"At Vodafone, we believe that we are connecting and developing the community, accelerating the advancement of Egypt, Noha Saad, Vodafone Egypt's Corporate Responsibility and Foundation Manager told Daily News Egypt.Pledging a top-notch telecommunications service, Vodafone Egypt has also vowed a solid corporate social responsibility to the nation's less-fortunate through various initiatives.Vodafone Egypt was one of the first companies in Egypt to have an entire department dedicated to CSR activities. The department was established in 2004, and has since been engaged in philanthropic-based and community support projects, Saad said. The CSR program at Vodafone covers a wide range of activities such as environmental issues (recycling and waste management), responsible network deployment, social products and services."CSR is integrated in the Vodafone business, our strategic goal is to be a responsible business, she said.Corporations now compete in this once unknown field. Many have departed from the small-scale charity project concept, towards adopting a cohesive vision for long term development. While some these development projects are usually related to the company's line of business, some companies have also ventured into fields different from their area of expertise.A few years ago, Microsoft set a goal that by the end of this decade they would bring the benefits of technology to 250 million underserved people worldwide. In collaboration with non governmental organizations (NGOs), and governments, Microsoft has brought valuable technology to more than 135 million people.Microsoft Egypt has joined the Cyber Peace Initiative, which aims to safe-guard the internet as a medium of communication and peaceful dialogue.The software corporation also founded the Non-Government Organization Academy that aims to equip NGOs with the necessary skills through the capacity building program that includes IT skills, proposal writing, human and resource management, project management and more.This initiative is run in partnership with the Ministry of Social Solidarity."Our CSR vision is aligned with our business vision: to empower people to use technology as a tool to reach their potential, Ghada Khalifa, Microsoft Egypt CSR Manager, told Daily News Egypt. Vodafone shares the same concerns about the digital divide. Vodafone in cooperation with the ICT Trust Fund, United Nations Development Program and Microsoft is establishing an ICT and community development center in the Siwa Oasis. "Every year Vodafone measures their performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPI's ) set and agreed upon by the management on an annual basis to establish clear and strategic CSR objectives with proper measurements, Saad said.British Petroleum (BP) collaborated with the Egyptian Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Trade in supporting the Technical Skills Employability Program (TSEP). It aims to provide industrial zones with qualified, skilled labor to meet the emerging industrial challenges. It has been estimated that the program will have a minimum of 20,000 beneficiaries. BP Egypt and the Egyptian Ministry of Transport teamed up to further develop the Emergency Response and Safety Management system. The program mainly focuses on enhancing the crisis management resources. Taking its commitment with the Ministry of Education to the next level, Partners in Learning is a five-year, global initiative that focuses the company's resources, partnerships, services, philanthropy and products to stimulate positive change in the education system in Egypt.Microsoft is one of the main partners in the Egypt Education Initiative (EEI) and is providing in coordination with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology a spectrum of programs in the pre-university epoch to help teachers and students realize their full potential. Vodafone also contributes in the development of the educational system. Through the Madrasty Initiative, they aim to improve the quality of education in Egypt through improving the school environment. "One hundred and thirty seven schools have been renovated in 27 governorates, impacting 100,000 parents, teachers, and people from the local communities, she said. BP also supports a range of educational activities, from primary schooling to higher education and workplace learning. It funds scholarships for post-graduate studies at the prestigious University of Cambridge in the UK. To date, they have sponsored 35 scholarships for students. It also sponsors scholarships through the Chevening Scheme and the American University in Cairo through the Public Schools Scholarship Fund.It also supports the newly established Nile University, a prominent local university providing world-class education and research through partnering and collaborating with prestigious universities and institutions. Recognizing the importance of small and medium business enterprises in building the overall Egyptian economy, Microsoft launched the SME Empowerment Initiative with an aim to aid ailing or would-be SMEs to become self sustaining and profitable businesses through building their IT and skills capacity. "By implementing robust and sustainable programs in the countries in which we operate, Microsoft can create social and economic opportunities that can transform communities and help people realize their potential, Khalifa said.The initiative also focuses on the participation of women SME owners to enhance empowerment of women through financial self sufficiency. To be able to provide a more-focused CSR agenda, the Vodafone Egypt Foundation (VEF) was established in 2003. Annually, the foundation is funded with 2 percent of the annual Vodafone Egypt EBITDA (Earning before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization).VEF is a registered NGO at the Ministry of Social Solidarity, operating as a donor supporting NGOs to implement projects in the areas of health and education for children, governed by a board of trustees that include non-Vodafone representatives. VEF is working on projects with a total budget of LE30 million.Vodafone supports the integration of those with special needs in the society, through the partnership with the Special Olympics of Egypt which started in 2003. Vodafone recently supported the Special Olympic Delegation in their journey to the Olympic games in Shanghai, where they won over 45 five medals in various sports.
