There’s a strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) angle to the recent announcement by Vodacom Mozambique of its major objectives for the next five years.
Earlier this week, Vodacom Mozambique announced a project to expand its network, with the aim of guaranteeing access to its services for at least 21 million Mozambicans by the year 2025. This, however, is just one of Vodacom's five main objectives laid out for the next five-year period, whose overall aim is, the company says, contributing to the development of the country and improving the lives of Mozambicans.
Social responsibility pays a strong part in these objectives, based, in part, on information gathered from clients and business partners on what they regard as social challenges that need greater support. Thus there is going to be an improvement programme for 500 schools during the five-year period.
Also, in order to recognize the work of its employees, as well as to help ensure gender balance, in the next five years, about 80 percent of Vodacom’s appointments and promotions will be internal and some 40 percent of its employees will be women.
New technology is also a focus, including the goal of launching an ambitious technological innovation every year. The Loon Project, a partnership project between Loon and Vodacom that aims to take high-speed internet to areas of difficult access using balloons equipped with 4G technology, is an early example of the sort of innovation the company wants to encourage.
In 2021 the company also aims to create its first Digital Village, described as “a model that aims to reinvent connectivity in the Mozambican countryside”.
Nor is financial inclusion overlooked in this five-year plan. The company will continue to develop and expand the M-Pesa service – which is currently used for financial transactions by more than 4.6 million people – aiming to reach everyone over 16.
