Syriatel – Nation`s Leading Telecommunications Services Provider

Transcription

2013
Contents
About Our Reporting
05
CEO Message
07
Syriatel – Nation’s Leading
Telecommunications Services Provider
08
Syriatel in Numbers
11
Innovative Products and Services
12
Fair and Clear Pricing
14
Our Approach
Introduction and Strategy
16
18
Syriatel’s Sustainability Journey
18
Progress Against Our Strategic Priorities
18
Engaging with Stakeholders
19
The Importance of Stakeholder Engagement
19
Mechanisms of Engagement
19
Materiality
21
Our Governance
21
Code of Corporate Governance
Ethics and Code of Conduct
22
23
Building Sustainable Relationships
with Our Customers
24
Contributing to Local Development
28
Our Economic Contribution 30
The Value of Local Partnerships
30
Our Role in Education and Cultural Community Development
31
Neighborhoods and the Environment
35
Enabling a Low Carbon Society,
Minimizing Our Own Footprint
36
Clean Energy
38
Measuring our Carbon Footprint
40
Recycling
Investing in Our People
41
42
Employment, Diversity and Inclusion
44
Training and Development
46
Health and Safety
46
Employee Satisfaction
46
4
Syriatel Sustainability Report 2013
About
Our Reporting
Reporting on our social and environmental
performance is a key part of building a
sustainable business.
This is our fourth sustainability report
which aims to provide both internal
and external stakeholders including
shareholders, employees and current and
potential customers with a view of our
position and performance on sustainability
related matters.
The report has been prepared according
to the G3.1 Reporting Guidelines of
the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), an
independent institution that provides a
standard framework for sustainability
reporting across all industries. We have
used these Guidelines to help us identify
key topics for the report.
The reporting period is 1 January to 31
December 2013. Being a uniquely Syrian
company with no interests outside the
country, this report covers operations in
Syria only.
For more information, please contact us at
[email protected]
Syriatel, Syriatel Office
Damascus, Syria
Landline: +963 (0) 11 237 30000
Mobile: +963 93 322 2111
5
Our vision
‘to be the Syrian
Company of Choice’
emphasizes our direction
to contribute to the positive
transformation of the Syrian
community, as well as
to ensure a preferred
workplace for our
people.
6
CEO
Message
The theme of our 2013 Sustainability Report
“Connecting Communities” reflects our mission “to
provide the best mobile communications experience
for our customers; empower and satisfy our people;
achieve sustained value creation for shareholders, and
passionately contribute for a better Syria”. It is our ability
to create long lasting shared value — economic, social
and environmental — with all our stakeholders, that will
deliver business success for Syriatel in the future.
Our sustainability development has been developed
in line with company’s mission and vision, and this
report discusses our key priorities, related initiatives
and progress achieved in 2013.
Performance efficiency
Achieving greater operational efficiency and cost
savings is a key driver behind our sustainability
efforts. We have implemented three international
standards to help us reach our goals in this direction.
We are in process of implementing a Balanced
Scorecard tool that will help us streamline and focus
our strategic direction, improve internal and external
communications and monitor corporate performance
against strategic goals.
the necessary shift towards a sustained low-carbon
future, we communicate our activities with various
societal groups from elementary students to policy
makers.
Transforming the Syrian community
Syriatel has an important role to play in transforming
and advancing the Syrian community. We believe
a strategic approach to community development,
one that links philanthropy directly with corporate
strategy and its related goals, has the potential to
deliver long term value. Numerous initiatives in 2013
supported the Syrian youth by focusing on training
and development.
Syriatel has participated actively in two employment
fairs to help bridge the gap between academia and
business by providing qualified students with potential
job opportunities.
A specialized team from Syriatel conducted
workshops for many university students to enhance
their knowledge in areas such as customer service,
sales and marketing, human resources and quality
management.
Building trust through love
Investing in our people
We want our customers to enjoy a wide variety of
services and we also want them to be confident that they
can do this without risk. As a mobile telecommunications
provider it is our duty to ensure that robust data
security and strong privacy policy are in place. We are
implementing ITIL for improved IT service management
as well as the Information Security Management System
ISO 27001 to further assure our customers.
Our people are the backbone of our success. Our
goal is to retain and recruit the most motivated and
talented people and we aim to do so by providing
a good working environment, offering attractive
incentives and development opportunities, and
treating people with respect.
Climate change
In 2014, we will continue the efforts to further develop
our understanding of how our sustainability activities
drive value-creation for our business, and in turn
create shared value for all our stakeholders.
To mitigate effects of climate change, we are
making progress by introducing clean technology
to our operations. We have introduced wind and
solar energy in the coverage network achieving
average savings of around 60% in energy purchase
from the grid. Our goal is to expand clean energy
implementation to cover 20% from our network in
2014 including Hybrid (solar/wind ) solutions.
Looking ahead
We welcome your views and feedback on our
sustainability journey.
Magda Sakr
CEO, Syriatel
In an effort to encourage a broader understanding of
7
Syriatel —
Nation’s Leading
Telecommunications
Services Provider
8
9
10
Syriatel has been the leading operator of the Syrian
Mobile network since 2000. Our 1647 employees now
serve more than 7.4 million customers across Syria
To support our vision ‘to be the Syrian Company of
Choice’, Syriatel has invested heavily in developing
and advancing a wide range of communications
services. We put you – our customer – at the heart of
everything we do and work to provide a flexible suite
of services for both corporate and personal use. Our
efforts to provide you with high quality products and
services which meet your needs and help you stay
connected at a reasonable price, are underpinned
by a consistent set of values and behaviors for all
Syriatel’s employees:
Team Spirit
We are proud to be part of a winning team. We
energize, involve and inspire each other, and we seek
ideas, share solutions and overcome challenges
together.
Excellence
We strive to excel in every aspect of our business
and approach every challenge with a determination to
succeed.
Customer Focus
Committed to satisfy our customers’ needs and
interests.
Integrity
Each of us is personally accountable for the highest
standards of behavior in all aspects of our work.
Ownership
Engagement, participation & understanding of our
role as a responsible Corporate Citizen.
Passion
We show pride, enthusiasm and dedication in
everything we do.
At Syriatel, we are committed to constantly
improve our services and operations in line with
the development of local regulatory requirements
and international standards, to meet the diverse
expectations of our stakeholders.
Syriatel in Numbers
1,647
Employees
3,593
Telecom
locations
25
Points of
service
7.4 million
Customers
across
Syria
9,000
Customers
queries
answered/day
3
Call
centers
2
Headquarters
in Damascus
and Sahnaya
28
4
Offices
Warehouses
Respect
We show a polite attitude towards ourselves & everyone
at all levels. We treat people with respect and dignity.
11
Innovative Products and Services
Customers are at the heart of our sustainability strategy. We strive to provide
our customers with innovative and flexible products and services, and to meet
their needs wherever they are. We believe that our technological solutions can
help build a more sustainable society by bridging needs and creating conditions
where business can prosper.
In 2013, we launched and modified some of our current products and services
to better match our customers’ expectations and requirements.
Switching Between SURF
Packages Through My
Syriatel
2012 Postpaid Customers
Refund
Syriatel lunched this feature
in February 2013 to enable
SURF postpaid customers
to switch between SURF
packages by visiting My
Syriatel website and choosing
one of the packages that
they wish to switch to. The
available packages are Pay
As You Go (100 MB), Light
Users (1 GB), Light Users (2
GB) and Medium Users
(3 GB)
In June 2013, Syriatel, in
cooperation with the Syrian
Telecom Company “STC”,
offered 2G and SURF
postpaid customers whose
areas were adversely affected
by the coverage problems
in 2012 free bundles and
discounts on their invoices.
This process was defined
according to the mechanism
agreed upon with the Syrian
Telecom company
Jan
Feb
Mar
Syriatel SURF Distribution
Network
Syriatel has been expanding
the network of SURF prepaid
cards’ distribution channels
since February 2013. With
the expanded SURF network,
connecting to the internet on
mobile has never been easier.
The customer can get a new
SURF prepaid card through
visiting one of the authorized
Syriatel dealers, Syriatel minipoints of service, and Syriatel
points of service
12
Apr
May
Jun
Syriatel Rolls Out The New
2 GB SURF Postpaid
Package
In May 2013, Syriatel
launched the 2 GB package
tailored to the needs of SURF
postpaid customers who had
moderate internet usage
Modification of Mobile Products and
Services Tariff
In cooperation with the Syrian Telecom
Company “STC” Syriatel announced the
modified tariff which became effective
on 1 September 2013. The modification
of Syriatel’s products and services tariff
aims at enabling Syriatel to maintain the
sustainability of its mobile network and
keep providing high quality services.
Data Calculator Application For SURF
Postpaid Customers
In September 2013, Syriatel offered an
application on SURF and My Syriatel
websites. The new application, Data
Calculator, helps the customers to
choose the best package for their internet
usage by estimating their daily\monthly
consumption of SURF 3.5G internet.
Whether the connection to the internet
is through a computer or a smart phone,
the application will be able to provide the
customers with the estimated usage
The decision to modify the tariff was due
to the hard times which had befallen our
beloved country, and which resulted in
a drastic increase in all prices which,
in turn, led to an increase in the capital
and operational expenses, especially
those related to operating the cell sites,
maintaining and upgrading the cellular
network and reconstructing its
damaged sections.
Bigger Internet Packages At The Same
Prices For SURF Postpaid Customers
The new tariff, which is the result of a
thorough study, is designed to partially
counterbalance the increase in expenses
on the one hand, and take the financial
circumstances of the Syrian citizen during
this difficult period into account on
the other hand
Jul
111 Services List
In August 2013, Syriatel
launched this service which
enables its customers to
activate and cancel most of
the Syriate services through
dialing the free short code
*111# and browsing the
menus, rather than calling
111 or 222. This service
is available to all Syriatel
customers.
Aug
In November 2013, Syriatel designed
bigger packages at the same old prices for
SURF postpaid customers. By using the
new packages, which are tailored to the
needs of all Syrian internet users, SURF
users can make more savings
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Switching Between SURF
Packages Through
Dialing *200#
In September 2013, Syriatel
offered postpaid lines the
chance to switch between
SURF packages simply by
dialing the free short code
*200#. The customers need to
insert SURF postpaid card into
a handset compatible with 3G
services. After that they can
choose one of the packages
that they wish to switch to. The
available packages are: Pay As
You Go (100 MB), Light Users
(1 GB), Light Users (2 GB), and
Medium Users (3 GB).
13
Fair and Clear Pricing
Trust in Syriatel depends on the reliability of our
products and services, managing customers’ privacy
and safety, and setting a clear, transparent and fair
pricing. We are committed to provide convenient
packages which enable you to make considerable
savings in your consumption
100
2013 Market Share Data
Number of customers by Service
Active Sub Market Share
78.73%
80
60
54.61%
45.39%
40
2013
Prepaid 2G
6,409,424
6,446,603
Postpaid 2G
435,550
344,551
Prepaid 3G
182,037
573,055
Postpaid 3G
111,621
108, 653
7,138,632
7,472,862
Total
21.27%
20
0
2012
2G
3G
Syriatel Market Share
5% 8%
1%
MTN Market Share
100
Postpaid Active Sub Market Share
80
79.29%
75.93%
86%
60
40
24.07%
20.71%
20
0
2G Postpaid
3G Postpaid
Syriatel Market Share
MTN Market Share
14
Prepaid2G
Postpaid 2G
Prepaid 3G
Postpaid 3G
15
Our
Approach
16
17
Introduction and Strategy
Syriatel’s Sustainability Journey
We began our sustainability journey three years
ago with the publication of our first Corporate
Sustainability Report using the Global Reporting
Initiative (GRI), the most widely adopted guidelines
for sustainability reporting. Issuing the report enabled
us to monitor and measure key performance
indicators. Monitoring and managing these social
and environmental performance indicators gave
us the inputs needed to develop initiatives and
projects to improve our sustainability performance.
In this report we discuss several initiatives in detail,
and explain how they contributed to improving our
overall performance.
At Syriatel we view sustainability as a constant
journey towards improvement. We are proud
of being the first company in Syria to issue a
sustainability report, but we are also aware that
this is only the beginning of our journey. We plan
to continue developing our internal understanding of
sustainability challenges, as well as raise awareness
within the community about the importance
of corporate sustainability.
Progress Against Our Strategic Priorities
The table below presents our progress against our stated 2013 objectives.
Partially achieved
.Achieved
.Ongoing
Element
2013 Objective
Financial
Grow earnings per share

Strive to maintain communications lines open and functional to all our customers across Syria

Solidify our position as the leading telecommunications
operator in Syria

Improve overall service performance by:
• Increasing number of services provided by our Mini
POS’s
• Increasing effectiveness of electronic communication
channels

Commercial & Service
Environment
Begin utilizing renewable energy in our BTS’s
Social
Launch new social initiatives
Progress

Performance challenge to secure highest standard of communication network
Technical
Upgrade network capacity by increasing number of 2G and
3G base stations

Prepare effective network management plan in crises
situations

Expand IP Technology
Administrative

Complete implementation of the Information Security Management System (ISMS) in accordance with ISO 27000
requirements
Automate balance “scorecard” system
Improve employee capability and development approach
by increasing number and methods of training activities
18

We are proud of our achievements during the past year, however we will not rest on our achievements as we
will aim to continuously improve our performance. In addition to continuing our progress towards achieving all
of last year’s targets, we are adding the following goals for 2014:
Element
2014 Objective
Financial
Maintain sustainable financial growth
Marketing
Promote Syriatel as leisure and entertainment service provider
Environment
Increase utilization of renewable energy
Commercial Services
Increase capacity and effectiveness of customer service and distribution
channels
Technical
Continue upgrading operations, policies, and practices in line with best practice standards
Begin upgrading network to LTE 4G
Engaging with Stakeholders
The Importance of Stakeholder Engagement
Sustainability among many things is about
inclusiveness and taking into consideration the
impact of a corporation’s activities on the society
and environment where it operates. To that end,
stakeholder engagement and inclusiveness is a key
element in any effective sustainability program. This is
reflected in several sustainability reporting guidelines,
including GRI where Stakeholder Inclusiveness and
Materiality are the two key elements in defining report
content. At Syriatel stakeholder engagement is a key
element in our sustainability journey.
Mechanisms of Engagement
Once we have prioritized our stakeholders, we
determine the most effective ways to engage
them to understand their needs and capture
their expectations. The results of our stakeholder
engagements were considered when analyzing our
materiality and determining most important aspects
to include in our report.
Due to the diversity of our identified stakeholders,
we have several communication methods specifically
chosen to fit the unique requirements of each of
them. The table below shows our key stakeholder
groups along with communication method and
frequency.
To realize our stakeholder’s expectations we followed
best practice of first identifying our stakeholders,
then prioritizing them based on their influence on
our operations, and our operation’s impact on them.
19
Stakeholders
Goals
Communication Channels
Frequency
Outcome
Communities
We support community
development programs
and initiatives to ensure
the well-being of our local
communities where we
operate.
• Syriatel Corporate Social Programs
• Ongoing
A more directed
pursuit towards
bettering our local
communities with more
specific programs to
ensure community
development.
Business
Partners
We strive to be honest
and fair in all our business
dealings. Our code of
conduct guides us, and
we seek to establish and
maintain productive business
partnerships.
• Annual Reports
• Annual
• Face to face meetings
• Regular
Develop existing
and establish new
partnerships creating
better economic
prospects for local
businesses and Syriatel
NonGovernmental
Organizations
(NGOs)
We engage with NGOs to
ensure our daily operations
are in line with community
expectations and sustainable
business practices
• Group Meetings
• Regular
Improved company
image and compliance
within our surrounding
environment from
NGO’s perspective
whose objective is
to review the effects
of our sustainability
commitments
Government &
Regulators
We engage with government
and regulators to modernize
our business operations in
compliance with laws and
regulations to guarantee
minimum standards
and business ethics are
adhered to.
• Legislative dialogue
• Ongoing
• Regular Compliance Reports
• Regular
All aspects of our daily
business operations are
in compliance with local
regulations promoting
Syriatel’s stakeholder
perceptions and
benefiting our
operations
Customers
We seek to understand our
• Syriatel customer satisfaction surveys
customers’ needs in order to
• Syriatel customer focus groups
guarantee their satisfaction
and best services experience • Website
across all business lines.
Our operations conduct
regular customer satisfaction
surveys at the local level to
understand customer’s needs.
• Semi Annual
Employees
We are committed to
• Team meetings
fostering workplaces that are
safe and professional and that
promote teamwork, diversity,
communication, personal
development and trust
• Regular
Maintaining our
employees’ satisfaction
and motivation and
improving work
efficiency while
ensuring future
prospects within the
work environment.
Investors
We communicate our latest
financial results, market
development, and business
strategy with our investor
community.
• Annual investor meetings
• Annual
• Quarterly financial updates
• Quarterly
• Individual meetings
• Ongoing
Creating trust within
Syriatel’s abilities to
perform well, allowing
our investors to
make more informed
investment decisions
20
• Philanthropic Investments
• Social Workshops
• Ad-hoc
• Ad-hoc
Promoting our brand
loyalty and customer
satisfaction which
benefit our market
growth and customer
base. Developing
our knowledge and
understanding of our
customers to better
tailor our products to
their individual needs.
Materiality
Materiality analysis is the process followed by an
organization to determine the most important or
“material” aspects to include in their sustainability
report. For an organization to have an effective
sustainability program, a materiality analysis ensures
the organization’s significant economic, social
and environmental impacts are addressed. The
materiality analysis considers inputs from various
stakeholders, as well as GRI sector supplements,
and best practice research.
Materiality is one of the most important principles
for defining sustainability content. Going forward
we are committed to develop and implement a
comprehensive materiality analysis involving both
internal and external stakeholders. Due to factors
outside of our operations, we were only able to
conduct an internal materiality analysis this year
utilizing inputs from senior management. Our key
priority issues identified include the following:
Quality and continuity of service
Responsible Marketing
Transparency and fair pricing
Customer Care
Economic Performance
Green Telecommunications
Accessibility
Ethics and code of conduct
Health and Safety of employees
We acknowledged a variety of other issues that could
be material to our operations – e.g. governance,
supply chain management, diversity of employees,
gender balance, and climate change - and we are
committed to address these and the rest of our
stakeholders’ concerns in the future.
For the purpose of this report, we have focused on
our high priority topics.
Our Governance
Syriatel is governed by a Board of five members,
most of whom are Syrian. The responsibilities of
the Board include setting the overall corporate
strategy, and aligning it with stakeholder interests.
The seven unit heads along with the CEO are
charged with outlining the strategic direction
of the company using inputs from the Board of
Directors. Leading the operations of Syriatel is the
responsibility of nine department directors who
are accountable for implementing the corporate
strategy. The Investor Relations Unit is responsible
for anticipating and capturing the expectation of
shareholders and relaying them to the CEO and
Board of Directors for action. Our employees are
considered a key stakeholder and we encourage an
open communication channel between them and
management at all times.
Sustainability Strategy
Privacy and data protection
21
Code of Corporate Governance
At Syriatel we understand and value the importance
of a robust governance structure. Our Code of
Corporate Governance outlines policies and
regulation that ensure fairness and transparency
internally, and is in alignment with the Syrian
Corporate Governance Act. The Code clearly
states the responsibilities of Syriatel towards our
stakeholders, as well as the duties and restrictions on
the Board of Directors and executive team. The code
also ensures everyone is clear on conflict of interest
policies and procedures. The nine provisions of the
Code are summarized below:
• Shareholders: This element defines the role of
the Investor Relations Unit, and lists the general
shareholder rights and duties, access to information
and the main frames of the Annual General Assembly
• Board of Directors: This element defines the BOD
composition and structure, their tasks, responsibilities,
competencies, and restrictions
• The External Auditor: Main role of the auditor and
appointed process
• Stakeholders: This element defines the role of the
BOD and the company toward its stakeholders,
bondholders, and creditors
• Executive Management: This element defines
the responsibilities of the internal auditor and
appointing process
• Disclosure and Transparency: This includes the
required steps to issue the corporate annual report,
within the time frame, and setting the disclosure policy
• Audit Committee: This element defines the Audit
Committee composition and structure, their tasks,
responsibilities and competencies
• Syriatel Code of Ethics and Business Conduct: This
element is created for Syriatel employees as general
guide in order to support the great interest and
moving the company from good to great
CEO
Investor relations
Internal audit
Regulatory and Government Affairs
Contracting and Legal Advisory
System Assurance
Corporate Planning
Information Security
and Business Continuity Unit
Customer
Service
22
Marketing
Sales
MIS
Technical
Finance
Human
Resources
Quality
Procurement
Ethics and Code of
Conduct
At Syriatel we conform to strict ethical guidelines and
we constantly strive to ensure all of our employees
adhere to our Code of Conduct. To achieve this
target, all new employees must complete an
orientation program which includes an introduction to
our company culture, code of conduct, and company
policies including employees’ rights. In addition to
that, all employees, including management, must
attend specialized anti-corruption training to make
sure all employee levels are aware of our strict AntiCorruption policy. This is a delicate matter, and a
challenge for every organization to enforce. Therefore
we developed a “whistleblower” protection system to
preserve the anonymity of people coming forward to
report suspicious activities. We believe this system
will foster trust in our organization and increase
operational transparency.
Being a telecommunications company, one of our
most important ethical issues, is respecting and
preserving our client’s privacy. As we have seen in
different countries, there have been several global
telecommunications companies that suffered severe
customer backlash after allegations in the press
accused them of sharing their private information
with third parties. To that end, we have taken
great care to inform our customers of our privacy
policy. We are also implementing an Information
Security Management System in accordance with
internationally recognized ISO 27001 standard. This
standard is considered leading practice in information
technology security, and will assist us in maintaining
the security of our customer’s information and privacy.
23
Building Sustainable
Relationships with
Our Customers
24
25
High-quality care and customer service are of
paramount importance to Syriatel
Through our Quality Policy we express our strong commitment to provide telecommunications products
and services to the Syrian community utilizing state of the art technologies. We have further made quality a
strategic objective for the company recognizing its importance for building long-lasting customer’s trust and
loyalty. We build quality from within, by training our customer representatives year-round and implementing
best practice global standards.
We have set high internal standards by implementing the internationally recognized ISO 9001 Quality
Management System and ISO 10002 Complaints Management System to respond to our customers’ needs
appropriately and on time.
We have developed six quality related key performance indicators (KPIs) and performance against them is
outlined in the below table and graphs. In three continuous years we managed to exceed our target for the
quality of calls as well as have managed to reduce the weighted average mistakes of our employees.
We have put in place robust customer related targets and are working hard to achieve them. In 2013 we’ve
managed to exceed our target of speed of solving customers’ complaints.
Target
2011
2012
2013
Result
Quality of Calls
4
4.109
4.187
4.2

Total weighted defined employee’s
mistakes to be less than 0.30% of total
transactions
0.3%
0.28%
0.23%
0.14%
100

KPI
90%
80
60
92%
87%
40
67%
20
39%
0
45%
20%
98%
To answer 90% from
prepaid calls to call center
within 90 second
Postpaid calls answered
To answer 90% from
postpaid calls to call center
within 60 second
2011
2012
43%
2013
Target
13%
Prepaid calls answered
26
54%
35%
80%
POS service level for
waing me
Speed of solving customer's
complaint
10 minutes waing me for
90% of POS visitors
To solve 90% of customers'
complaints according to the
agreed time frame
27
Contributing to
Local Development
28
29
Building community relations based on trust and mutual benefit is essential for
protecting our social license to operate. Moreover, at Syriatel we believe we
can foster local economic development by creating employment opportunities,
identifying the right possibilities for sustained growth and partnerships, and
through our numerous philanthropic activities.
Our Economic Contribution
Economic Value Generated & Distributed (EVG&D)
1) Economic Value Generated
Units of reporting
FY 2012
FY 2013
SYP
56,641,563,764
58,552,591,549
SYP
56,641,563,764
58,552,591,549
2) Economic Value Distributed
SYP
55,124,229,109
53,158,558,551
Operating Costs
SYP
13,631,063,063
16,777,687,877
Employee benefits and wages
SYP
1,578,647,948
1,578,808,163
Payments to government (STC
Revenue Sharing & Interconnect)
SYP
29,470,142,679
30,807,829,221
Payments to government
(Infrastructure-Taxes-Customs)
SYP
4,342,180,261
3,915,209,518
Community Investments
(Donations & Sponsorship)
SYP
72,195,158
79,023,772
3) Economic Value Retained
SYP
1,517,334,655
5,394,032,998
Revenues
The Value of Local
Partnerships
We strive to prioritize local suppliers where possible.
Procurement of goods and services from local
groups in the areas where we operate is one way we
support local economies.
We believe there are numerous benefits of working
with local groups. It helps increase the overall
efficiency mainly because of the proximity of the
provided service and the local knowledge available.
Engaging local suppliers in our business also helps
advance local economic development by providing
employment opportunities.
We carefully evaluate all potential suppliers using
and clearly communicating a standard set of
criteria, including technical requirements, costs and
compliance with our Quality Policy. In 2013, we have
procured 12% of goods and services from local
suppliers while 27% of our total CAPEX spending
was channeled to local suppliers.
30
Goods and services procured from our suppliers
(SYP Billion)
7.8
6.8
5.8
5.8
6.8
5.1
1.0
1.0
0.7
2011
2012
2013
Value of goods and supplies
procured from local
suppliers
Value of goods and supplies
procured from non-local
suppliers
As part of our strong commitment to transparency
and quality, we conduct regular suppliers
performance checkups and reviews to ensure
compliance with our high standards. We not only
monitor our supply chain performance but we also
aim to spread our ethics and values across the
value chain by developing several collaborative
training programs and helping to enhance overall
performance.
CAPEX spending on suppliers
5.5
(SYP Billion)
5.5
4.5
4.0
1.5
2011
4.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
2012
Value of CAPEX projects
supplied by local suppliers
2013
Value of CAPEX projects
supplied by non-local
suppliers
Our Role in Education and Cultural Community
Development
We support and provide learning and training
opportunities across all ages of the Syrian community.
In 2013, we have actively participated in a variety of
initiatives to support the Syrian youth and to bridge
the gap between academic achievements and
market expectations. We have also been involved in a
number of philanthropic and national projects.
in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt with the participation of
109 teams representing 60 universities from 12 Arab
countries.
Syriatel Role in Supporting
the Syrian Youth
The Collegiate Programming Contest
In a contest which is considered one of the biggest
and most important programming contests, the
Syrian team ‘Titans’ that represents Tishreen
University won the fourth position at the Arab
Collegiate Programming Contest. Consequently,
it earned for the second time in succession the
opportunity to advance to the international contest
that will be held next summer in Russia.
The first and second positions went to two Egyptian
teams, while the third position went to a Jordanian
team. By this, the number of teams that will
participate in the international contest has become
six (one Syrian team, three Egyptian teams, one
Jordanian team and one Lebanese team).
The contest took place in November 2013
31
“This achievement came as a result of our
hard work... mine, the team’s, and the
coaches’. I would like to thank everyone
who supported and encouraged me: my
family, my coaches, and Syriatel family
which believed in me and stood by my side
whenever I needed it”
Mohammed Khalid Mohammed
The Syrian participation in the regional contest, which
came as a higher level after the Syrian Collegiate
Programming Contest that took place at an earlier
time in Lattakia, is organized by the Syrian Computer
Society (SCS) and sponsored by Syriatel.
Syriatel Participates in Job and Employment Fairs
In 2013, Syriatel participated in two job and
employment fairs.
The first of them was “Fursaty” which took place in
Lattakia and was organized by the Department of
Ecumenical Relations and Development in the Greek
Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All The East.
Many public and private companies, banks and
associations participated in the event which lasted
for two days in August. During the event, many
visitors visited Syriatel’s stand and met the friendly
representatives who welcomed them, answered their
questions and received their CVs.
The second fair was ‘ShababLINK’ which was
sponsored by the Syria Trust for Development and
organized by SANAD Team for Development.
It is noteworthy that Syriatel joined the students from
the first days of the national contest in Lattakia and
awarded the winners valuable prizes and a threemonth training program to develop their academic
knowledge. Syriatel also contacted the teams on a
daily basis during the regional contest events and
covered all the expenses of the participating Syrian
teams in collaboration with the SCS which granted
Syriatel a shield award in appreciation of its role at the
contest.
Mohammed Khalid Mohammed Wins the Gold
Medal at the IPC Athletics World Championship
Making all Syrians proud of their nation, Mohammed
Khalid Mohammed, the young Syrian and our
colleague, raised the Syrian flag so high when he
broke the world record and won the gold medal at
the IPC Athletics World Championship which was
held in Lyon, France.
32
ShababLINK job fair was held in December 2013 in
Damascus Opera House.
It is noteworthy that Syriatel participated in these fairs
to play an effective role in bridging the gap between
academic and practical life by providing the qualified
students with job opportunities.
Syriatel Training Programs for Students,
(Education)
As part of the social responsibility and sustainable
development project which Syriatel has been
implementing for years, in 2013 Syriatel dedicated
a variety of training and development programs to
university students.
A specialized team from Syriatel conducted
workshops for Yarmouk Private University students
to transfer their experience to the students, refine
their skills and prepare them for practical life. For nine
days, the team provided educational lectures about
customer service, sales, marketing, human resources
and quality management. In addition, a team from the
technical department provided specialized lectures
to a group of students from Damascus University
and The Higher Institute for Applied Science and
Technology (HIAST).
visit the Higher Institute of Business Administration
(HIBA) to give its students educational lectures on two
main topics. The first of them was about institutional
culture, professional work standards and principles of
successful business planning starting from preparing
professional CVs and ending with conducting
successful interviews.
The second topic involved quality management
concepts, effective marketing principles and
information about the Syriatel’s work environment,
in addition to effective communication and
presentation skills.
Syriatel, represented by a professional team, also
visited the Faculty of Mechanical and Electrical
Engineering in Damascus in November 2013 to
Having given educational lectures to Yarmouk Private
University students, our specialized team went on to
University
Work shop
From
To
Number of
Attendees
Topics
Location
Yarmouk
Business
01/09/2013
11/09/2013
20
Marketing, Sales,
Human Resource,
Customer Service,
strategic planning,
Quality, CSR
Finance and soft
skills
Yarmouk
University
HIAST,
Damascus
Technical
16/09/2013
17/09/2013
6
Technical
Syriatel
training room
HIBA
Business
13/11/2013
14/11/2013
75
MK, HR, Quality,
CSR, and Career
Planning &
interviewing skills
HIBA Institute
Faculty of
Mechanical
and Electrical
Engineering
in Damascus
Soft Skills
11/12/2013
presentation
11/12/2013
88
HAMAK
Soft Skills (Career
Planning & interview university
skills)
33
give an educational lecture for fourth and fifth year
students. The main topics of the lecture were:
planning a career path, writing a professional CV, and
acquiring interviewing skills.
The Philanthropic and
Humanitarian Activities of
Syriatel
Syriatel Philanthropic Activities in the Holy Month
of Ramadan
In the holy month of Ramadan, a group of Syriatel’s
employees volunteered to visit charitable institutions,
such as SOS Children’s Villages and Al-Mabarra
Al-Nisaiyah where they distributed Iftar meals, gifts
and toys to the children hoping that we could draw a
smile on their innocent faces and replace the pain in
their hearts with hope.
The volunteers also visited the people with special
needs at Al-Safina and Dar Al-Salam institutions and
the elderly inhabitants of Dar Al-Saadeh and shared
the Iftar meals with them.
Moreover, a team from Syriatel paid a visit to children
of Fatima Catholic Church, where they presented an
overview of Syriatel and its services in an atmosphere
full of mirth.
Syriatel Humanitarian Activities on the
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities,
a new day and a new hope started in AAMAL, the
Syrian Organization for the Disabled.
Syriatel supported AAMAL since the very beginning
of this event. On that day, the kids were so excited
and happy with the maze that Syriatel had given
to AAMAL. Their laughter spread all over the
organization.
34
“I’m pleased with Syriatel’s presence and
support today and hope that Syriatel’s
support will encourage the society and
other companies to donate to the
humanitarian organizations and charities”
Mrs. Claudia Touma,
the CEO of AAMAL organization
Syriatel’s Role in Supporting
National Initiatives
Syriatel Pays Homage to Syria and the Syrian
Army by Sponsoring a National Song
The General Organization of Radio and TV – Syria
(RTV) and the Arab Advertising Organization (AAO)
released a national song sponsored by Syriatel,
Syrian Telecom, and the General Sports Union.
The song, dedicated to our beloved Syria and its
brave army, was performed by a group of Syrian
singers with the special participation of Abd
al-Rahman Al Rashy, the well-known Syrian actor.
The key massage of the song was: “We -the Syriansshould work hand in hand with our brave soldiers to
rebuild our country, shape a beautiful future, and help
Syria to retake its influential place in the world.”
Syriatel Participates in Honoring the Excellent
Students at the Martyrs’ Daughters School
In November 2013, an honoring ceremony for
the excellent students took place at the Martyrs’
Daughters School in Damascus.
the daughters of the martyrs in particular. Syriatel
awarded them valuable prizes in appreciation of their
efforts during their school year.
Ministry of Justice Signs a Contract with Syriatel
to Adopt Electronic Notification
The Ministry of Justice signed a contract with Syriatel
to adopt the SMS service as a channel to deliver its
official notifications. This step is the result of a joint
effort to spread the culture of law.
According to the Minister of Justice, Dr. Najm
al-Ahmad, signing the contract with Syriatel has no
profit to the company; on the contrary, it aims to
serve the citizens of the country by changing the
traditional methods of notifications.
The Chief Executive Officer of Syriatel assured that
the reason behind signing the contract is to serve the
Syrians in the first place and reduce the expenses,
and she pointed out that Syriatel would always
provide the needed technology to facilitate the judicial
work and the life of the Syrian citizens, especially
under the current circumstances.
Syriatel’s Head of Corporate Communication Section
stated that Syriatel had had previous collaborations
with all Syrian ministries and governmental entities,
and it was always ready to support them through its
available resources.
Neighborhoods and the
Environment
Syriatel has participated in numerous initiatives to
help reduce its environmental impact, provide more
green spaces for the community, and to encourage
volunteering and sense of social responsibility.
Keeping our neighborhoods clean and healthy has
many benefits both physical and emotional. Through
our help and support, we aim to develop sustainable
communities and create environment which future
generations would be able to enjoy.
The ceremony emphasized the importance of
sponsoring the Syrian students in general and
35
Enabling a Low
Carbon Society,
Minimizing Our
Footprint
36
37
Over the past few decades, the globalization of the world economy has
generated unprecedented economic growth. This economic growth was fueled
primarily by advancements in transport, and of course, communication.
As economies began to grow and millions of people
were lifted from poverty into the middle class, we
began to see some unintended consequences to this
economic growth.
in remote areas, renewable energy such as solar and
wind offer a viable alternative. Renewable Energy is
also referred to as Clean Energy, because it does not
emit any CO2 or any GHG gases.
• Population increase: in 1970, the population of the
planet was 3.5 billion, today that figure is over 7
billion.
• Resource scarcity: the increasing number of people
is resulting in extreme pressures on our planet’s
finite resources such as water, oil, metals, and other
minerals. As supplies of these commodities are
somewhat fixed, and demand is continuously rising,
we are witnessing a lot of fluctuation in the global
prices of these commodities, which is contributing to
de-stabilizing our economies.
• Climate Change: there is mounting scientific evidence
that the primary cause of climate change is human
activity. Our fossil fuel based economy is emitting
several harmful gases into the atmosphere, including
CO2, and these gases are causing what scientists
refer to as the “Green House Effect”. The Green
House Effect is basically the trapping of the sun’s
radiation in earth’s atmosphere causing the warming
of our planet.
Since 2012, we have begun implementing renewable
energy, solar, wind or sometimes a hybrid of both in
our Base Transceiver Stations “BTS”. The results
were overwhelmingly positive as we were able to
achieve average 60% less energy purchased from the
grid in those stations. In addition to energy savings,
we observed the following benefits:
Our world is changing rapidly, and as we develop
a better understanding of the global mega trends
affecting us all, it becomes clear that the solution lies
in collective action. That is why we at Syriatel take
our commitment to the environment very seriously.
Although telecommunications industry in general is
not considered one of the high polluting industries,
we feel we have a duty to monitor and constantly try
to improve our environmental performance.
Clean Energy
At Syriatel we take our responsibility to the
environment seriously, and constantly striving to
reduce the environmental impact of our operations.
As most of our Base Transceiver Stations “BTS” are
38
• Less power consumption;
• Cost efficient (especially in remote areas away from
the electricity grid);
• Compatible for 2G and 3G stations.
Over the next year we look to continue the expansion
of our clean energy roll out. Currently, we have 174
Base Transceiver Stations “BTS” utilizing clean
energy sources. Our goal is to reach 20% of our
network base transceiver stations “BTS” in 2014.
We hope our proactive efforts in this field will serve
as an example for other companies in Syria to follow.
Our environment belongs to everyone, and we feel
everyone has a role to play in helping protect it.
Total Energy Consumption in (TJ)
309
Fue
Gaso l (TJ) —
line
-51%
(T
Elec
tricit J) — -44
%
y (TJ
Ove
rall — ) — -1%
-25%
232.1
163
The 25% overall reduction in energy consumption
during 2013 is due largely to a 50% reduction in
Fuel-gas consumption. The reduction in fuel gas is
attributed to some rural areas in the North/East being
inaccessible. However, as we continue to expand our
clean energy implementation plan, we aim to continue
achieving real energy savings in 2014.
Total Water Consumption in m3
159
4.7
2.6
141.5
70.5
2012
Fuel (TJ)
Gasoline (TJ)
2013
Electricity (TJ)
22,602
2012
20,395
2013
39
Measuring our Carbon
Footprint
Calculating our Carbon footprint provides an overview
of our Green House Gas inventory, converted into
CO2 — equivalents and it is based on reported
data from our internal and external systems. This
calculation provides inputs on the amount of CO2 in
our operations as well as it identifies the emissions
sources. We then use this data to develop innovative
solutions to reduce our carbon footprint.
We calculate the Carbon intensity per employee
and per value creation to determine relative Carbon
intensity ratios. This voluntary disclosure is in
accordance with our stakeholder’s expectations
of increased transparency, and protecting the
environment.
Our Green House Gas inventory is based on the
international standard for accounting and reporting
Green House Gases, Green House Gas Protocol
Initiative (GHG protocol), developed by World
Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business
Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). The
report considers the following green house gases, all
converted into CO2 equivalents: CO2 , CH4 (methane),
N2 O, SF6 , HFCs, NF3 and PFCs.
Green House Gas emissions
• Scope -1 Direct emissions (mandatory reporting):
Includes all direct emissions from Syriatel Groupowned or controlled sources, such as company
vehicles, heat generation and back-up diesel
generators.
• Scope -2 Indirect emissions (mandatory reporting):
In the case of Syriatel, this means purchased
electricity.
• Scope -3 Indirect emissions (voluntary reporting):
Includes emissions from sources not directly
controlled by SyriaTel, such as; Employee business air
and ground travel, employee commutes, contracted
solid waste disposal e.g., solid waste that is sent to
landfills not owned or operated by the company and
solid waste (paper, scrap metals, etc.)
Inventory Results
Syriatel GHG emissions in FY 2013 totaled 31,945
Tones CO2eq. Of this amount, 80.94% (25,856
Tones CO2eq.) was associated with Scope 2 –
emissions from electricity purchased from the
grid electricity system. Total Scope 1 emissions
accounted for 16.89% of the total emissions (5,396
Tones CO2eq.) , where 4,440 Tones CO2eq. resulted
from GHG emissions from fuel combustion in DG sets
for back-up power in network sites.
Tonnes CO2 eq.
25,856
5,201
194
Fuel
Consumpon
vehicles
in self owned
40
2
1
Fuel
Consumpon
in DG sets for
back-up power
Fuel
Consumpon
in Heaters
Electricity
purchased from
the grid electricity
system
Business
Travel
691
Daily employee
commutaon
Overall, air emissions are not considered material to
the operations of a telecommunications company.
However, in an effort to increase transparency in our
operations, we are voluntarily tracking the harmful
gases resulting from our operations such as NOx and
SOx emissions. These are harmful gases that affect
the air quality of our communities and environment.
Although we are in compliance with local regulations
regarding air quality, we strive to improve our
performance further:
SOx and NOx emissions
9868
4329
257
113
2012
2013
SOx (kg)
NOx (kg)
Recycling
Recycling is nothing new at Syriatel, we launched our recycling campaign two years ago and placed collection bins in all of our
offices. However in waste management, there is a hierarchy of activities to adopt before “recycling”. As the mantra goes: Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle.
Reuse
uce
ed
yc
Rec le
In our bid to reduce consumption, we redesigned our bill and shortened it from 2 pages to 1 page. This seemingly small initiative
results in a 15 ton reduction of paper consumption in Syriatel. Experts estimate that the saving of 1 Ton of paper is equivalent to
saving of:
• 17 trees
• Approximately 25,000 liters of water
• Approximately 4,000 Kwh of electricity
We will continue in our efforts to reduce paper consumption through introduction of SMS billing (paperless) in 2014.
41
R
Investing in Our
People
42
43
Since Syriatel establishment, we have recognized that the ongoing
success of our business depends on our ability to recruit and retain
a diverse, talented and committed workforce. We try to create a
stimulating and engaging working environment, where all our people
take shared responsibility for the delivery of our goals and objectives,
and embrace our common values. We strive to provide the best training
and career development, equal employment opportunities and a
professional workplace.
Employment, Diversity and Inclusion
In 2013, syriatel total workforce number reached 1647 employees, consisting of full-time employees,
temporary employees and trainees. We saw the highest turnover in the coordinators and representatives
category in which 55% of the employees fall under ‘less than 30 years’ age group. While this turnover is
understandable and predictable, our goal is to recruit and retain the most talented and ambitious people to
promote and sustain the long-term growth of Syriatel. To follow up on this commitment, 145 students and
promoters participated in our 2013 traineeship program.
44
Our employees by management level
Employee turnover by numbers and percentage
1841
36
123
8
1647
32
118
207
7
20%
351
173
21%
345
14%
235
13%
234
1467
1312
7%
117
0
7%
110
5
2012
2012
Total employees leaving
2013
CEO & Directors
Head of units
Head of Secons
Temporary contracts
Coordinators and
Trainees
2013
Male employees leaving
Female employees leaving
representatives
Our ability to develop innovative and modern products and services depends on new and great ideas. Ideas
and variety of perspectives come from the diverse people we hire. We appreciate the importance of balance
between gender and age in the composition of our workforce and we understand the diversity will allow us to
gain a better and more holistic view of our customers’ and local communities’ needs.
The last couple of years saw a very dynamic and rapidly changing job market. As a result, we have observed
that the largest percentage of employees in the coordinators and representatives category remained in the
‘less than 30 years’ age group although there has been slight increase in the ’30-50 years’ age group and
it now constitutes 44%. Attracting young talent remains high on our agenda and we have participated in
numerous events in 2013 to help develop young people’s practical skills and knowledge, and to prepare
them for the needs and requirements of a business environment.
Age diversity at Syriatel
Gender diversity at Syriatel
Coordinators and
Representaves
66%
34%
Head of Secons
80%
20%
Head of Units
75%
25%
CEO & Directors
86%
14%
Males
Females
Coordinators and
Representaves
Head of Secons
55%
14%
1%
86%
Head of Units
CEO & Directors
44%
97%
43%
3%
57%
less than 30 years
30 - 50 years
more than
50 years
45
Training and
Development
Health and Safety
We developed a robust training program to ensure
all our people are prepared to deliver on our promise
for high customer service quality. The training system
together with our annual performance review process
create a rewarding working environment for everyone
in the company regardless of age, seniority and
previous experience.
The reduction of the total training hours in comparison
with 2012 is mainly due to development of e-learning
training courses to help reach all of our employees
and due to having difficulties in reaching some
particular training locations in 2013.
Hours of Training
44,800
38,225
16,578
12,575
4,794
1,620
2,918
60 1,025
2012
Senior management
2013
Lower management
Middle management
Trainees
161
Total Training Hours
*The total number of training hours provided in 2012 and 2013 also
includes data on training provided to contract labor.
Good safety practice at work remains of high
importance to Syriatel. We have a dedicated health
and safety committee comprising mainly nonmanagement members (151 Non-management
members and 1 Management member) as we
acknowledge these are the people with the dayto-day knowledge and experience. The committee
is engaged in a variety of activities that includes
continuous awareness sessions across Syriatel about
health and safety issues, as well as monitoring of the
company-wide compliance with our safety standards.
Beyond the health and safety initiatives at the
workplace, we also provide our people with a
comprehensive benefits package to cover their
health and wellbeing, and those of their families. The
package includes social, medical and life insurances,
as well as mobile limit and handset, and family
medical insurance. Our part-time employees are
granted the same benefits with the exception of the
family medical insurance.
Employee Satisfaction
Respect, team spirit and passion are among our
corporate values and we strive to integrate them in
everything we do and in between ourselves.
Creating a tolerant and respectful workplace is an
important factor for ensuring employee wellbeing
and satisfaction. We have developed a clear
anti-discrimination policy and have an Employee
Grievance Mechanism in place to help address
potential concerns and issues.
We also provide various opportunities throughout the
company to encourage collaboration, engagement
and team-building.
46
47