WireIE, a licensed wholesale carrier specialising in the development of carrier ethernet networks to Canada’s underserved markets, has won the 2014 Capacity Global Carrier Award program’s Special Recognition for Corporate Social Responsibility. The winners were announced on November 4 at the annual Capacity awards gala dinner, part of the Capacity Europe conference taking place this week at the Hotel Okura in Amsterdam.
The Special Recognition for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a new category in the awards programme. It was added in 2014 to provide visibility for the work that wholesale telecommunications carriers are doing for the communities they serve, beyond just delivering state-of-the-art communications networks. Award applicants were encouraged to provide details about the programmes they run that develop strong relationships with local organisations to contribute to better communities, more extensive services and increased education opportunities, among other things.
In its submission, WireIE outlined its extensive work inside and outside of Canada. These initiatives include:
• Computers for students in several island countries in the Caribbean;
• Laptops, tablet computers and printers for students of a one-room schoolhouse in Northwest Ontario;
• Access to high-speed internet, computers and videoconferencing technology to schools in underserved areas in northern Canada;
• Equipment to an Ontario university’s renewable energy systems lab, plus financing graduate students to study the use of networks and energy sources for tomorrow’s smart grid;
• Sponsored aeroplane flights for patients from underserved regions to access healthcare in metropolitan areas of Canada.
“At WireIE, we have a hands-on approach to giving,” explains Rob Barlow, President & CEO of WireIE. “Since our inception in 2007, we have dedicated 1.5 percent of our annual revenues to go back to the communities where we do business. Corporate social responsibility is embedded in the culture of our company as well as each and every annual financial plan. It is always our goal to unleash the potential of technology to better serve underserved regions, but we also strive to unleash the potential of young minds to deliver huge dividends for our future.”
