MTN Group has been recognized as the leading African company on the Forbes World’s Best Employers list for 2021.
The list is based on the testimonies of several employees from across 58 countries, who were asked to rate 750 multinational companies across the world on factors such as image, economic footprint, talent development, gender equality and social responsibility.
“This year’s rankings represent a significant improvement in various areas for MTN. Overall, we’ve improved from position 419 last year, to 132 in 2021. We have also moved up nine places in the global telco industry rankings, to second spot,” a statement from MTN Group said.
Group President and CEO, Ralpha Tendai Mupita said “This acknowledgement comes at a time when our sector is at the forefront of the changes that are happening in the world. In a year when we launched our new Ambition 2025 strategy and EVP, Live Inspired, we are excited that this acknowledgement, as with many others we’ve received, will serve to re-affirm and inspire people around our ambitions.”
MTN Group Chief Human Resource Officer, Paul Norman also stated that “We are humbled to receive this influential global recognition by Forbes, as people have found it difficult to be physically together, we’ve had to step up as an industry to connect them with each other, connect companies with their people and customers, and of course, enable the delivery of new and essential services to communities. To achieve this, we’ve relied on our people, their skills, innovation and can-do spirit that continues to shine bright alongside our brand.”
He added that through MTN’s Live Inspired EVP, “we aim to provide our employees with future skills, create a diverse and inclusive workplace and contribute to a sustainable environment.”
Fortunes Change the World
Meanwhile, earlier this month, the MTN Group also received recognition on the 2021 Fortune Change the World list. The Change the World List is a global ranking of the top 53 companies that make a measurable progress addressing pressing social problems as part of their business strategy.
The publishers of the Change the World list noted that many of this year’s honourees are battling to reverse the neglect of some societal needs, as magnified by the Covid-19 pandemic. These companies are investing in the long-term health of their businesses by supporting those on the lower stages of the global economic ladder, including distributing COVID-19 vaccines in low- and middle-income nations.
Since the start of the spread of COVID-19, MTN has remained committed to playing a part in the ongoing fight against the pandemic through our global mask wearing awareness campaign #wearitforme and #onemorepushafrica. Heeding the call for vaccinations across the African continent, MTN donated US$25 million to support the African Union’s COVID-19 vaccination programme. The donation to Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) will help secure up to seven million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for health workers on the continent.
Again, during the pandemic, the urgent need to stay connected, saw data traffic soaring by 110% in 2020. MTN was able to address gaps in connectivity by improving the affordability of its services, whilst providing digital and financial solutions to consumers and businesses, and helping to drive digital inclusion to the most vulnerable and marginalised communities on the African continent.
For MTN, better connectivity doesn’t mean less eco-responsibility. MTN works with its partners to make sure we limit our environmental impact and safeguards biodiversity around every cell tower we build. MTN has also set science-based targets of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 47% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.
“For us, this is about being part of the long-term solution, harnessing the power of partnerships to act swiftly to address the challenges brought on by the pandemic, whilst prioritizing our people, customers, and communities, as well as looking after our businesses and the environment. It is for this reason, we continue to believe in the power of collective action to make a meaningful difference, focusing our efforts where needs are greatest,” a statement from MTN said.
It quoted Group President and CEO, Ralph Mupita as saying “MTN is humbled to be recognised on the Fortune Change the World list. We are committed to changing the world through meaningful contributions to the societies across the markets in which we operate.”
He added that “Our networks, products, and services are supplied with the intention of closing the digital divide by facilitating digital communications and financial inclusion.”
