One of the country’s leading telecom operators, Telenor Pakistan, has released its Sustainability Report for 2020. The comprehensive report details the company’s ongoing efforts to digitally transform society while contributing to the nation’s economic growth. The Sustainability Report showcases Telenor Pakistan’s motivation to lead the country towards digitalization with innovative and inclusive ICT solutions in areas of banking, agriculture, healthcare, digital skills, and education, to name just a few. Whether it’s battling a global pandemic through relief efforts, championing diversity and inclusion in the workforce, or providing children with the fundamental right to identity, Telenor Pakistan’s achievements have significantly contributed to the country’s socio-economic growth.
Telenor Pakistan has always stepped forward in times of need. The organization contributed PKR 1.6 billion towards COVID 19 relief efforts. In partnership with the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) the organization provided food ration packs for 4500 underprivileged families and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to doctors and paramedics across the country. The in-kind contribution comprised of telecom and digital services which include affordable internet, customized packages public awareness campaigns, and donation collection through the My Telenor App, among others. Telenor Pakistan also facilitated access to various digital learning platforms, including creating subsidized internet packages for students of the Ministry of Information and Technology’s DigiSkills Programme.
The Sustainability Report 2020 highlights these achievements while reflecting the organization’s business strategy and purpose to empower societies. The report also reiterates Telenor Pakistan’s commitment to the UN SDGs, with a focus on goal #10, Reduced Inequalities.
Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Telenor Pakistan, Kamal Ahmed stated, “During the course of last year, the world came face-to-face with the unprecedented challenges of this pandemic. We witnessed frailty and devastation across the globe. But more importantly, we saw that no adversity – no matter how grave it may be – can conquer humanity’s determination and resolve. In these times of reckoning, Telenor Pakistan rose to the occasion and contributed PKR 1.6 billion in cash and kind towards Covid relief efforts. And staying true to our purpose, even during the pandemic, Telenor Pakistan continued to strive to bridge the digital divide – assisting communities across Pakistan, through the power of connectivity. This year’s Sustainability Report is not just a summary of our achievements, but rather a promise and demonstration of our unwavering resolve in building a sustainable path for Pakistan’s digital future.”
Social Impact
The report discusses Telenor Pakistan’s achievements in digitally registering 1.3 million births across nine districts of the country, through its Digital Birth Registration project. Launched in collaboration with UNICEF, the government, and several other stakeholders, the project aims to upgrade the outdated and ineffective, analogue birth registration process of the past.
Through its Safe Internet and School Outreach initiative, Telenor Pakistan has educated more than 700,000 students across Pakistan on safe and responsible use of the
internet since the inception of the program. This was done as part of Telenor’s global interactive curriculum Digiworld, designed to help children safely navigate the online world.
Telenor Pakistan’s ‘Naya Aghaaz’ program trains and equips young Pakistani women with the tools necessary to succeed in any organization. So far, the company has employed 69 women from the program, and most of the other participants are also building successful careers in different organizations.
Telenor Pakistan’s flagship recruitment program, Open Mind Pakistan helped to upskill and empower more than a hundred Persons with Disabilities (PWD). The Disability Job Portal, which allows the PWDs to search and apply for jobs across Pakistan complements the OMP program.
In its ongoing efforts to digitalize the economy, Telenor Pakistan has also created a platform for the agriculture sector, as the ‘Khushaal Zamindar’ smartphone application. The service provides farmers around the country with advisory on a range of crops, in three different languages. Farmers can contact digital helplines for the best-informed advice, tailored to their needs. Telenor Pakistan also continues to revolutionize the M-agri sector with several initiatives such as the affordable in-patient health insurance service.
Economic Impact
Telenor Pakistan sustains the livelihoods of approximately 1,300 permanent employees, besides the variety of distributors and vendors that make living thanks to the telecom operator. With a network of over 12,000 sites, covering 87% of the population, Telenor Pakistan also contributed over PKR 372 billion to the national exchequer as direct and indirect taxes. In collaboration with the Universal Service Fund, Telenor Pakistan also ensured coverage in the remotest areas of the country.
Health, Safety, and Environmental Impact
Despite Covid-19, Telenor Pakistan continued to speed up digital adoption in the country, while ensuring a sustainable supply chain through responsible business practices. Hundreds of virtual inspections oversaw technology operations to make sure safety precautions were adequately in place. The company also distributed Covid-19 kits amongst field staff and enhanced the field staff’s road safety measures. Telenor Pakistan consumed 9% less energy last year, despite the increased network rollout of 3G and 4G connectivity. The company’s Thunderbolt Project, which comprises solar and battery backup solutions made this reduction possible.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Through its Velocity program, Telenor Pakistan created digital education services by partnering with Ed-Tech startups and affected the lives of 250,000 students, and reached 1,818 schools around the country. Telenor Pakistan remains committed to doing business responsibly and ethically to ensure quality in all areas of operational effectiveness. The company welcomes another year of bigger achievements, higher targets, and even more reasons to make the country proud.
