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Axiata Sustainability

OUR APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY

Our foundation to create long-term value

As a Group, we recorded significant milestones during the year. A key moment was our signing of the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) Business Ambition Pledge for 1.5°C. This formalised our commitment to reach net-zero emissions no later than 2050.

Dato' Izzaddin Idris

President & Group Chief Executive Officer

Read the full statement from Dato’ Izzaddin Idris in our Sustainability and National Contribution Report by clicking the button below.

As a Group, we recorded significant milestones during the year. A key moment was our signing of the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) Business Ambition Pledge for 1.5°C. This formalised our commitment to reach net-zero emissions no later than 2050.

Dato' Izzaddin Idris

President & Group Chief Executive Officer

Read the full statement from Dato’ Izzaddin Idris in our Sustainability and National Contribution Report by clicking the button below.

Our Sustainability Journey

From our first sustainability report to a Group-wide net-zero commitment in just eight years, our sustainability journey charts the increased responsibilities we have taken on as a digital champion in our operational markets.

A Balanced Approach To Advancement

Our focus lies in improving the quality of life of our stakeholders by providing digital connectivity and driving the proliferation of emerging regional digital economies. However, this must be done while balancing considerations across the sustainability spectrum.
Our approach to sustainability, as detailed below, enshrines ESG elements as core to our operational processes, and is anchored on our vision to become The Next Generation Digital Champion by 2024.

Our Material Matters for Next Generation Digital Champion:

  • Sustainable Business Growth
  • Network Quality & Coverage
  • Digital Inclusion
  • Digitisation & Modernisation

Our Material Matters for Governance:

  • Business Ethics & Compliance
  • Data Privacy & Cyber Security
  • Regulatory & Political Risk

Our Material Matters for Environment:

  • Climate Action
  • Resource & Waste Management

Our Material Matters for Social:

  • Fair Employment & Welfare
  • Talent Development
  • Employee Health, Safety & Wellbeing
  • Customer Service
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Development
  • Emergency & Disaster Response

Our Material Matters for Next Generation Digital Champion:

  • Sustainable Business Growth
  • Network Quality & Coverage
  • Digital Inclusion
  • Digitisation & Modernisation

Our Material Matters for Governance:

  • Business Ethics & Compliance
  • Data Privacy & Cyber Security
  • Regulatory & Political Risk

Our Material Matters for Environment:

  • Climate Action
  • Resource & Waste Management

Our Material Matters for Social:

  • Fair Employment & Welfare
  • Talent Development
  • Employee Health, Safety & Wellbeing
  • Customer Service
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Development
  • Emergency & Disaster Response

Sustainability Governance

In embracing sustainability as a Group-wide agenda, we have strengthened our sustainability governance structure to enable enhanced alignment between the Group and OpCos for effective implementation of sustainability strategies and initiatives moving forward. View our sustainability governance structure here.

Our enhanced approach to sustainability governance has also been reflected in board oversight and accountability with the formation of a new board-level committee, the Axiata Sustainability Steering Committee. Learn more about the roles, responsibilities and oversight of the committee here.

Materiality

Our materiality process – guided by Bursa Malaysia’s Sustainability Reporting Guide as well as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards – provides us with a detailed understanding of the material issues that matter to the Group and to our stakeholders.

Our materiality assessment reaffirms our understanding of our risks and opportunities from the perspective of internal and external stakeholders, while allowing us to gain insights on how our business can respond to the dynamic changes in our operating environment. It continues to facilitate our ongoing process of embedding sustainable and integrated thinking across the Group and our subsidiaries.

Previous
Download this section of the Sustainability Report 2020

Engaging Our Stakeholders

We engage with our stakeholders on issues relevant to their relationship with the Group, leveraging their valued input to shape our materiality process and our sustainability strategies. Our engagements are guided by the Axiata Stakeholder Engagement Framework, which is based on the AA100 Stakeholder Engagement Standard.

Why They Are Important

Our regulators and authorities specify the national laws and regulations that determine the licence and scope of our activities in the respective countries of our operation.

They provide our OpCos access to operating licenses, and impose regulatory measures with potential cost implications for the Group.

How We Engage

We proactively engage with country regulators and authorities through industry meetings, thought leadership, and capacity building workshops to support and enable the digital ecosystem

Subjects Raised

  • Spectrum allocations and licensing fees
  • Compliance with regulations
    and customer service standards
  • Information security and data protection
  • Developing local digital talents

Our Response And Results

  • Investing in development of local communication infrastructure
  • Contributing directly and indirectly to the local digital economy
  • Supporting digital innovation funds to drive development of local digital ecosystem
  • Deploying world-class cyber security and privacy practices

Engaging Our Stakeholders

We engage with our stakeholders on issues relevant to their relationship with the Group, leveraging their valued input to shape our materiality process and our sustainability strategies. Our engagements are guided by the Axiata Stakeholder Engagement Framework, which is based on the AA100 Stakeholder Engagement Standard.

Data In Numbers

Download detailed disclosures of our sustainability
performance and national contributions in 2021.

About Our Sustainability Report

Reporting Framework & Guidelines

This year’s Sustainability and National Contrbution Report is our eighth sustainability report using the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) Standards guidelines, with the addition this year of references and guidance from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Telecommunications Services Standards. Our disclosures support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Please download our GRI Content Index for detailed information on GRI disclosures contained within this website.

Description of our material matters

Our material matters are determined through a bi-yearly process of materiality assessment, detailed below:

1. Review Of Material Matters

We review and update our material matters in response to changes in our business landscape, risk environment, internal policies, KPIs, emerging local and global sustainability trends, regulatory developments and stakeholder opinions. Our review also incorporates peer benchmarking.

2. Stakeholder Engagement

We conducted a structured stakeholder prioritisation exercise by leveraging insights from our dialogue with various stakeholders on our material matters. This allows us to identify the influence and dependence of key stakeholders on the Group. We then engage with the prioritised stakeholders to obtain their feedback on material matters.

3. Sustainability Impact Assessment

Upon identification of our material matters, we conducted workshops within the Group to further prioritise materiality matters from the business perspective.

Description of sustainability material matters - Next Generation Digital Champion

Material matter

Description

Material matter

Description

Sustainable Business Growth

Consideration of Economic, Environmental and Social (EES), and positive direct and indirect value creation in our strategic investment decisions to enhance our shareholder returns

Network Quality & Coverage

Enhancing network quality and coverage through continuous improvements in efficiency, availability and reliability

Digital Inclusion

Providing affordable and innovative products and services in bridging the digital gap

Digitisation & Modernisation

Technological innovation to enhance key internal business functions, improve process efficiency and effectiveness, and promote innovation and business continuity

Description of sustainability material matters - Environment

Material matter

Description

Material matter

Description

Climate Action

Internal controls and monitoring mechanisms to manage environmental impacts

Resource & Waste Management

Towards circular economy within our operations as well as the solutions we can provide our customers and supply chains waste management

Description of sustainability material matters - Social

Material matter

Description

Material matter

Description

Fair Employment & Welfare

Fostering fair recruitment practices by embracing diversity and inclusion in the workforce, and offering employees fair compensation and benefits

Talent Development

Promote development and uplift competencies of employees to respond to the rapidly changing and complex business environment

Employee Health, Safety & Wellbeing

Providing for the health, safety and wellbeing of our employees in ways that address key challenges and bring value to their livelihood in the workplace

Customer Service

Delivering a differentiated user experience for customers, and offering the most affordable products and services relative to customer promise in our highly competitive markets

Supply Chain Management

Consideration of EES factors across supply chain management and processes

Community Development

Financial and non-financial contributions to support local communities, underprivileged and underserved groups

Emergency & Disaster Response

Providing society in times of emergency and disaster, through the contribution of our business streams in disaster response

Description of sustainability material matters - Governance

Material matter

Description

Material matter

Description

Business Ethics & Compliance

Enhance business integrity compliance within the ambit of Malaysian and international laws on bribery and corruption

Data Privacy & Cyber Security

Protection of all data, information and intellectual property against cyber security breaches

Regulatory & Political Risk

Management of the evolving changes in the regulatory landscape and political context