Zain Bahrain, a leading telecommunications operator in the kingdom, announced the establishment of a new function titled Sustainability & Inclusivity, taking a step further to reinforce the culture of inclusion and sustainable business. 

 

Fatema Haider, an industry veteran with over 11 years experience with Zain and an ambassador for D & I since its establishment in 2017, has been named the manager of the Sustainability & Inclusivity function. 

 

With her vast experience in the field of D & I, Haider will focus on assisting the company in building diverse teams, said the statement from Zain.

 

The expansion of Zain Bahrain’s Sustainability efforts aligns with the company’s commitment to help achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 – Gender Equality.

 

The company continues to focus on women empowerment and has launched various initiatives as part of its SDGs to provide quality education to Bahraini women, such as the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) Camp for girls aged 8-14 that trained 1,000 school-going girls to code across the Kingdom in an effort to heighten their interest in technology, it added.

 

With the addition of the new function, Zain Bahrain continues to embrace a culture where men and women are treated equally at the workplace and creates empowering initiatives for all segments in the community to develop and grow.

 

Fatema Haider was appointed to Zain’s D & I Advisory Board in 2020 and has since worked directly with the Vice-Chairman, Group CEO, and his Executive Team as a representative of Zain Bahrain.

 

In her current role, Fatema will oversee corporate sustainability, developing and executing strategies to address Zain’s sustainability streams, working alongside all departments to ensure that the sustainability and inclusivity strategy is embedded across all levels. 

 

She will also lead the design, development, and management of the sustainable business operation, monitoring progress and partnering with external entities and business unit representatives to invest in serving the local community in implementing change initiatives across the organization.

 

Zain Bahrain also focused on SDG 11 for Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 12 for Responsible Consumption and Production. 

 

They have rendered support to various differently-abled individuals in the community and are also committed to addressing the various risks and opportunities related to climate change, participating in activities such as e-waste to responsibly recycle electronic waste, it stated.

 

Welcoming the appointment, CEO Duncan Howard said: "At Zain Bahrain, Sustainability and Diversity & Inclusion are key to our strategy. We believe in employee empowerment by creating equal opportunities and treatment, encouraging a sense of belonging in a safe and open environment."

 

"We are committed to being an inclusive company by providing opportunities for a better future that is accessible to all. As part of our corporate sustainability strategy, we remain committed to providing ‘Meaningful Connectivity’ by being inclusive and accessible and will further emphasize the importance of establishing purpose-driven activities," he stated.

 

Zain Bahrain has been a proud recipient of Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa’s ‘Women Empowerment Award’ for its significant efforts and contribution to the Bahraini women work force. 

 

On her elevated role, Haider said: "Sustainability & Inclusivity are key drivers to Zain Bahrain’s growth, which I believe will support the advancement of our organization and will serve as a brand differentiator to support our internal and external stakeholders."

 

"I am delighted to be appointed for this role and look forward to purposefully reaching an inclusive and shared interest between the local community and the business’ growth," she added.-TradeArabia News Service