Page 32 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2022

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Zain Joins UN Global Compact Initiative for Responsible Business Practices

Zain Group announces that it has joined world’, through its business practices Zain equally without any form of discrimination.
the United Nations (UN) Global Compact is already addressing climate change; The company is fully committed in playing
initiative — a voluntary leadership platform upholding human rights; protecting children an active role towards climate change
for the development, implementation, in the digital and physical realms; and and biodiversity loss, where it recently
and disclosure of responsible business clamping down on corruption, which are published its 11th annual Sustainability
practices. With this announcement, all elements that will be further amplified Report entitled, “A Resilient Journey”
Zain is proud to join thousands of other through our entry into the UN Global disclosing its ESG indicators as well as its
companies globally, and a select few telcos Compact and its mission.” Through joining annual thought leadership report entitled,
from the Middle East region, in making this the UN Compact, Zain is recommitting to “The Climate Crisis - Achieving Net-Zero
commitment to taking responsible business supporting and respecting human rights for a Sustainable Future” that explores
action to create the world we all want. The and reassuring all company stakeholders various important topics related to working
UN Global Compact is a call to companies are protected. This is already reflected towards a Net-Zero economy. Climate
everywhere to align their operations and in Zain’s code of conduct, HR policy and change is a pressing global issue, and Zain
strategies with ten universally accepted supplier code of conduct policy, ensuring is committed to bringing about systemic
principles in the areas of human rights, that across Zain’s value chain, the business change by adopting energy efficient
labor, environment, and anti-corruption, respects its employees and treats them all solutions and reducing its carbon footprint.
and to take action in support of the UN’s
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact
is the largest corporate sustainability
initiative in the world, with more than
15,000 companies and 3,000 non-business
signatories based in over 160 countries, and
more than 70 local networks. Commenting
on Zain becoming a participant of the
UN Global Compact, Bader Al-Kharafi,
Zain Vice-Chairman and Group CEO said,
“Zain is committed to creating the world
we all want by embedding the UN Global
Compact and its 10 principles as part of
the overarching strategy, culture, and day-
to-day operations.” Al-Kharafi continued, “In
our own capacity to establish a ‘wonderful

Zain Group Reports a 10% Increase in Revenues in H1 2022

Kuwait-based telecoms group Zain has under review, Zain Kuwait claims to have million in H1 2022, while the subscription
published its consolidated financial results become the first telecoms operator globally base in Jordan reached 3.7 million (up 4%
for the six months ended 30 June 2022, to launch Vo5G with nationwide coverage; y-o-y). Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi, Zain Vice-
reporting a 10% increase in revenues year- the group also completed the first 4G/5G Chairman and Group CEO, commented: ‘The
on-year to KWD829 million (USD2.7 billion), Open and Cloud Native Radio Access healthy revenue and net income growth
while EBITDA increased 3% annually to Network (cRAN) live trial in the region. In across multiple key markets vindicates
KWD320 million. The company booked operational terms, Zain Group reported a the strategic investments we have made
a net profit of KWD98 million in the six consolidated subscription base of 51.7 over recent years in network upgrades and
months under review, up 14% y-o-y. Over the million at 30 June 2022, an increase of 7.1% cutting-edge digital platforms. By offering
six months to 30 June 2022, Zain CAPEX y-o-y. In Kuwait subscriptions increased 9% our individual and enterprise customers
investments focused predominantly on y-o-y to 2.6 million, while the Saudi Arabian state-of-the-art technologies and services,
5G rollouts in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and unit reported 8.9 million subscriptions (up we are enhancing our customer and
Bahrain; 4G upgrades and new network 21% y-o-y). Zain Sudan’s subscription base revenue share across our markets. The 5G
sites across its markets; expansion of fibre- stood at 16.3 million at 30 June, flat y-o-y. network of our flagship operation in Kuwait
to-the-home (FTTH) infrastructure; and Zain Iraq, meanwhile, saw its subscription is the driving force of the 9% increase in
spectrum licence fees. During the period base increase 12% y-o-y to serve 18.0 customers and generation of multiple

32 JULY-AUGUST 2022