Phnom Penh, 6^th November 2019: Smart Axiata, Cambodia’s leading mobile telecommunications operator, presented its 2018 Sustainability Report which highlights the company’s sustainable practices and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) metrics at Rosewood Phnom Penh.

The event was presided over by H.E. Tram Iv Tek, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications and H.E. Dr. Hang ChuonNaron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sport. Representatives from both ministries, the Embassy of Malaysia, Ministry of Economy and Finance, NGO partners, business chambers, academia, ecosystem builders, university alumnus and Smart employees also celebrated the company’s key achievements of the past 10 years, based on their four key pillars: Beyond Short-Term Profits, Nurturing People, Process Excellence, as well as Planet and Society.

“Sustainability has always been key to our business philosophy, recognizing the immense responsibility we have to ensure that our business grows together with our stakeholders and communities. While we continue to be transparent in disclosing our efforts, we have advanced our sustainability practices and strengthened our nation building agenda,” said Thomas Hundt, CEO of Smart Axiata.

In 2018 alone, Smart contributed 374 million USD to Cambodia’s national economy (1.5% of the Cambodian GDP). The company also supported 51,035 jobs across its value chain. Besides remitting 86 million USD in taxes, levies and regulatory fees, whereby tax payments alone represented 2.6% of total national tax income, Smart was also the first telecoms operator to be recognized with a Gold Award for Tax Compliance by the General Department of Taxation.

“Smart has always taken our national responsibilities very seriously. By the end of 2018, Smart had invested over 1.42 billion USD as well as paid over 370 million USD in taxes, levies and regulatory fees. We also allocate more than 1% of our annual revenue every year for CSR programs that make significant impact at the communities in which we operate in,” explained Thomas.

Furthermore, Smart committed to carry out projects that drive mobile broadband infrastructure and human resource development by utilizing its contributions of more than 8.3 million USD to the Universal Service Obligation Fund and the Capacity Building and R&D Fund.

“I am delighted and proud of Smart’s increased national contribution, business performance and societal impact. I hope the company builds on its mobile data leadership, exciting lifestyle entertainment services, and long-term commitment to Cambodia while playing a collaborative role in developing the Kingdom’s digital ecosystem,” said David Lau, Chairman of Smart’s Board of Directors, who also joined the event.

One of the key CSR milestones for Smart last year was the 1.5 million USD MoU with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to develop digital talents for the Kingdom. Smart also expanded its technopreneurship portfolio of initiatives to drive startups and launched SmartSpark, a program linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

2018 also saw the company expand its list of ‘firsts’ by introducing eSIM, Wi-Fi Calling and direct operator billing service for both the Apple iOS and Google Android ecosystems. The company continued its digital transformation agenda across the value chain and focused on dedicating substantial resources to develop internal talents.

“As we celebrate our 10^th anniversary in 2019, the 2018 Sustainability Report honors our employees’ passion for our company and our customers in the country as a whole. Together with all our partners, we look forward to keep building on our achievements and to create further sustainable impact for the future,” concluded Thomas.

Access https://www.smart.com.kh/sustainability-highlights-2018/ to download the report. For more information on Smart’s sustainability and CSR initiatives, follow the ‘Smart for Cambodia’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/smartforcambodia or visit www.smart.com.kh.