Gone, fortunately, are the days of businesses caring little for the society or environment around them. While many companies still disregard the adverse environmental impact they may be making to their surroundings, almost all big organizations today acknowledge and embrace their responsibility to the society.
Once a mere fad, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has now become a powerful source for companies to find their voice, incorporate their organizational values to their business models, connect better to the consumers, and leave a strong and lasting socioeconomic footprint. Sustainability, as CSR is alternatively and more popularly called today, has become inherent to the very fabric of a responsible organization’s culture and is changing, for the better, the way things used to be for a very long time.
In Pakistan too, companies are waking up to new realities of responsible business. While some organizations are more active in embracing sustainable business practices than others, the overall culture of realizing one’s responsibility to the society bodes well for us all at large.
One of the proactive adopters, promoters, and advocates of socially responsible businesses is none other than SCO (Special Communications Organizations), the largest and primary telecom services provider of Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. Established in 1976, the company has now developed a massive Information Technology and Telecom infrastructure in the region.
In addition to empowering its 6-million strong subscriber base in the Kashmir and GB regions with superior communications services, SCO continually makes all-out efforts to give back to the society.
Ranging from job fairs, sporting events, fundraisers, and education and environmental initiatives to name a few, these efforts encompass virtually all aspects of life where a noteworthy impact can be made. While the company has been an active contributor to the society and a strong change-maker since its inception, some of its sustainability efforts in the recent past are summarized below.
Inherently Responsible
Sustainability is an inherent organizational characteristic of SCO which also reflected in the company’s win of 12th NFEH (National Forum for Environment & Health) CSR Award 2020 in the ‘Leaders in Philanthropy’ category. The company received it on account of its continued efforts to build and empower the people of far-flung areas of Pakistan at the grass root level.
In its CSR Report 2018-19, CSO lists together various sustainability initiatives it took on diversified fronts. Some of them are listed below:
Environment Preservation
As a responsible corporate entity, SCO takes it upon itself to sensitize the society about preserving nature and promoting a clean and healthy environment. The company’s efforts towards environment culminated in cleanliness campaigns in Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan regions.
Tree plantation drives in both regions also underscored SCO’s highly responsible approach towards preservation of nature and environment, especially amid today’s sharp and unstoppable rise of population and urbanization.
Education & Mentoring
On the education front, an essay writing competition was organized in Muzaffarabad where XX children from XX schools participated. An educational tour for MUST University delegation of Mirpur was also organized by SCO.
Education CSR featured internship for UG students in Mirpur and a books distribution event Punjgran school in Muzaffarabad. In Gilgit Blatistan, an inter-school speech competition was held under SCO’s sponsorship that received immense response from across the region.
Promoting Sports
In sports too, SCO made tremendous CSR contributions. A badminton championship was organized in Muzaffarabad followed by Sarfaranga Jeep Rally in Skardu’s wildly popular cold desert. Several football tournaments took place in the cities of Muzaffarabad and Mirpur with the sports scene culminating into the immensely popular Naltar Skiing Tournament.
The snow sports frenzy continued with the Snow Cross jeep rally at Muzaffarabad at the beginning of 2019. A cricket tournament in Mirpur and the GBSL Cricket League in Gilgit followed drawing enormous response. SCO was the key sponsor of all these sporting events.
Pakistan’s first-of-its-kind Paragliding Jump Event was also later sponsored by SCO. This was followed by the Neelum Festival Sports Gala in Muzaffarabad in mid-2019. Tour De Khunjerab Cycle Race also made headlines alongside the Jashan-e-Baharan Polo Tournament. SCO also had the privilege of sponsoring the celebrated Shandur Polo Festival of 2019.
In addition to supporting these electrifying sporting events, SCO also played a key role in organizing several talent appreciation meets with professional cricketers, boxers, and winners of Special Olympics. In Muzaffarabad, a talent hunt was also organized where Lahore Qalandars sought cricketing talent amongst the region’s youth.
Art & Culture
SCO proved its social responsibility on the arts & culture front as well. Some of these contributions included a Naat Competition in Muzaffarabad and sponsorship of national songs, among other measures. The highlight here, however, were the painting and photography competitions that drew massive national response.
The company held a photography and painting competition under the theme of ‘My People – My Land’ at the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) Islamabad. The painting event was inaugurated by the First Lady Mrs Samina Alvi as the Chief Guest. Best 100 paintings were featured in the PNCA Gallery.
The competition for photography was also conducted under the same theme and the exhibition was organized at the national level. Photographs were captured by the youth from Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Mainland Pakistan to highlight the landscape and cultural heritage of the beautiful North (AJ&K & GB). The events aimed to promote the local talent of AJ&K and GB on a national level.
Financial Assistance
In mid-2018, the company hosted a highly successful fundraising event in Muzaffarabad which aimed at extending financial support to orphans and raised [XXamount] for the same.
Another highlight of SCO’s sustainability efforts was extension of financial assistance to celebrities like late Hassan Sadpara, the greatest mountaineer Pakistan has ever seen, and Abdul Rehman, affectionately known as Chacha Adbu, who helped Pakistan regain Siachin. Little Karim, another great mountaineer from Skardu, also became beneficiary of SCO’s financial assistance.
‘A Sense of Belonging’
Sharing his thoughts on SCO’s CSR approach and initiatives, XX, said, “During our forty three years of service and empowerment of the unserved and hard-to-reach regions, their people have developed a sense of belonging with SCO.
We not only acknowledge this relationship, but do our best to reciprocate it in the most effective and rewarding manner. It resolves us to further strengthen this bond and based on previous years’ experience, we are all set to serve Pakistan with new zeal and enthusiasm.”
“We know that corporate responsibility is not going to solve the world’s problems, but we are confident that it is benefiting society in more ways than was initially expected,” said XX.
“At SCO, we remain committed to giving back to the Pakistani society and empowering it to secure a future that is rewarding for our future generations. Just as in the past, we will not hesitate going the extra mile to serve Pakistan and its people in an assertive and wholesome manner. What we are today is because of Pakistan and its people and we deem it our responsibility to empower both in every way possible. At the same time, we also appreciate the efforts of our talented brand ambassadors Samina Baig, Maryam Mujtaba, and Usman Mukhtar in helping us pursue our sustainability goals and effectively telling our stories to the people of Pakistan.”
