Title image: betterimpactblog.com

Written by: Atiya

Apart from being a great service provider in telecom services and IT improvements throughout the years, Ooredoo has also empowered many people in its company life. Since its inception with the name Q-tel, later changed to Ooredoo in 2013 for international business ventures, success is not the sole motivation drive for this organization. Social and corporate responsibility is also one of its great ongoing enterprises.

When Ooredoo representatives were asked about the importance of social responsibility they replied, “Ooredoo has worked with community groups and charities across Qatar to become a good corporate citizen and for trying to focus on the issues that mean the most for the people of our country. They are active partners with Qatar’s local communities to make sure ideas and requests come from a wide range of people, such as colleagues, customers, local schools and charitable organizations.”

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is important to Ooredoo because it is a company that cares. It wants to put its customers’ money to good use. Though Ooredoo is a telecom company, primarily dealing with phones and networks, Ooredoo believes that CSR is no longer about only writing cheques to charities – corporations have to also engage with the community to develop meaningful programs.

The concept of giving back will always be a top priority for businesses, especially in Qatar, with Ramadan and Eid being such a huge part of our culture, the act of giving will always have a place in Ooredoo's ventures.

Some of their most prominent and ongoing CSR efforts include:

• Support for health projects that help people across the community, as well as encouraging everyone to live a healthier lifestyle.

• In 2014, they signed a QR30 million partnership with the Qatar Cancer Society to support cancer prevention in Doha through a dedicated facility called “The Ooredoo Cancer Awareness Centre.”

• Continued support to the Fahad Bin Jassim Kidney Centre at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), which provides dialysis facilities for 400 patients every week who suffer from kidney disease.

• Sport initiatives, which include the Ooredoo Marathon, an annual event that brings thousands of people out onto the streets of Qatar, as well as yearly activities for Qatar National Sports Day.

• Recently became the National Sponsor of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and helped support the committees work at the Rio 2016 Olympics. As part of the agreement they also continue to support a number of upcoming international sporting events with QOC.

• They supported Bayt Qatar, the QOC’s Olympic hospitality house in Rio de Janeiro that aimed to share Qatar’s culture, heritage and passion for sport with the Olympics’ international audience.

• Ooredoo’s partnership with QOC will also see them help support all Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) events, FINA/Airweave Swimming World Cup events, and support for the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Series, which will next be held in 2017. This agreement is important, as it will help promote athleticism and healthy living to the customers, as well as inspire the next wave of Qatari sporting talent.

• Major supporter of Qatari culture, traditions and education. This includes a wide range of community, school and educational projects.

• Ooredoo’s pride in nation is on display every year on Qatar National Day, when Ooredoo organizes events and initiatives for employees and the community.

• Cultural work includes Ooredoo’s support for the Hejen Racing Festival, which promotes traditional camel racing, and values such as honor and good sportsmanship.

• To reach out to young people, they also encourage Ooredoo employees to volunteer at Injaz Qatar, which helps to prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.

Ooredoo is also proud to work on, continue to work with, and support, initiatives such as the Qatar Mobility Innovations Centre in Education City, Mada (Qatar Assistive Technology Centre), Aspire Zone Foundation’s “Step into Health” program and the H.H. The Emir Cup and The Heir Apparent Cup.

Ooredoo has a great story to share about the ‘Legendary Match’, which was the best moment of 2016 so far. It was a friendly football match between respected, retired celebrity players and street kids during the Rio Olympics 2016. Players included the most internationally capped male Brazilian player of all time, Cafu, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan defender Lúcio, Brazilian defender and Qatar’s very own Al-Saliya team member Marcelo Tavares.

The match was important because it helped raise awareness about ‘Save the Dream’, the official charity of Doha-based International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS). Not only did it raise awareness, but the match helped make the dreams come true of 16 talented street children from Caracol Favela in the Complexo da Penha, Rio de Janeiro. The video (mentioned below) has been viewed over six million times and Ooredoo hopes it will bring a lot of well-deserved attention to ‘Save the Dream’ and the QOC’s work.

We asked Ooredoo representatives if they had any message for the youth, they replied, “We always want to hear what’s important to you, and what we can help your community with. After all, we can’t become part of Qatar’s diverse communities if we don’t understand, work with, and give back to our country.”

For the youth, Ooredoo has extended 50% off Shahry and Mobile Broadband student promotion to everyone under 26, as they want all young people in Qatar to have access to their Supernet, to help them reach their full potential.

Not many people are aware of the social responsibilities carried out by Ooredoo. Their activities are primarily advertised on social media to promote good causes across Qatar.

According to Ooredoo, “CSR should not just be about company reward. We believe Ooredoo’s most successful CSR projects are those that just happen because we care.”

“The deals, partnerships and sponsorships of small events across Qatar’s population that don’t end up in the paper, but give our customers help towards what they need and trust that we are there,” Ooredoo reps said.

Ooredoo’s services are known to all but what needs to be highlighted is Ooredoo’s social responsibility to empower the youth, women and children around the world.

Did you know about the other side of Ooredoo? What projects of theirs have you previously heard about? Comment below!

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AngelPolacco

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