Uber has announced “Masaruky” (“your path” in Arabic) — a two year initiative that aims to increase women’s participation in the workforce through access to affordable transportation, in addition to increasing women’s access to flexible, part-time economic opportunities through the Uber technology.
The campaign will kick off with an initial SR1 million ($270,000) pledge to make driving schools accessible to more women who are interested in learning how to drive but may not have the resources to do so.
Anthony Khoury, Uber regional general manager, said: “With Masaruky and the announcement of the SR1 million pledge, we’re seeking to contribute to this new chapter for female mobility in the Kingdom. In the same way that our technology has brought a positive impact to more than 18 cities around the Kingdom, this will help us in further supporting women toward achieving their economic ambitions and goals — because not only do we enable more convenient ways to move around cities, but we also strive to drive change that is positive, meaningful and economically empowering”
This comes on the back of months of research to understand what transport solutions will best serve Saudi women on the road to Vision 2030. There are currently 1.3 million women in the Saudi workplace — 22 percent of the total workforce, a figure that the Kingdom’s government expects to increase to 30 percent by 2030.
The research, in collaboration with Ipsos, has found that 93 percent of Saudi women were positive about the recent lifting of the driving ban, mostly because it will allow them more flexibility to work. About 78 percent said they are likely to get a driving license post ban removal, and almost a third (31 percent) of those surveyed, indicated that they were interested in driving as an earning opportunity. An efficient way to make some extra disposable income and flexible hours were cited as some of the top reasons driving could be an earning opportunity for women in Uber.
Uber has been well received by driver-partners in the Kingdom since its launch. The company recently announced that it has already registered over 150,000 Saudi partner-drivers on the app, 65 percent of whom utilize Uber part-time.
Uber pledges SR1m to support women’s driving in Kingdom
Uber pledges SR1m to support women’s driving in Kingdom
Saudi Awwal Bank becomes first Middle East bank to earn 7-star CinOrg innovation accreditation
Saudi Awwal Bank has become the first bank in the Middle East to receive a 7‑star Certified Innovative Organization rating from the Global Innovation Institute, the highest recognition awarded by the institute.
The accreditation marks a significant step in SAB’s innovation strategy and follows an innovation maturity assessment conducted by the institute in December 2025. The review, which built on an earlier assessment in December 2023, raised the bank’s maturity level from “Champion” to “Leader.” The new rating reflects SAB’s institutionalized approach to innovation, its enterprise-wide impact and its ability to consistently deliver measurable results.
With the 7‑star rating, SAB becomes the first bank in the region to reach the highest innovation maturity level, strengthening its position as a regional reference point for innovation-led and future-ready banking.
In 2025, the bank opened its flagship Innovation Centre and secured six internationally recognized innovation awards, along with a lab accreditation. The centre has supported SAB’s efforts to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies, encourage cross-functional collaboration and reinforce its standing as a regional leader in financial innovation.
Saeed Assiri, chief innovation banking officer at SAB, said the recognition reflects years of focused work to build a sustainable innovation ecosystem.
“By investing in SAB’s culture, governance and talent, innovation enables the bank to remain future-ready,” he said. “This milestone reinforces our role in accelerating financial innovation in Saudi Arabia and delivering long-term value for our customers.”
The certification adds to SAB’s broader efforts to strengthen its innovation capabilities as the Kingdom’s banking sector continues to evolve.
