Vodafone Qatar has invested in hybrid power systems aiming to reduce its diesel consumption by 64% by the end of next year, in addition to successfully reducing its water consumption by 27%.
This was informed by the company in a statement yesterday, announcing the launch of its second Sustainability Report 2015-2016 accredited by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the international governance body for corporate sustainability reports assurance.
Sustainability reporting is considered a crucial tool for managing stakeholder expectations, risk management and corporate planning, which is designed to provide information on a company’s environmental, social and economic performance and impacts and the initiatives for improving performance in these areas.
Vodafone Qatar’s corporate sustainability report “reflects Vodafone’s consideration of issues important to their stakeholders, including customers, employees, governments, regulators and communities where they operate, suppliers, their lenders and bondholders, and their equity investment partners”, according to the statement.
Last year, Vodafone Qatar took several steps towards implementing its sustainable business strategy. The company “continues its strong performance” in relation to health and safety (H&S), with zero work-related injuries and fatalities reported last year and a holistic health and safety programme that includes defensive driving training, anti-smoking campaigns, first-aid training and strict supplier H&S audits, among others.
“On the environmental front, the company has invested in hybrid power systems aiming to reduce its diesel consumption by 64% by the end of next year, in addition to successfully reducing its water consumption by 27%, which is an area that needs special attention in Qatar due to the country’s limited water supplies,” Vodafone Qatar said.
Regarding people development, Vodafone last year launched its new maternity leave policy to support working mothers. The policy gives them 112 working days of maternity leave compared to the market standard of 50 days.
Moreover, the company has stressed that it continues to invest in its training and development, increasing its training hours to 41 hours per employee per year. The company also continues to give back to the community through its corporate social responsibility programme that supports several local charities, sports and education initiatives. Its focus area under the programme is its AmanTECH initiative, which educates parents about digital parenting and guiding their children to stay safe in the digital world.
