- Landmark analysis highlights significant impact across health, inclusion, and environmental awareness across community initiatives.
- Phil Oliver, CEO, Desert Vipers: “We are immensely proud of the work we are doing in communities in the UAE and beyond, and to have the value of this work now quantified gives us a clear baseline upon which we can scale our impact. We look forward to continuing our many Community Programmes in the UAE Year of Family.”
- Ben Hardy-Jones, Business Sustainability Lead, Desert Vipers: “From inspiring young people through cricket to raising awareness of environmental sustainability, our programmes are designed to leave a positive legacy. This measurement serves to underscore the value of this work and provide a direction for scaling our impact in the future, as we continue playing with purpose for people and planet.”
- Megan Barnett-Smith, Founder, Barnett-Smith ESG Advisory: “Supporting the Desert Vipers in undertaking their Social Return on Investment analysis was an opportunity to help demonstrate the critical role professional sports organisations can play in driving measurable social value alongside commercial and on-field success. Increasingly, leading organisations understand that sustainability, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) performance, and stakeholder impact are not peripheral considerations, they are core indicators of long-term leadership and organisational maturity.”
The Desert Vipers have today announced the results of a comprehensive third-party Social Return on Investment (SROI) analysis, revealing that the franchise has generated AED 48.3 million in social value during the lifetime of Community Programmes to date.
The findings, undertaken by Barnett-Smith ESG Advisory, also demonstrate that for every 1 dirham invested into Desert Vipers’ Community Programmes, approximately 25 dirhams of social value was created – underscoring the organisation’s growing role as a force for positive impact both on and off the field.
Last week the Desert Vipers won the Excellence in Sustainability Category at the Sports Industry Awards 2026 for the Season 4 Sustainability Match. It was a recognition for all the efforts the team has made over the last few years to bring sustainability and awareness into the heart of all that they do both on and off the cricket field.
Delivering measurable impact
The portfolio of programmes measured to calculate social impact include:
- Desert Vipers Schools Programme;
- Desert Vipers BioBlitz powered by Styrex by Fuelre4m;
- Desert Vipers Talent Pathway powered by Balqis Capital;
- Corporate Training;
- Sustainability Match;
- and Heroes of Hope, which Desert Vipers have supported.
These programmes have generated a lifetime social value of AED 48.3 million in social value across three core pillars:
- Health & Wellbeing – the largest contributor to overall impact (AED 32.7m).
- Inclusion & Community Engagement – strengthening social cohesion and access (AED 9.5m).
- Environmental Awareness – driving education and action around sustainability (AED 6.1m).
A commitment to purpose-driven sport
The SROI assessment forms part of the Desert Vipers’ broader commitment to embedding sustainability and social responsibility into the heart of the organisation. By quantifying its impact, the franchise aims to ensure accountability while continuously improving the reach and effectiveness of its initiatives.
Phil Oliver, CEO, Desert Vipers, said: “We are immensely proud of the work we are doing in communities in the UAE and beyond, and to have the value of this work now quantified gives us a clear baseline upon which we can scale our impact. We look forward to continuing our many Community Programmes in the UAE Year of Family.”
Ben Hardy-Jones, Business Sustainability Lead, Desert Vipers, added: “From inspiring young people through cricket to raising awareness of environmental sustainability, our programmes are designed to leave a positive legacy. This measurement serves to underscore the value of this work and provide a direction for scaling our impact in the future, as we continue playing with purpose for people and planet.”
Megan Barnett-Smith, Founder, Barnett-Smith ESG Advisory, further added: “Supporting the Desert Vipers in undertaking their Social Return on Investment analysis was an opportunity to help demonstrate the critical role professional sports organisations can play in driving measurable social value alongside commercial and on-field success. Increasingly, leading organisations understand that sustainability, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) performance, and stakeholder impact are not peripheral considerations, they are core indicators of long-term leadership and organisational maturity.
“The Desert Vipers have shown a strong commitment to transparency, accountability, and impact measurement, positioning themselves at the forefront of a growing movement within global sport to meaningfully measure and communicate value creation beyond the game itself.”
Looking ahead
With a strong foundation now established, the Desert Vipers will continue to expand their programmes in the coming seasons. The ability to report to our partner businesses and to the government on the social impact value of our community work creates new and exciting possibilities on how the team can work with brands to positively impact UAE society.
Desert Vipers – Playing with purpose for People and Planet. For more details, visit the Desert Vipers website: https://www.thedesertvipers.com/sustainability/
