UAE’s Circular Economy Council, Yale’s Center for Environmental Law and Policy Advisory Board and the Industry and Academic Advisory Board for the Academy of International Business MENA. In 2020, the Emirates Green Building Council appointed her as honorary president.
Sheikha Shamma is a graduate of the University of Cambridge with a master’s degree in sustainability leadership and an MPhil in modern Middle Eastern studies.
Diana Wilde
Diana Wilde is a business leader with more than 20 years’ experience in strategy and business development.
An impact entrepreneur, she has substantial experience growing businesses in the information services, training and events industries.
A business and finance graduate from the University of Westminster, she is certified in IDEO’s Advanced Design Thinking. She is also a committee member for the Association of Corporate Treasurers (ACT) Middle East.
Ms Wilde has always been passionate about making a difference and building communities, particularly in the area of diversity and inclusion.
You can find out more about the rest of the team in this blog post celebrating our second birthday. And you can find out more about design thinking in this blog post.
Our name
Aurora Borealis
The name Aurora50 was inspired by the beautiful Aurora Borealis, whose bright lights are a beacon of hope and positivity in the winter darkness.
The number 50 in our name serves as a reminder to ourselves to always think ahead and consider what we can do today, to create the change we want to see in the next 50 years.
