Saudi Arabia’s stc Group Wins Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders Award

stc Group logo
stc Group logo
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Saudi Arabia’s stc Group Wins Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders Award

stc Group logo
stc Group logo

stc Group, the Saudi enabler of digital transformation, has won the Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders Award in recognition of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable practices in four areas related to climate, society, digitalization and the future of work.
The award was received by stc Group Vice President of Corporate Relations Mohammed bin Rashid Abaalkheil on the sidelines of the Forbes Middle East Sustainability Leaders Summit 2023, which was held in Abu-Dhabi on November 2-3.
The award represents a testimony to stc Group’s commitment to sustainable business practices, which are being applied within the group’s various divisions. The group’s initiatives have had a positive impact on the environment and the communities within which it operates, from reducing carbon emissions to environmental awareness campaigns, as stc Group considers sustainability fundamental in dealing with the environment and a vital necessity for doing business.
The group pledges its commitment to shaping a sustainable future for its customers, employees, and the communities to which it provides its services, it said in a statement.
The sustainability efforts made by the group have received recognition from other organizations as well, such as the United Nations Global Compact and the Carbon Disclosure Project. The group’s sustainability strategy aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and focuses on three main areas: environmental responsibility, social investment and governance, it said.
The statement added that stc Group is committed to sustainability and carries out practices that help the environment, cementing its position as a leader in sustainable business practices. By reducing the carbon footprint and implementing sustainable practices, the group is having a positive impact and making the world healthier and more prosperous for future generations.
stc Group has a number of achievements in many aspects of sustainability, including providing 4,348 hours of sustainability training to employees, relying 38,21% on local content, involving 213 small and medium enterprises in procurement processes, and awarding contracts to giant projects that use local content worth SAR 5billion, as well as providing more than 127,000 hours of training through stc Academy.
The group, through the InspireU accelerator, adopted about 100 startup companies and provided them with support at a value of up to SAR10 billion, has 52% women in the advanced analytics department, employs 43 different nationalities in the work team, and contributed to the technical empowerment of 324 non-governmental organizations through the technical empowerment program, which provides services to more than 10,000 users in 64 cities.



Albania TikTok Ban Sparks Debate over Freedom of Speech

The TikTok logo is displayed outside TikTok social media app company offices in Culver City, California, on March 16, 2023. (AFP)
The TikTok logo is displayed outside TikTok social media app company offices in Culver City, California, on March 16, 2023. (AFP)
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Albania TikTok Ban Sparks Debate over Freedom of Speech

The TikTok logo is displayed outside TikTok social media app company offices in Culver City, California, on March 16, 2023. (AFP)
The TikTok logo is displayed outside TikTok social media app company offices in Culver City, California, on March 16, 2023. (AFP)

Every evening, Ergus Katiaj uploads a video on TikTok reminding customers that his shop in Tirana delivers potato chips, cigarettes and alcohol through the night. His phone buzzes with orders that add about 1,000 euros to his monthly profit.

But Katiaj will soon have to find a new way to attract business. Albania's government has imposed a year-long ban on the social media app that it says is aimed at reducing youth violence but which rights groups and business owners say threatens commerce and free speech ahead of May elections.

"It will have a huge impact on my business because most of the sales are through delivery thanks to TikTok's free marketing," Katiaj said as he made deliveries across the outskirts of the capital, Reuters reported.

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the ban on Dec. 21 after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death in November by a fellow pupil, a crime that local media reports said occurred after the boys clashed online. TikTok is expected to be taken down in the coming weeks.

The move follows bans or partial bans in at least 20 countries due to worries about improper videos or security concerns linked to the app's owner, China-based ByteDance, and its proximity to the Chinese government.

In Albania, Rama said the decision came after discussions with parents and teachers, but opponents worry that it is part of the prime minister's crackdown on political dissent after a year of popular unrest.

"This creates a dangerous precedent that at any moment governments can close different platforms," said Orkidea Xhaferaj, from the Tirana-based think tank SCiDEV.

TikTok said it was seeking "urgent clarity" from the Albanian government because it says "multiple reports have in fact confirmed videos leading up to this incident were being posted on another platform, not TikTok."

Albania saw regular violent protests last year against the jailing of political opponents. Demonstrators threw petrol bombs at government buildings and police responded with tear gas and water canons.

The leaders of the two biggest opposition parties, Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party and Ilir Meta of the Freedom Party, are charged with corruption offences. They deny the charges, which they say are politically motivated.

Arlind Qori, the leader of the political party Bashke (Together) formed in 2022, said the TikTok ban curtails a powerful opposition communication tool.

"He wants to close our mouth," Qori said from his office where party supporters took refuge from the cold and discussed their campaign plans.

Rama insists the move is meant to protect young people. In an alleyway in central Tirana, a photo of the slain schoolboy hangs on an electric pole surrounded by withered flowers and messages from friends.

He was stabbed there and walked towards his school bleeding before an ambulance came.

"Inside China's TikTok, you don't see hooliganism, perversity, violence, bullying, crime," Rama said when announcing his decision last month.

"While in TikTok outside of China only scum and scoundrels. Why do we need this?"