Corporate Social Responsibility is here to stay. With increasing awareness among communities, concept of triple bottom line reporting is flourishing. Responsible business practices not only ensure socially sustainable measures but contribute towards business sustainability as well. The increasing importance of CSR for any business warrants an approach that advocates separate CSR departments or resources within organization. The function is not just here to stay but grow and assume new dimensions in future.

Every responsible business organization is trying its best to contribute to the society and make a difference. CSR can provide a more holistic view of businesses and their activities so enabling them to manage risks and create new opportunities. There are excellent examples of CSR making a real difference - raising skills, improving resource efficiency and providing innovative products.

All companies need to consider their impacts on the communities in which they operate and the environment. However, there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to CSR. Telenor Pakistan has been a keen participant when it comes to social responsibility. It’s who we are and nothing will change that. Not only is it important for Telenor Pakistan’ reputation, it is a critical element of our business success.

Corporate Responsibility, for Telenor Pakistan, is a way of doing business. With our shared value concept, we seek to maximize the value all stakeholders derive from our day to day business management. Our highest priority is provision of high quality services in all areas of Pakistan, enabling accessibility and communication for all.

Our stakeholders are very diverse including the community, government, investors and employees etc. A responsible business today has to be value driven and must keep the interests of all shareholders at heart.

Based upon the concept of shared value creation, we believe that it is most prudent for CSR initiatives to originate from technical expertise of the business. We also believe that we can provide maximum value by working on empowerment through accessibility. Although we have a very diverse basket of CSR initiatives, the thrust of our activities is directed towards telecommunication. Projects like tele-health initiatives, as well as, our Apna PCO initiative are examples of similar projects.

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When we use the term CSR, there has to be a holistic approach. When we mention the fact that Corporate Responsibility for us is the way we do business, it means that responsible practices are integrated into our business processes. Therefore, all our initiatives / programs / projects and functions act responsibly maintaining a balance towards all stakeholders.

Ethical conduct for us is part of Corporate Responsibility. Any initiative negating ethical conduct for us is not a CSR initiative and not acceptable to Telenor Pakistan in any form.

Impact of Corporate Responsibility on business is long term. Responsible practices in business assure sustainability for business as well as the society where the business operates. There are a number of methodologies that can be used for measuring the impact of CSR on business and stakeholders, some indigenously developed and some adapted from social sector. The ROI for CSR is extremely desirable and positive, especially due to its affect on the sustainability and positive outlook of the business.

It is up to each industry and company to consider the challenges and opportunities facing them and how they can best contribute to social and environmental objectives. For example, the issues relevant to a telecommunication company will be different to those facing an oil company. All responsible organizations must support and encourage all its employees to actively participate in community-enhancement projects. There is increasing evidence that people value working for companies who are good corporate citizens. Taking part in CSR activities can boost employee motivation and morale as well as enhancing skills, bringing potential benefits to businesses of all sizes.