- Achievement reflects Dubai Municipality’s institutional maturity and leadership in benchmarking, performance management and continuous improvement
- Municipality advances from its previous 6-Star rating in 2023 to the highest global rating, recognising its advanced performance and sustainable results
- Integrated governance and institutional innovation framework enhances operational efficiency, service development and quality of life
- Strategic partnerships and innovation labs drive proactive solutions and transform ideas into initiatives with tangible impact
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 13 November 2026: Dubai Municipality has achieved a new global milestone by securing the highest 7-Star rating at the Global Benchmarking Award 2026, presented by the Global Benchmarking Network (GBN). The achievement reflects the maturity of the Municipality’s institutional practices and its leadership in benchmarking, performance management and institutional development, as well as its ability to translate benchmarking outcomes into greater operational efficiency and enhanced service quality.
The recognition marks another milestone in Dubai Municipality’s journey of institutional excellence and innovation, reaffirming its commitment to developing an integrated governance framework that strengthens performance effectiveness and fosters a culture of organisational learning and continuous improvement across its core operations. It also reflects the Municipality’s approach to embedding innovation as a sustainable institutional practice that drives the development of solutions, anticipates challenges and enhances quality of life across the emirate. These efforts further reinforce Dubai’s position as a global hub for innovation and an enabling environment for pioneering ideas and future-focused initiatives.
The latest achievement represents significant progress in Dubai Municipality’s journey with the award. Having first received the recognition in 2023 with a 6-Star rating, the Municipality has continued to advance its performance and outcomes, achieving the highest global rating of 7 Stars. This distinction is awarded to organisations that demonstrate exceptional performance, advanced application of global benchmarking practices and the ability to leverage assessment findings and benchmarking results to implement improvement initiatives that deliver tangible and sustainable impact.
Eng. Nasser BuShehab, CEO of the Planning and Governance Sector at Dubai Municipality, emphasised that the achievement reflects the effectiveness of the Municipality’s institutional approach and its ability to continuously enhance its operations in line with global best practices. He highlighted the importance of leveraging benchmarking and performance measurement outcomes to identify opportunities for improvement and strengthen future readiness. He also noted that organisational learning and innovation are fundamental pillars of Dubai Municipality’s operating framework, enabling it to enhance performance and adopt innovative solutions that address emerging challenges while creating added value for customers, partners and the wider community.
He said: "Achieving the 7-Star rating marks an important milestone in Dubai Municipality’s journey towards institutional excellence. It reflects the maturity of our governance, performance and innovation framework, as well as our ability to translate global knowledge, experiences and best practices into tangible improvements in the way we operate. We remain committed to advancing this framework to enhance operational efficiency, elevate service quality and support Dubai’s ambitions to strengthen its position as a leading city in quality of life, sustainability and government excellence."
Dubai Municipality continues to strengthen its leadership by expanding strategic benchmarking partnerships and building an effective innovation network with government and private sector entities. These collaborations aim to facilitate knowledge exchange and develop joint, proactive solutions to future challenges and opportunities. The Municipality also organises hackathons and innovation labs to encourage idea generation and the development of smart solutions and innovative business models. In parallel, it provides specialised training programmes and certifications to strengthen human capital capabilities and equip employees with advanced skills in innovation and emerging technologies.
Reaffirming its commitment to embedding a culture of experimentation and learning, Dubai Municipality provides a supportive and safe environment for testing innovative initiatives and projects. It also adopts advanced performance indicators to measure the return on innovation, monitor its impact and ensure long-term sustainability and operational efficiency. These efforts contribute to achieving Dubai’s strategic objectives and reinforcing its position as the world's best city to live and work in.