Kuwait Times, Tuesday, Jul 14, 2020 | Zul Qaadah 22, 1441
Zain joins ‘The Valuable 500’ to unlock opportunities for people with disabilities
Kuwait:
Zain Group, a leading mobile telecom innovator in eight markets across
the Middle East and Africa, proudly announces its inclusion in The Valuable 500,
an international initiative striving to put disability on the leadership agenda
within corporates. Zain already has a well-defined and proactive diversity and
inclusion program, WE ABLE, aimed at integrating people with disabilities within
the company as well as improving their business social and economic prospects.
The company’s participation in The Valuable 500 will further amplify its
efforts.
Entrepreneur Caroline Casey launched The Valuable 500 at the World Economic
Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos in January 2019, creating a global movement
focused on disability leadership in business and celebrating those who commit to
inclusion. The initiative’s aim is to unite 500 business leaders representing
global corporations to serve as role models and ignite social change by shining
the light on people living with disabilities and showcasing how people in these
communities remain a significant and contributing sector of society.
Zain is the first corporation from the GCC to join the initiative along with 285
other leading global corporates such as Coca Cola European Partners, Citi Group,
Microsoft, Omnicom Group, Virgin, Shell and SKY, to name a few, with the list
being added to all the time.
Embedding sustainability and meaningful connectivity in every aspect of its
business, Zain is dedicated to its digital strategy of consistently working
towards developing the mobile telecommunications ecosystem centered on a vision
of inclusive development that leads to socio-economic growth, aligning to the
UN’s Sustainable Development Goals of leaving no one behind.
Bader Al-Kharafi, Zain Vice Chairman and Group CEO, commented: “It is our duty
to ensure we are a diverse and inclusive workplace and by positioning Diversity
and Inclusion on the board agenda, we are clearly and proudly committing to our
priorities. Our WE ABLE program pledges disability inclusion by 2022 and
together with The Valuable 500, a global community with shared values and
aspirations, we can foster an inclusive culture.”
Al-Kharafi continued, “At the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, The
Valuable 500 made history by putting disability on the main stage for the first
time. The one billion people with disabilities worldwide also hold a disposable
income of $8 trillion a year, equating to an opportunity that businesses cannot
afford to ignore, and that’s why we have signed up to The Valuable 500. Now is
the time.”
Caroline Casey, Founder of The Valuable 500 said, “We have seen an impressive
list of global telecoms companies join and put disability inclusion on their
board agenda, and we are delighted that Zain, our first company from the Gulf
has signed up. With 49.5 million customers, it is fantastic to ensure those with
disabilities are included in having the ability to stay connected.”
Casey continued: “The global telecoms industry has proven vital during the last
few months in ensuring everyone is able to stay connected during the lockdown
caused by the pandemic. It is essential these services are accessible to
everyone, throughout the whole supply chain.”
On Zain’s part, the company’s dedication to the support of people with
disabilities is extensive. Under its WE ABLE disability inclusion initiative
that was launched in July 2019, Zain is working to become a disability inclusive
organization by 2022 across all its operations. WE ABLE has four main targets:
Increase employment of people with disabilities
Ensure all training programs are disability inclusive
Ensure all operating locations are accessible
Identify and implement assistive technologies that will enable employees with
disabilities to independently complete their work
As a member of The Valuable 500, Zain Group has pledged the following:
COMMIT: Table disability on our Board agenda from 2020 and make ONE commitment
to action
COMMUNICATE: Share our commitment to The Valuable 500 both internally and
externally
CONNECT: Take part in the sharing of information and expertise across The
Valuable 500 community