Telenor wins responsible business awards for its Open Mind program, safer internet campaign

Telenor won two of the Bulgarian Business Leaders Forum (BBLF) Annual Responsible Business Awards for its Open Mind program and Safer Internet campaign.

Telenor won first prize in the Investor in Human Capital and Working Conditions category for its Open Mind program which allows people with disabilities to improve their professional qualifications and competitiveness by working at Telenor. The highest prize in this category was presented by Bulgaria’s Labor & Social Policy Minister Biser Petkov to Telenor Bulgaria Chief Corporate Affairs Director Irina Vasilevska.

The Open Mind program is held annually and is part of the company’s long-term corporate responsibility strategy as part of the Telenor Group’s global initiative. In 2017, Telenor expanded the scope of the program for the first time by introducing it to other companies in Bulgaria and inviting them to join the cause. At a special, Telenor managers and experts shared their experience in the program with representatives of other socially responsible companies and told the about the necessary steps that organizations need to take in order to make it successful for all program participants. Representatives of Coca-Cola HBS, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Societe Generale, Stanton Chase, the American College in Sofia, Mentormate, Musala Soft, Technologica, Zagorka, etc. learned about the specifics of introducing a friendly working environment, program participant selection and talent development.

Telenor also won third prize in the Investor in Society category for its Safer Internet campaign. The award was presented by Bulgarian Economy Minister Emil Karanikolov to Telenor Bulgaria Chief Executive Officer Ole Bjorn Sjulstad for the joint Telenor and Bulgarian Safer Internet Center project. The project encompasses a broad range of initiatives and includes thousands of Bulgarian schoolkids and their parents. The main goal is to improve their awareness about the main risks online, the best ways to prevent and tackle them and how to build a safe and risk-free internet environment for kids.