Azercell prioritizes social responsibility alongside technological innovations

As one of the largest taxpayers in the country, Azercell contributed 167 million AZN to the state budget in 2023, and over 27 years, it has paid approximately 2.4 billion AZN of taxes in total. The company has invested 94 million US dollars in the development of the telecommunications sector in the country in 2023 and a total investment of 1.9 billion US dollars over the years 1996-2023.

With the primary goal of overcoming barriers and creating new opportunities, "Azercell Telecom" continued to serve the overall development and interests of society within the framework of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy in 2023. During the last year, a total of 30.2 million US dollars was allocated to CSR projects, bringing the total to 52.5 million US dollars over 27 years.

In the year of 2023, Azercell initiated a large-scale chain social project in partnership with the Azerbaijan Judo Federation. The "White suits girls best" social campaign, which encourages girls to develop, be strong, and engage in sports, created a significant impact within the community and garnered extensive discussions on television and social media, involving prominent figures and influencers. Responding to the campaign's call, 1000 girls joined judo classes. The comprehensive campaign "White Suits Girls Best" implemented in partnership with the Azerbaijan Judo Federation, was honored with the Grand Prix award for the year 2023 in six categories at the Ad Black Sea International Festival. Furthermore, the social campaign was deemed worthy of the Grand Prix award at the largest communication festival in Central Asia, "Red Jolbors", and received 3 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze awards.

Another initiative within the project, the "I Promise" campaign, focused on combating bullying. Within the framework of the campaign, awareness-raising activities were carried out in schools, educating both children and adults about the harmful nature of bullying, whether it occurs in personal interactions or on digital platforms.

In addition to bringing innovative trends and services to our country, Azercell has continued to promote Azerbaijani literature and reading culture. Devoted to the honor of the 100th anniversary of Heydar Aliyev, the "Audiobook" project has compiled a special content series featuring the favorite works of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev in audio and electronic book formats, as well as in audio play format, available in digital libraries. As part of its corporate social responsibility strategy, the country's leading mobile operator has ensured the narration of more than 50 works of prominent Azerbaijani writers and poets in Azerbaijani, English, French, and Russian languages.

As part of Azercell's corporate social responsibility strategy, efforts have been made to enhance the social development of the community and improve the well-being of various social groups through modern technological solutions. One of these initiatives is the improvement of the "Autism Portal", upgrading its technical capabilities to modern standards, and enriching its content and educational base.

In the year of 2023, Azercell, in collaboration with its partners, announced the Child Rights Protection Week in conjunction with the International Children's Defense Day on June 1st. Unlike the previous practices in the country, this project was organized in a completely new format, dedicating not just one day but a whole week to the protection of children's rights. Various activities were conducted throughout the week, aimed at protecting the rights of vulnerable children (such as those living in social isolation and deprived of freedom, as well as those exposed to violence).

Azercell's "Azerbaijan Child Hotline", supported since 2010, and the "Women’s Helpline Service" created through the company's initiative and support in the year of 2022, have handled over 8,500 inquiries in the reporting year of 2023.

In the previous year, Azercell Telecom initiated the promotion of "Safe Internet" through a project based on the international security school program designed for children.

In the year of 2023, with the significant support of the leading mobile operator, the "Children's Paralympic Cup" tournament was held, playing a crucial role in integrating children into society and enhancing their interest in sports.

With the support of Azercell, which creates opportunities for youth development in various fields, Azerbaijan's young robotics engineers advanced to the finals for the first time in the history of Azerbaijan in NASA's global "FIRST Robotics Competition" and earned well-deserved recognition.

With the support of “Azercell Telecom” LLC, a proud partner of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, our schoolchildren preparing for international informatics Olympiads successfully represented our country in prestigious knowledge competitions multiple times throughout the past year, winning a total of 9 medals, including 1 gold, 3 silver, and 5 bronze. The winners of the "Azercell CUP" competition were proudly rewarded.

Azercell and Türk Telekom announced a competition aimed at the professional development of young professionals specializing in the field of cybersecurity through their joint collaboration. With the support of Azercell, 10 young Azerbaijani experts participated in the "Cybersecurity Training Camp" in Turkiye.

The winner of the "Her Improvement" project, aimed at enhancing women's skills in technology and business and developing startup ideas with the support of Azercell, was announced. Additionally, the participants of "SOS Children's Villages-Azerbaijan" continued their activities within the framework of the "YouthCan" project.

Throughout the reporting year, “Azercell Telecom” LLC has sponsored prominent events in Azerbaijan, aimed at supporting both business and beneficial initiatives for society:

• The company participated as the exclusive partner of the "Baku Marathon - 2023";
• Organized the "SHE Baku Congress" to bring together women leaders in the country;
• Acted as the main sponsor and host of the first-ever "GSMA M360 EURASIA 2023" international conference held in Azerbaijan;
• Supported the "I Baku Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development Conference";
• Supported the 3rd Azerbaijan International Exhibition for the Restoration, Reconstruction, and Development of Karabakh;
• Supported the TEDx Baku conference, which has been discussing the most prominent scientific and technical achievements since the year of 1984;
• Participated as a sponsor at the 9th Baku International Book Fair dedicated to the 100th anniversary of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, showcasing its digital library with the official "Litres" and "Bookmate" mobile applications offering exclusive discounts in the local market.

In the year of 2023, “Azercell Telecom” LLC was accepted as a member of the United Nations Global Compact. The mobile operator will contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implementing social responsibility policies. Additionally, the company joined Climate Action through a strategic partnership with GSMA. In line with its strategy of "Easing Connectivity, Empowering Lives!" Azercell will work towards approaching zero carbon emissions in the mobile industry.®