Sustainable Business Report 2018 - Vodafone Group Plc
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Sustainable Business Report 2018 Vodafone Group Plc
Contents
Introduction 1 Women’s empowerment 9 Energy innovation 19 Youth skills and jobs 32
Chief Executive statement 1 Global context 10 Global context 20 Global context 33
Sustainable business strategy 2 Vodafone and women’s empowerment 11 Vodafone, energy and climate change 22 Our future jobs strategy 35
Global transformation areas 3 Gender equality in our workplace 15 Optimising our energy consumption 24 Digital workplace experience 38
Transparency focus areas 5 Enabling customers to reduce emissions 30
UN Sustainable Development Goals 6
Engaging with our stakeholders 7
Supply chain integrity and safety 41 Principles and practice 59 Mobiles, masts and health 76 Appendix 79
Supply chain integrity 42 Our people 61 Managing and reporting on
Safety 51 Human rights 67 sustainable business 80
Bribery and corruption 71 Materiality82
Environmental management 83
Scope of reporting 84
How we report our key
performance indicators 85
Independent Limited Assurance Report 93
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018
Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Chief Executive statement
Our products and services play a central role in the daily lives and livelihoods of more than half a billion
people, across 25 countries.
With every passing day, mobile is enabling and our progress on our women’s empowerment goals, place to ensure our operating practices meet our
accelerating a revolution in access to education, launched in 2016, can be found later in this report. expectations and placing emphasis on corporate
financial services and healthcare for millions of transparency, everyone associated with Vodafone,
people, offering those living in some of the world’s Climate change remains a critical global challenge and from our Plc Board to our smallest operating company
poorest communities the opportunity to break free we recognise, as a significant consumer of electricity, and suppliers, can deliver the conduct and behaviours
from a cycle of endemic poverty. that we have an important role to play as part of the expected of a company of our size.
global effort to limit temperature rises. Our new
Simultaneously, our digital networks and technologies, 2025 targets are an indication of that commitment: We believe we have good cause to be optimistic and
including 4G+ mobile, fibre-optic broadband, cloud to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 40%; excited about the future as the digital economy drives
computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) are and to purchase 100% of the electricity we use from global progress but we recognise that the world
transforming businesses of all sizes, helping them renewable sources. continues to face a number of significant challenges.
to operate more efficiently and prosper. This year, The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set
we invested more than €7.3 billion to maintain and Within many of our markets, youth unemployment out a series of global ambitions to tackle these. We
upgrade our digital infrastructure, investment that is one of the most significant social and economic believe we can have the greatest impact on five of the
provides our customers, their families, communities challenges. New technologies are both replacing SDGs through the delivery of our sustainable business
and businesses with the means to connect, learn, semi-skilled roles and creating new career paths but strategy and the goals mentioned above, and highlight
share, trade and advance their ambitions. young people must have the right skills to adopt our progress and contribution in this report.
these digital technology jobs. Over the next four
We also have a duty to work within these communities years, our new future jobs programme – What will you Finally, I would like to thank the many stakeholders
to create better, more equal societies, an aim that is at be? – will support 10 million young people across 18 – including employees, customers and shareholders –
the heart of Vodafone’s purpose: connecting everybody countries to develop digital skills, get career guidance whose opinions and insights help us to accelerate our
to live a better today and build a better tomorrow. and access training content and job opportunities. In efforts to build and grow a purpose-led, sustainable
Enabling positive social outcomes is integral to what addition, we will provide up to 100,000 under 25s with Vodafone. Looking ahead to 2019 and beyond, I relish
we do and our approach to sustainable business a digital workplace experience inside Vodafone – the the prospect of our business playing an increasingly
ensures that we are committed to aligning our largest commitment to training and development in important role in building a better today as well as an
business goals with the delivery of societal benefits. our 33-year history. exciting future for us and our planet.
Our sustainable business strategy focuses our efforts Just as important as our commitment to delivering
in areas where we believe Vodafone can make the positive social outcomes is our determination to act
greatest impact: women’s empowerment; energy responsibly and with integrity wherever we operate;
innovation; and youth, skills and jobs. We now have what we do matters but so does how we work. By Vittorio Colao
long-term goals in place for each of these areas and paying close attention to the controls we put in Group Chief Executive, Vodafone Group Plc
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 1
Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Sustainable business strategy
Our sustainable business strategy is built on an
unwavering commitment to operating responsibly
and a recognition that we have a role to play in
contributing to the societies in which we operate. Our purpose is to connect everybody to live
At the heart of this strategy, which we launched in a better today and build a better tomorrow
2016, are three global transformation areas, each
of which has the potential to achieve positive socio-
economic benefits for our customers and wider
society, and each of which is aligned with and Our transformation areas
support our long-term business objectives.
Our strategy focuses on our ability to deliver
progress at scale in the areas of:
• women’s empowerment;
• energy innovation; and
• youth skills and jobs.
Women’s Energy Youth skills
In parallel, we remain committed to ensuring that
empowerment innovation and jobs
Vodafone behaves responsibly and ethically wherever
we operate, supported by our corporate transparency
programme. Four areas, each a topic of intense public
debate, form the focus of our efforts as we ensure Our transparency areas
detailed policies, practices and disclosures help to
hold our businesses to account while contributing
to the broader debate.
Tax and total Supply chain
Mobiles, masts Digital rights
Our transparency focus areas are: economic integrity
and health and freedoms
• taxation and total economic contribution;
contribution and safety
• supply chain integrity and safety;
• mobiles, masts and health; and
• digital rights and freedoms.
Principles and practice
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 2
Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Global transformation areas
Women’s empowerment significant users of energy and are therefore a source
of those emissions.
The transformative effects of mobile technology
for women in low-income emerging markets are
As a significant user of energy, our industry faces
well recognised. Owning a mobile phone for the first
a growing GHG emissions challenge. We recognise
time can enhance a woman’s physical and economic
that we have an important role to mitigate the
security, education, skills, access to employment
consequences of this growth in demand for our
opportunities and her (and her dependents’) health
services and have introduced two new goals: to reduce
and wellbeing.
the GHG emissions associated with our operations by
40%; and to purchase 100% of the electricity we use
To close the existing ownership gap and drive women’s
from renewable sources, both by 2025.
ability to empower themselves, our goal is to connect
an additional 50 million women living in 10 emerging
We will also continue to help our customers to reduce
markets to mobile by 2025. We also intend to use our
their emissions through the use of our IoT products
mobile technologies to enhance the quality of
and services.
women’s lives through programmes that enable
financial inclusion, improve health and wellbeing, Read more on energy innovation
and build education, skills and entrepreneurship.
Youth skills and jobs
We are strongly committed to diversity and inclusion
Many of the countries in which we operate continue
and believe that by improving the diversity of our
to experience high levels of youth unemployment
global workforce we will better reflect our customer
and consequently face a range of significant social
base and wider society. We believe our strong
and economic challenges. Simultaneously, some
commitment to diversity is a source of business
advances in technology, such as robotics and
strength, as evidenced by our long-term goal to
artificial intelligence, are enabling the automation
become an employer with such a strong track record
of many categories of jobs, reducing employment
for attracting, retaining and developing talented
opportunities and altering the nature of work.
women that, by 2025, we are widely considered to
be the world’s best employer for women. We believe we can play an important role in helping
Read more on women’s empowerment young people gain the skills required to thrive in
the global digital economy, and we have committed
to support 10 million young people to access digital
Energy innovation skills, learning and employment opportunities.
There is clear evidence that global temperatures We will also provide up to 100,000 young people with
are rising rapidly and a consensus that man-made a digital workplace experience at Vodafone.
greenhouse gases (GHGs) are having a direct impact
on climate change. Communications companies are Read more on youth skills and jobs
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 3
Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Global transformation goals
Women’s empowerment Energy innovation Youth skills and jobs
Equality of women remains a significant global challenge. By Urgent action is needed to address climate change. This year, Persistently high youth unemployment and a growing digital skills
empowering women and promoting gender equality, we can we have introduced two new goals that focus on achieving gap are significant social and economic challenges. This year, we
enable communities, economies and businesses – including a significant reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions launched our What will you be? programme to help young people
our own – to prosper. associated with our operations. develop their digital skills and access learning and employment
opportunities so they can thrive in the digital economy.
Our 2025 goals Our 2025 goals Our 2022 goals
We aim to connect an additional 50 million To reduce our greenhouse gas emissions To support 10 million young people
women living in emerging markets to mobile by 40% to access digital skills, learning and
employment opportunities
Our ambition is for Vodafone to become To purchase 100% of the electricity we use
the world’s best employer for women from renewable sources To provide up to 100,000 young people with
a digital workplace experience at Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 4
Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Transparency focus areas
Our sustainable business strategy is founded on any capacity, across the world. Further details of our on a wide range of topics including law enforcement
Vodafone’s commitment to responsible behaviour in approach can be found in the Supply chain integrity surveillance, privacy, data protection, freedom of
everything we do, and is essential to preserving the and safety section of this Report. expression, censorship and the digital rights of the child.
long-term success of our company. We strive to ensure
See our Supply chain integrity and safety section for Visit our Digital Rights and Freedoms Reporting Centre
we always act lawfully, ethically and with integrity
more information
wherever we operate. Our strong commitment to
corporate transparency is evidenced through our Mobiles, masts and health Principles and practice
programmes which address four areas that are the The health and safety of our customers and the We believe that how we work is as important as what
focus of intense public debate. wider public is an absolute priority for Vodafone we do and what we achieve. We are committed to the
and everyone who works with us. While our mobile highest standards of ethical behaviour, as set out in
Taxation and total economic contribution devices and masts operate well within the guidelines our Code of Conduct, which governs everything we do.
In 2013, we became the first communications set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Putting those principles into practice can sometimes
company in the world (and one of very few in any Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), we recognise that in a lead to complex and difficult challenges where
sector) to report our total taxation and economic number of countries there is still some public concern cultures and working environments may be in conflict
contribution on a country-by-country and actual regarding the electromagnetic frequency (EMF) with our corporate values and commitments. Our
cash-paid basis. We continue to extend the data we emissions from mobile phones and base stations. views and how we manage the risks to our business
disclose to ensure our stakeholders have the most We always endeavour to address concerns openly are explained further in this section of the Report.
relevant information to understand our tax position and transparently through regular local community See our Principles and practice section
and economic impact. engagement and ensure the most up-to-date relevant for more information
information is available on our website.
Read our 2017 tax transparency report
See our Mobiles, masts and health section
for more information
Supply chain integrity and safety
Our businesses rely on a very large global supply chain Digital rights and freedoms
encompassing over 15,000 businesses. We recognise
In 2014, we published our first Law Enforcement
there are many different labour rights and safety and
Disclosure transparency report, explaining how
environmental risks inherent within such a complex
we respond to lawful demands for access to our
supply chain and that similar risks can also arise in
customers’ private data from law enforcement and
the business operations under our own direct control.
intelligence agencies. This report has since been
Through our broad range of policies, training and audit
updated and expanded and is contained within our
programmes, we work with our suppliers to drive high
online Digital Rights and Freedoms Reporting Centre,
standards and ensure the safety, wellbeing and ethical
which includes our policies, principles and approach
treatment of everyone who works with Vodafone in
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 5
Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Being part of something bigger
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out a series of global ambitions to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030. By providing access to
communications via our networks and innovative products and services, our core business enables people to improve their lives and livelihoods. Through our local businesses, our sustainable business
strategy, our goals and programmes, and the work of the Vodafone Foundation, we estimate that we make the greatest impact on five of the UN SDGs and together indirectly contribute to UN SDG 1, to
end poverty in all its forms everywhere. See http://www.vodafone.com/sdgs for more information.
Ensure inclusive and equitable Achieve gender equality and Promote sustained, inclusive Build resilient infrastructure, Take urgent action to combat
quality education and promote empower all women and girls and sustainable economic promote sustainable climate change and its impacts
lifelong learning opportunities growth, full and productive industrialisation and foster
for all employment and decent work innovation
for all
Examples of our contribution Examples of our contribution Examples of our contribution Examples of our contribution Examples of our contribution
•O
ver 419,000 people have •W
e have connected an additional •O
ver 111,000 unique users •O
ur network infrastructure •D
uring the year, we reduced the
enrolled in the Vodafone Egypt 13.3 million female customers to completed of our Future Jobs comprises 310,000 base station amount of GHG emissions per
Foundation’s Knowledge is Power mobile in our emerging markets Finder platform in the first 10 days sites, 65,000 computer servers, petabyte of data carried on our
adult literacy programme since 2016 since launch 4,200 buildings (including network by 40%
•O
ver 500,000 refugee students •2
9% of our management and •W
e estimate over 14,000 young 500 technology centres) •W
e have helped customers to save
have accessed free, quality leadership roles are held by women people were provided with a •W
e invested €7.3 billion during an estimated 2.1 tonnes of CO2e
education content with no data digital workplace experience the year to maintain and upgrade for every tonne generated through
charges as part of the Vodafone during the year our digital infrastructure to deliver our own activities
Foundation’s Instant Schools for improved coverage and access to
Africa programme high speed networks
Women’s empowerment Women’s empowerment
Youth skills and jobs Women’s empowerment Youth skills and jobs Energy innovation Energy innovation
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 6
Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Engaging with our stakeholders
We work with a wide range of stakeholders, both individuals and organisations, to inform, shape and evaluate our approach to sustainable business. At the same time, many
people and organisations have an interest in what we do and how we work. The following provides a summary of some of those we interacted with, alongside some examples
of how we engaged and communicated with them during the year.
Employees Customers Suppliers
Who they are
•W
e employ around 104,000 people with 136 nationalities, •O
ur customers range from individuals living in some of the •W
e have more than 15,000 direct suppliers around the
bringing together a diverse set of experiences and opinions world’s poorest communities to some of the world’s largest world – from small businesses and start-ups to multinational
to help us achieve our goals by better understanding the multinational companies. companies – who provide us with a range of products and
needs of our customers. services, from mobile devices to marketing services.
Why they’re important to us
•O
ur business performance and our customers’ experience of •D
elivering an outstanding and differentiated user experience •W
e rely on our suppliers to deliver high-quality products and
Vodafone depend on our ability to attract, develop and retain for all of our customers is a strategic priority for our business. services. At the same time, we know that poor behaviour by any
talented individuals at all levels. one of our suppliers could have negative consequences for
many businesses in the supply chain, including Vodafone.
Examples of how we engaged during the year
• E very year, we run an anonymous online Global People Survey • T hrough our Customer eXperience eXcellence (CXX) • E very year, we hold supplier safety forums to share best practice
across our entire workforce to assess employee concerns and programme we aim to deliver an outstanding and and discuss ways to reduce safety risks in our supply chain.
aspirations. This year, 88% of our employees responded. differentiated user experience for our customers. The My •V
odafone and three other operators set up a supplier academy
•W
e invested more than €60 million in employee training Vodafone app, which is now live across all of our markets, focusing on training to help suppliers assess and improve the
and development. This included a focus on developing provides customers with a flexible way of monitoring and social, ethical and environmental performance issues inherent
management skills in agile and digital working. managing their services online. within supply chains.
•W
e believe that ethical conduct is just as important as •O
ur Internet of Things (IoT) solutions can enable our •W
e launched a new ‘Modern Slavery’ e-learning course to
high performance. During the year, our Doing What’s Right Enterprise customers to improve efficiency, deliver cost support our suppliers to better manage this risk. The course
employee communication campaign promoted different savings and reduce their carbon emissions. informs users about modern slavery risks throughout the
areas of our Code of Conduct, such as anti-bribery and health employment cycle, equipping them with the insights they
and safety. need to identify and detect potential problems.
•A
s part of our efforts to drive diversity and inclusion across
the business, in March 2018 we ran week-long campaign to
recognise and support International Women’s Day, which
engaged more than 17,000 employees.
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 7
Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Local communities Regulators and governments Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
Non-Governmental Organisations
Who they are
•V
odafone has operations in 25 countries. Our products •W
e engage proactively with policymakers to inform the •W
e engage and work with many different NGOs around the
and services form part of every local community where we policy frameworks that affect our customers, investments world, on a variety of topics that range from conflict minerals
operate. These communities range from remote villages to and competitive stance. to digital human rights.
some of the world’s largest cities.
Why they’re important to us
•O
ur business is dependent on gaining the trust and support •W
e have an opportunity and a responsibility to work with • E ngaging with NGOs is essential to help us understand
of local communities. We aim to do this through being open, governments and regulators to ensure that regulation broader societal concerns and perspectives.
transparent and by respecting local cultures and traditions. enables every citizen to benefit from the positive impact
of our networks and services, as well as technological
innovations including big data analytics, artificial
intelligence and IoT.
Examples of how we engaged during the year
•W
e work closely with local communities to ensure we • T his year, we continued our work to help make the Gigabit •V
odafone is a Board member of the multi-stakeholder Global
understand any concerns they have about the location of Society a reality, a vision that we share with the European Network Initiative, which brings together ICT companies,
our base stations. For example, this year in South Africa, Commission. In April 2017, Vodafone organised a stakeholder civil society groups, academics and investors with a shared
Vodacom engaged with stakeholders on over 40 separate event with European Union institutions to advocate for commitment to promote and advance freedom of expression
occasions to outline their plans, hear concerns and future-proof gigabit networks in the context of the European and privacy worldwide.
demonstrate compliance measurements. Electronic Communications Code. • T his year, we engaged with ActionAid and Oxfam to
•O
ur local businesses support the communities in which they • T ogether with the Vodafone Institute, we held a series of ensure our approach to responsible tax practices and tax
operate in many different ways. For example, in India this year, events attended by European institutions exploring big transparency are comprehensive and address the areas of
Vodafone India supported local road safety programmes for questions about digitisation and a more connected future. greatest concern.
citizens to understand safe driving behaviours and the • I n March 2018, we organised a high-profile event to launch •W
e have worked with Transparency International through
importance of observing traffic rules. In the Czech Republic, our international future jobs programme What will you be?, its Business Integrity Forum to inform our compliance and
we ran a public ‘Giving Tuesday’ fundraising campaign that aimed at helping young people to develop their digital skills disclosure practices and strengthen our anti-bribery and
raised over €65,000 for a local health charity. and to access learning and employment opportunities. corruption programme.
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 8Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Women’s
empowerment
Equality of women remains a significant
global challenge. By empowering
Empowering women women and promoting gender equality,
and promoting we can enable communities, economies
and businesses – including our own –
gender equality to prosper.
Our 2025 goals
We aim to connect an additional
50 million women living in emerging
markets to mobile
Our ambition is for Vodafone to become
the world’s best employer for women
9Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Global context
Equality of opportunity between men and women supports long-term social stability and economic Our alignment to the SDGs
progress. Over the past two decades, the global ‘gender opportunity gap’ has narrowed, particularly It is estimated that measures to give women and girls equal
rights and opportunities could improve public health, increase
in areas such as education and health; however, major challenges remain. productivity and grow prosperity, adding US$12 trillion to global
GDP by 20258.
Women are disadvantaged economically across all Women also have an increased likelihood of being
Communications technology can play a critical role in
cultures, societies and economies. While the gender engaged in informal or other vulnerable forms empowering women to improve their lives and livelihoods.
gap is greatest in patriarchal societies within emerging of employment. This is particularly prevalent in Through providing women with access to life-enhancing
economies, inequalities still persist even in the developing markets, where only 13.6% of women services, which help unlock socio-economic opportunities and
most developed economies. Globally, around 50% benefit from wage and salaried employment, championing the inclusion of women in the workplace, Vodafone
of women aged 15 or over are in paid employment, compared with 24.3% of men6. is committed to SDG Goal 5. Our approach also aligns to Goals
4 and 8, as our mobile technologies also support improved
compared with around 75% of men1. One study
education outcomes and drive financial inclusion.
estimates that it will take another 217 years to close A lack of support during pregnancy and the challenge
the economic ‘gender gap’ if significant changes are of balancing childcare with work account for many Key SDGs and targets
not made, while the comparative lack of women in women deciding to leave paid employment. Some 4.3 By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and
senior, better-paid roles means that the global average women experience difficulties in returning to work men to affordable and quality technical, vocational
and tertiary education, including university.
for women’s earnings is just above half that for men2. after a career break; others return to work but find
fewer opportunities for promotion and progression
In emerging markets, the gender gap tends to affect than their male counterparts7. This is a lost
women at an earlier age than it does in mature opportunity: for the many women affected and
economies. An estimated 130 million girls around the for the global economy deprived of their skills. 5.1 End all forms of discrimination against
all women and girls everywhere.
world are currently out of school and are more likely 5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation
to remain excluded from education than boys3. and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels
Evidence also suggests that women in emerging Globally, around 50% of women aged of decision-making in political, economic and
public life.
markets are more likely to live in poverty than men4. 15 or over are in paid employment... 5.B Enhance the use of enabling technology,
It is estimated that every day approximately 830 in particular information and communications
technology, to promote the empowerment
women die from preventable causes related to of women.
pregnancy and childbirth5.
£ £
8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive
In more developed economies, young women and employment and decent work for all women and
men enter the workplace with equivalent skills and
compared with around 75% of men men, including for young people and persons with
disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
in broadly equal numbers, but subsequently a much 8.10 Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial
institutions to encourage and expand access to
greater proportion of men reach middle and senior- banking, insurance and financial services for all.
level roles. A significant proportion of women leave £ £ £
the workforce or continue working in more junior
roles than their male peers.
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 10Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Vodafone and women’s empowerment
Closing the ‘mobile gender gap’ Changing women’s lives focused on women living on low incomes. These
include Vodafone India’s Smart Snehidi, which makes
The GSMA estimates that in low and middle-income through mobile mobiles affordable for more women and enables
countries, women are 10% less likely than men to own We estimate that 113.7 million of the 354 million them to use their devices to run small businesses.
a mobile phone. This equates to a ‘mobile gender gap’ active customers we serve in emerging markets Other examples include our Business Women Connect
of approximately 184 million women deprived of the are women11. We have already developed mobile programme in Tanzania and Mozambique and
benefits of mobile ownership9. In addition, over technologies that can help women to change their Vodacom’s Mum & Baby initiative in South Africa.
1.2 billion women do not use the mobile internet. lives. However, a disproportionate number of women
Some of the reasons for this are economic, but many still do not own a mobile phone.
others are linked to cultural norms. 3.9 million more female
Closing the mobile gender gap would have a positive
We want to bring the benefits of mobile to women customers in emerging
through a series of targeted commercial programmes,
socio-economic impact for women and society as a and in 2016 we set a goal to connect an additional
markets in 2018
whole. It also represents a commercial opportunity 50 million women living in those markets to mobile.
equivalent to around US$15 billion annually to mobile We are also committed to use our mobile technologies
operators in middle and low-income countries10.
Progress towards our 50 million women goal
to enhance the quality of women’s lives through
programmes that focus on:
Communications technology plays a critical role Estimated number of female
• enabling financial inclusion;
in empowering women to improve their lives customers in emerging markets (millions)
and livelihoods. Owning even the most basic • improving health and wellbeing; and
mobile enables a woman to communicate, access • building education, skills and entrepreneurship.
Baseline Goal
information, learn, manage her finances, set up and
run a business, and even get help if feeling threatened. We believe this focus and our actions will make 2016 100.3
Mobile technology also enhances many public and a material difference to women, families and
commercial services of value to women and girls in communities within the societies in which we operate. 2017 109.7 +9.4
emerging markets, from accessing vaccinations and
maternal healthcare to mobile banking and online We have made significant progress towards our 2018 113.7 +3.9
support for smallholder farmers. goal and now have an estimated 113.7 million active
female customers, 3.9 million more than last year
(and 13.3 million since 2016). To contribute towards 0 25 50 75 100 125 150
Our 2025 goal: We aim to connect our goal, we have launched commercial propositions
an additional 50 million women
living in emerging markets to mobile
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 11Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Enabling financial inclusion for example. M-Pesa is also widely used to manage
business transactions and to pay salaries, pensions,
More than 2 billion people in the world, most of them
agricultural subsidies and government grants.
women, still have no access to banking facilities12.
This makes it difficult for them to manage household
Access to M-Pesa helps women take greater control
finances, save money or run a business. Finding ways
over their own and their family’s finances. They can
to improve their access to financial services will bring
use it to save money to pay for a child’s education
significant social benefits and economic opportunities.
or secure a small loan to set up a home business.
In Kenya, research published this year estimated
In 2007, together with our Kenyan associate, Safaricom,
that 185,000 women have been able to switch from
we developed the first mobile money transfer service,
subsistence farming to business or sales as their
M-Pesa – a simple, secure, cheap and convenient
primary occupation as a result of mobile money access
solution that we now offer to customers across eight
through M-Pesa14. In addition, the research also found Supporting businesswomen in Tanzania and Mozambique
markets: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt,
that M-Pesa has helped lift 194,000 households, or 2%
Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique and In sub-Saharan Africa, we are helping women who run their own small
of Kenyan households, out of poverty. We estimate that
Tanzania. This year, following detailed reviews that enterprises to access financial services through M-Pesa, enabling them to
14.9 million women were actively using M-Pesa in 2018,
found the service was no longer commercially viable, grow their businesses and improve their livelihoods.
accounting for 43% of our M-Pesa customer base.
we withdrew M-Pesa in Romania and Albania.
Since 2016, we have built on the success of our M-Pesa and M-Pawa mobile
Ensuring that M-Pesa offers secure and reliable
As of March 2018, 34.7 million customers were using money services and are a partner in Business Women Connect (BWC), a
services that protect the rights of its customers is
M-Pesa13. They made over 9 billion transactions, service specifically designed for women who run micro-businesses. Created
critical to maintain the trust and integrity of our
through a network of more than 356,000 agents. in partnership with the ExxonMobil Foundation, World Bank and Centre
mobile payments system. In April 2018, the GSMA
for Global Development, BWC enables businesswomen to save and access
awarded M-Pesa its Mobile Money Certification in
With a mobile phone and an M-Pesa account, people useful business skills training, delivered by the NGO TechnoServe. Since its
Kenya and Tanzania, following independent tests
on low incomes have more control over their financial launch, nearly 6,000 Tanzanian women have benefited from BWC’s business
conducted against nearly 300 stringent requirements.
affairs. It also reduces the associated risks of a cash- skills training and learned how to use M-Pawa.
based society, such as robbery and corruption. Thanks
to the development of additional services such as Building on this success, we aim to bring the benefits of the BWC programme
M-Shwari, M-Pawa and KCB M-Pesa, our customers to business women in other sub-Saharan countries, including Mozambique,
can also save money, using interest-bearing accounts,
14.9 million women where we supported a successful pilot involving 500 women.
and arrange micro-loans to help fund their businesses, used M-Pesa in 2018
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 12Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Improving health and wellbeing
It is estimated that at least half the world’s population
lacks access to essential health services15. Most of Making healthcare more affordable
these people live in low to middle-income countries in Kenya
where access to screening, prevention and treatment In Kenya, only one in five of the population
services is often limited or nonexistent. has some form of financial protection from
healthcare costs16. Safaricom’s M-TIBA is a
Through both Vodafone and the Vodafone service that allows anyone to send, save and
Foundation, we have developed a range of mobile spend funds specifically for medical treatment
technologies that enhance primary healthcare and using their mobile phone. Money stored in
prevention services in emerging markets. Many M-TIBA can only be used to pay for treatment
Providing mums and carers with free health advice
of these programmes are particularly important and medication at M-TIBA-registered clinics Internet access is often the key to finding a job, helping a child get a better
for women and young children. They include the and hospitals. education, getting health information, or keeping in touch with friends
Vodafone Foundation’s Mobilising HIV Identification and family. In South Africa, Vodacom’s Siyakha (‘we are building’) platform
and Treatment programme, which uses mobile M-TIBA is helping streamline the management aims to lower the cost of communicating while simultaneously seeking to
technologies to improve access to treatment for HIV- of large-scale health financing schemes from increase people’s digital and social connectivity. Designed for people on a
positive children and pregnant women in Lesotho. insurers, the government and donors and is very low income, Siyakha offers free access to websites related to education
Over 139,000 people have been tested for HIV through helping to make healthcare more accessible. and job searches, and offers lower priced products and services.
this programme, with over 2,700 identified as HIV There are now more than one million users of
positive and subsequently offered HIV treatment. M-TIBA, almost half of whom are women. Since This year, Siyakha services were expanded to include a number of new
launching in 2016, partners using the service features, including a mobile-based platform for pregnant women called
Tackling violence against women have processed over 210,000 healthcare visits Mum & Baby. This service provides parents and caregivers with free health
Global estimates indicate that around one in three and have paid out nearly €2 million in information and includes videos that are useful at the different stages of
women worldwide will experience physical or sexual medical costs. pregnancy, through to the first five years of a child’s life. For many accessing
violence in their lifetime, often at the hands of a this service, this is the first time such health information has been made
partner or ex-partner. The Vodafone Foundation As mobile penetration in Kenya is above easily available to them. Mum & Baby is designed to be user-friendly and is
has developed a number of products and services 95%, M-TIBA is emerging as a secure and accessible online and via SMS. It is also available in five local languages.
designed to support people’s safety and security in scalable platform to roll out essential health
vulnerable domestic circumstances. These include our finance products. Topics covered include sexual health and reproduction, pregnancy tips,
Easy Rescue smartphone app, which enables women breastfeeding, immunisation, mother-child bonding, early childhood
in Turkey to alert friends covertly that they need help, development, nutrition and HIV/AIDS. During the year, 1.2 million registered
simply by shaking their phone. Another example is the users accessed this free health information – many of whom were fathers.
TecSOS emergency alert service, which has been used 210,000 healthcare visits In just one year, the Siyakha platform has reached 7.5 million people and
continues to grow.
across five countries by more than 100,000 people facilitated by M-TIBA in Kenya
(predominantly women) at risk of domestic abuse.
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 13Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Building education, skills
and entrepreneurship
Enabling girls and women access to a good education Supporting digital start-ups focusing
can enhance their chances of thriving in life, yet many on female empowerment
girls in emerging markets enter adulthood lacking F-LANE, a seven-week acceleration programme
basic literacy and numeracy skills. An estimated for high-potential digital impact ventures, was
16 million girls aged 6 to 11 will never even start developed by the Vodafone Institute in
school (twice the number of boys17) and even more Germany as the first accelerator in Europe
start school but drop out early. In rural India, one aimed exclusively at women. The programme’s
estimate suggests that only around one in 100 girls mission is to foster the participation of women
reaches the final year of school18. in technological development and to empower
women of all ages around the world through
Studies confirm that low and middle-income and technology. In the most recent round, 180
transition countries could add US$92 billion to their start-ups from 57 countries were initially
economies if girls receive 12 years of schooling19. identified for consideration and review.
However, in these countries, access to education
beyond basic primary school level can often be The final five applicants took part in the full
difficult and expensive. programme of support, which included
mentorship, training, networking and funding.
Mobile technology increases access to quality The finalists were: Mamabird (USA), which
education, especially for people living in remote transports life-saving medical supplies via
areas. The Vodafone Foundation has pioneered the drones to women and children in remote
development of innovative digital teaching and remote African communities; FinMarie (Germany), an
learning technologies for deployment among some of online investment platform created by women
the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities for women; BreastIT (Uganda), a start-up that
in the world, including people living in refugee camps has pioneered portable ‘ultrasound sensitive’ Women First in Entrepreneurship
in sub-Saharan Africa. gloves to enable breast screening in Vodafone Turkey is helping thousands of women to understand the
inaccessible areas; Doctory (Pakistan), an opportunities offered to them by digital communications technologies,
Its Instant Network Schools programme connects innovative medical services and appointment specifically as entrepreneurs. Through the Women First in Entrepreneurship
classrooms to the internet, providing solar power, booking search engine; and Free_D (London), Programme, launched in 2015 by the Vodafone Turkey Foundation in
tablet computers and teacher training resources, which helps women involved in or at risk of partnership with Ministry of National Education and Turkish Informatics
together with access to educational content to trafficking to rebuild their lives by learning Foundation, more than 26,000 women have received training on
remote and isolated communities. The Foundation is competences in 3D printing. All five entrepreneurship, communications and finance. Once trained, they can
championing access to quality education for refugees participants pitched to international investors use their new skills to make and sell handmade items on a bespoke website,
and other marginalised learners, with a target to at an event in Berlin in May for the opportunity where more than 31,000 product entries are now listed.
connect up to 3 million young people living in refugee to further develop their business with an
camps to a digital education by 2020. You can read investment of €50,000, as well as access to Over the next year, a digital platform will be launched to enable women
more about progress on page 37. coaching and mentoring support. to access e-learning content, as well as advertise their products and reach
more customers.
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 14Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Gender equality in our workplace
Gender equality in our workforce Our short-term goal is to increase the proportion of
women in management and leadership roles globally
We seek to be a company whose global workforce
to 30% by 2020 (2018: 29%). To help us meet this
reflects the customers we serve and the broader
goal and recruit, retain and develop talented women
societies within which we operate. We employ over
at every level of our workforce, we have developed
38,500 women directly and provide employment
programmes, including our ground-breaking maternity
opportunities for hundreds of thousands more across
policy and our ReConnect initiative, which make it
our global supplier base. We believe that achieving
easier for women to return to work after a career break.
greater gender parity will strengthen our company
significantly, as it enables us to better understand the
needs of the women, men, families and businesses 29% of our management
who rely on our networks and services. and leadership roles globally
Achieving gender equality in the workplace remains a
are held by women
significant challenge for most businesses, especially
Our commitment to gender equality begins at the
at the most senior levels. In order to help address
top of the company. Vodafone’s diversity and gender
this issue in our business, we set ourselves a long-
equality activities are overseen by the Vodafone
term ambition to become an employer whose track
Group Board and are led directly by our Group Chief
record in attracting and retaining female talent is
Executive, Vittorio Colao, who is one of 10 global chief
so strong that by 2025 we are widely considered as
executives who act as corporate champions for the
the world’s best employer for women. In addition, if
UN Women’s global solidarity movement for gender Reducing gender bias in our recruitment ads
we demonstrate leadership as a ‘beacon employer’
equality, HeforShe.
wherever we operate, we believe other businesses will During the year we piloted a new approach that aims to reduce the potential
emulate our approach, expanding the opportunities for gender bias in our job adverts. Adjusting the vocabulary used in our
for women even further. “Companies often struggle to recruit advertisements in a three-month trial has helped us to increase the number
of women who we’ve recruited into specific roles by 7%. This specialist
and retain women in management technology is now used to avoid gender bias in an average of 840 Vodafone
and leadership roles. Innovations job adverts a month globally.
Our 2025 goal: Our ambition is for such as our global maternity policy
Vodafone to become the world’s and our ReConnect programme can
These results were achieved by reducing the amount of jargon, abbreviations
and ‘macho’ language traditionally included in job ads. Words such as ‘win’,
best employer for women by 2025 make a real difference to women ‘kick’, ‘outstanding’ and ‘aggressive’ were replaced with words such as ‘bold’,
‘improve’, ‘top tier’ and ‘extraordinary’. The changes were subtle but they had
who work for us today and who will a significant impact. Even removing a well-worn phrase such as ‘competitive
work for us in the future.” salary’ from an advert can make it more appealing to women, as they are
Vittorio Colao, Vodafone Group Chief Executive often more interested in being treated fairly.
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 15Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Vodafone image
Embedding our commitment We now have active women’s networks operating
in most of the countries in which we operate. These
to diversity networks have been founded by employees and are
Our mandatory Code of Conduct makes it clear that managed by them. They offer women at all levels a
respect for diversity is integral to the behaviours supportive and informative environment in which to
expected from everyone who works for Vodafone. network, share and learn. As an example, our Women
We do not tolerate discrimination in any form in Technology Network now has more than 1,600
and strive to ensure that every colleague has the members and holds quarterly webinars and local
opportunity to thrive in a workplace that is welcoming face-to-face meetings.
and supportive.
We have a number of programmes in place that embed
our commitment to diversity and gender balance. Celebrating International Women’s Day
It is also included in our induction programme for We want to raise the profile of female role models
senior leaders, who are also encouraged to complete and celebrate women’s achievements with visible
unconscious bias training to help them recognise the support from our senior leaders. One way we
assumptions and beliefs that can skew their decision- do this is by running a week-long campaign to
making. In addition, we have introduced new training coincide with International Women’s Day.
programmes focused on the recruitment process and
on skills required to manage diverse teams. More than 3,600 employees watched a global
webinar on 8 March 2018, which was personally
Ensuring women hold 30% of endorsed by our Group Chief Executive. This was
just one event in a week-long global programme,
our management and leadership which included over 60 events such as roundtable
roles by 2020 discussions, networking events, training, and role-
On a quarterly basis, we assess our progress against our modelling and mentoring sessions.
2020 global target to increase the global proportion
of women in management and leadership to 30%. As part of the celebrations, 100 women within
HR directors in our local markets and professional Vodafone received a ‘Women in Red’ award in
functions use quarterly analysis to identify and address recognition of their efforts in supporting gender
challenges to identify and address challenges. Twice equality initiatives and inspiring other women
a year, our Group Executive Committee (ExCo) reviews across the business. In total, we estimate that
Vodafone’s gender balance; and the Vodafone Group more than 17,000 employees engaged with the
Board is also regularly updated. International Women’s Day campaign.
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 16Introduction | Women’s empowerment | Energy innovation | Youth skills and jobs | Supply chain integrity and safety | Principles and practice | Mobiles, masts and health | Appendix
Flexibility and support can choose earlier or later start or finish times; and More than 5,600 employees
full-time employees of Vodafone India can take an
for working parents unpaid sabbatical, from 90 days to more than one year.
in the past three years have
Research by KPMG estimates that the cost to the global In addition, Vodafone Egypt has introduced on-site benefited from 16 weeks’ fully
economy of replacing women who do not stay in the
workforce after having a baby could be as much as
childcare services for employees at its head office. paid maternity leave
US$47 billion every year20. We are focused on encouraging
and supporting our employees to return to work with us,
after the birth or adoption of a child, confident that they
can grow their careers while raising a family. ReConnect – bringing skilled people back into the workforce
Worldwide, there are an estimated 55 million Our target is to hire 1,000 ReConnect women over
In 2016, we became one of the first organisations in women with valuable management experience three years across our markets, including 500 into
the world to introduce a global minimum maternity who are not in work following a career break. This management roles. To date, 186 women have been
policy covering all Vodafone employees. Over the is a lost opportunity for women and for the global recruited through the programme, lower than
past three years, more than 5,600 women working economy. Research from KPMG highlighted that anticipated. While there are a significant number
for Vodafone have gone on maternity leave; all were if all these women were to re-enter the workplace of vacancies on offer at Vodafone at all times, it is
eligible to benefit from at least 16 weeks’ fully paid without displacing others, the associated value important to ensure we match the skills the roles
maternity leave, plus full pay for a 30-hour week for of the additional economic activity generated require with those of the candidates who have
the first six months of their return. globally could be around €151 billion21. applied. We do not always find the appropriate skills
mix in the ReConnect candidates who apply and are
One of the reasons why working mothers take on However, getting back into work after a substantial now working on more targeted campaigns to attract
most of the childcare is the historical reluctance of break can be difficult; in recent research, 80% women with the skills we need for the future.
many employers to extend maternal flexible working of women who have taken a career break said
arrangements to include fathers. In March 2018, we more support was needed to help them return This year, a number of markets held ReConnect
launched a global paternity policy that set a minimum successfully to the workplace22. events to publicise the programme and to offer
standard for all men (and secondary carers) who work women access to the advice and training they
for Vodafone to be entitled to two weeks’ paid paternity Last year, Vodafone launched ReConnect , an need to feel confident to re-enter the workplace.
leave. In some cases, this was an increase from two days, initiative aimed at bringing talented women back We promoted ReConnect at career fairs, and in
and employees in 15 countries will benefit positively. into the workplace after a career break, across all November 2017 we hosted a ReConnect event
our markets. The programme includes training, in the UK with 10 of our suppliers and Enterprise
We also have flexible working, part-time and home- coaching and a specially designed induction customers, and have also encouraged and
working policies in place across a large number of to help returners refresh and enhance the supported one of our suppliers to establish their
our local markets and many employees are using professional skills they need to return to work own returners’ programme. In March 2018, we held
our remote working technologies to find a better and progress their careers. ReConnect joiners are another event in the UK that included a careers
work–life balance. For example, our employees in also offered flexible working options and a phased fair, a CV drop-in clinic, an interview workshop and
Vodafone Italy are encouraged to work from home return to work. a LinkedIn masterclass.
one day a week; those who work for Vodafone Turkey
Vodafone Group Plc Sustainable Business Report 2018 17You can also read
