etisalat ceo receives award for community involvement
Mohammad Khalfan Al Qamzi honoured for contributions to UAE society
H.E. Mohammad Khalfan Al Qamzi, Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat, has received CEO Middle East’s ‘CSR’ award for the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives. The award was presented by HE Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi, UAE Minister of Economy during the annual CEO Awards ceremony, held last night in Dubai, and attended by the region’s business leaders.
CEO magazine ranked Etisalat the leading company in the Middle East in terms of its commitment to making contributions to society. The award marked the second time in as many years that Etisalat has won top honours for corporate social responsibility, with a previous award from Arabian Business being presented in 2006.
After receiving the award, H.E. Mohammad Khalfan Al Qamzi, said, “This is a celebration and a recognition of the efforts put in by every employee of Etisalat. Throughout the company, there is a dedication to giving back to the community. This award rightly recognizes our employees’ role in supporting the UAE government, community activities, as well as many humanitarian causes, which stem from our company’s core values.”
Al Qamzi became CEO of Etisalat in April, 2006. Since then, he has helped the company improve on its tradition of excellence and overseeing its rise to global prominence. He has also placed emphasis on the positive role Etisalat can play in promoting the economic and social wellbeing of the UAE. He is a vocal advocate of the principles of social responsibility, and has actively supported initiatives in education, the environment and in helping people with special needs.
Among the recent Etisalat CSR initiatives recognized by the award judges were its work with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and the UAE Ministry for Water and Environment, which led to the UAE’s first environmental campaign to recycle old and inoperative mobile phones. So far, the campaign has prevented over 100,000 phones from being consigned to rubbish dumps.
Etisalat has also actively supported people with special needs and participated in activating Federal Law No. 29 of 2006, which works to improve the welfare of people with special needs. It recently launched a new portfolio of services called Freedom, designed to empower recipients with the technology they need to perform business and social tasks.
During the Holy Month of Ramadan, Etisalat pledged AED 25 Million to Dubai Cares, the campaign to provide education to needy children around the world, initiated this year by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Etisalat also mobilized its technological capabilities to allow more people to participate in and contribute to the campaign.
Etisalat also donated AED 25 Million to Emirates Foundation to support its goal of achieving social welfare and sustainable development across the UAE. Emirates Foundation was established by the UAE Government in 2005 to enable the private and public sectors to establish new initiatives that contribute to the development of the community.
