Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority Recognised With 2025 Inspiring Workplaces Award For Commitment To Culture

The Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) has been honoured with the 2025 Middle East & Africa Inspiring Workplaces Award. This accolade places ECA among the region's most forward-thinking and employee-focused organisations. The award, given by the Inspiring Workplaces Group, acknowledges entities that excel in nurturing inclusive and purpose-driven workplace environments.

ECA was chosen from a competitive group of organisations across the Middle East and Africa. It was recognised for its dedication to fostering a thriving workplace culture. The winners were announced during a virtual event on June 4, 2025. Sana Suhail, Director-General of ECA, expressed her pride in the achievement, attributing it to the inspiration drawn from the children they serve.

Founded in 2019, ECA is dedicated to promoting optimal child development and wellbeing from pregnancy through age eight. Its internal culture is rooted in trust, inclusion, and shared purpose. This foundation supports innovation and lasting change across its programs in health, nutrition, child protection, family support, and early education.

Sana Suhail stated: "This award is a reflection of the inspiration we draw every day from the children we serve. Their creativity, imagination, and resilience have shaped the way we think about our work and our workplace. We set out to build a culture that mirrors the wonder, curiosity, and strength we see in young children - and this recognition affirms that vision."

ECA has implemented several initiatives that have become integral to its workplace culture. These include Meeting-free Fridays and Discovery Days. Additionally, there is a ban on work-related communications after hours and on weekends unless urgent. New employees receive a Culture Playbook to guide them through their journey at ECA.

The Inspiring Workplaces Awards are now in their 10th year and are renowned globally for recognising organisations prioritising people-centric practices. Unlike survey-based awards, these awards evaluate organisations based on six key pillars: Culture & Purpose, Leadership, Wellbeing, Inclusion, Employee Voice, and Employee Experience.

Recognition Process

An independent panel of regional experts rigorously assesses each organisation using transparent criteria. This ensures that only those truly committed to fostering exceptional workplace environments are recognised as winners.

The recognition of ECA underscores its commitment to creating an environment where employees can thrive while focusing on child development initiatives. This achievement highlights how thoughtful workplace design can lead to extraordinary outcomes.

With inputs from WAM