President Dr. Arif Alvi called for promoting business practices based on transparency and ethics at the organizational and corporate level to contribute towards the development of the country, while addressing a discussion on ethics and business held at Telenor Pakistan Campus 345.
The event, “Ethics & Business: friends or foes”, was organised by Telenor Pakistan being a torchbearer of ethical business conduct and was attended by President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi, government officials, corporate leaders, and Telenor Pakistan Management. The event shed light on the status of ethical and transparent business practice in the country and the changes that can be made to strengthen the core of any organisation. The president also commemorated Telenor’s 17 years in Pakistan with a cake cutting and wished the network best for times ahead. Over the years, Telenor Pakistan has operated from high ethical and moral grounds as it navigates, builds relationships in a transparent manner, while remaining committed to the prosperity of the country for the last 17 years and onwards.
Speaking at the event, President Arif Alvi said, “Establishing an accountable workplace culture by maintaining the highest standards of morality could lead to good corporate governance. We want Pakistan to become a strong nation with a society that promotes the culture of transparency and morality. It is the responsibility of shareholders in an organization and the formulation of policies by the corporate leaders that uphold the values of integrity. Maintaining discipline, safety procedures, environment consciousness, the interest of employees, and balancing with the market remain important factors.”
He also appreciated Telenor Pakistan’s role as an industry leader, implementing a robust anti-corruption program that proactively prevents malpractices that undermine legitimate business activities, distort competition, damage reputations, and expose individuals to risk.
Commenting on the occasion, CEO Telenor Pakistan, Irfan Wahab Khan said, “I thank the Honourable President Arif Alvi for this keen interest and participation at this event. For the last 17 years Telenor Pakistan has, and will steadfastly continue to remain committed to serving the country while maintaining the highest standard of ethics, compliance, and morality. As Pakistan rolls up its sleeves to transition into a diverse, multicultural, and multi-national economy, the business community must join hands in creating a welcoming environment for investment and prosperity. We pride ourselves on our robust code of conduct at Telenor Pakistan, and it was enlightening to share knowledge with other experts on our shared aim of creating a corruption-free business environment for everyone.”
Industry leaders from the public and private sectors part of the panel discussion reiterated the importance of reinforcement in establishing any kind of a Workplace culture, and the need to step away from traditional ways of thinking. They also discussed businesses’ role in establishing an honest and accountable business environment. The panellists also debated over the importance of good corporate governance and the role their leadership should play in keeping them transparent. The role of government has also discussed.
Closing the panel discussion, the guests expressed their sentiments on the importance of anti-corruption initiatives. They reiterated that businesses can achieve trust through controls and adequate regulation and create a fair and prosperous Digital Pakistan.
