stc Group CEO: There is a great deal the telecom industry can do together to contribute to a low carbon economy

stc Group CEO Eng. Olayan Alwetaid confirmed stc’s commitment to providing a service, which is as environmentally friendly, and to adopt integrated sustainable practices into every aspect of our business. “We understand that as a MENA digital enabler we have a duty to our country in Saudi Arabia and to our customers to ensure we are operating in a sustainable manner.” Alwaetaid said while speaking in We Act For Impact" panel discussion during MWC Barcelona 2021, he was among environmental experts and ICT infrastructure development leaders who met to discuss sustainability progress.

Alwetaid gave his thoughts on several environmental issues in the debate stating that stc has been playing a pivotal role in Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation, which has seen the Kingdom launch digital projects including the roll out and implementation of stc advanced 5G technology. He said: “stc is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and become a green network operator, and we have taken several steps to achieve this goal and reach Net Zero. We have developed a Sustainable Energy Framework designed to take us through 2030. These steps will reduce our energy consumption and will include better energy management, monitoring, and reporting – with clear benchmarks and KPIs. We will also develop renewable energy generation at our campus and facilities throughout KSA. What’s more we will ensure energy efficiency in our existing buildings and assets and finally new buildings will be designed and built with energy-saving features.”

stc is also fully in support of the Saudi Green initiative - the world’s largest afforestation project with an aim to plant 50b trees, including 10b in KSA. “The government has set a clear strategic vision with broad goals and it’s important for private sector leaders to be in alignment with their objective and goals the public sector,” said Alwetaid during the discussion. “For this to happen and lead to a green digital recovery, the government should establish a framework of investment incentives including financial support for R&D and scale up. For its part, the private sector must step up and leverage this opportunity with an eye to the future.