Gulf Praise for Zain Kuwait's Initiative

Zain Kuwait has solidified its position as a regional pioneer in sustainability and corporate social responsibility, after receiving a new Gulf award in recognition of its role in transforming long-term community partnerships into sustainable developmental impact. The award was presented at the ceremony honoring leading projects and figures in civil service, labor, and social affairs in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, hosted in the Bahraini capital of Manama.

This high-level regional recognition came on the sidelines of the 12th meeting of the GCC Ministers of Social Affairs and Development, attended by Bahrain’s Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, GCC Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi, Kuwait’s Minister of Social Affairs, Family, and Childhood Dr. Amthal Al-Huwail, Kuwait’s Ambassador to Bahrain Jasem Al-Najim, Zain Kuwait’s CEO of Corporate Relations and Institutional Affairs Walid Al-Kheshati, Kuwait Diving Team leader Walid Al-Fadhil, alongside ministers of civil service, labor, and social affairs and development from GCC member states, as well as various leaders and officials.

Zain received this award for its strategic partnership with the Kuwait Diving Team to protect and rehabilitate the marine environment. The project was selected among leading social work initiatives in the GCC private sector, marking regional acknowledgment of the success of one of Kuwait’s and the region’s longest-standing community and environmental partnerships. This selection highlights the value of a partnership model that has, over decades, combined private sector capabilities with specialized environmental volunteer expertise to protect Kuwait’s marine environment and conserve its natural resources. It serves as a practical example of how institutional collaboration can achieve sustainable results that go beyond the immediate impact of traditional initiatives.

This recognition crowns a cooperation journey spanning more than 28 years between Zain and the Kuwait Diving Team. During this period, marine environmental protection efforts have evolved from scattered field initiatives into an integrated institutional framework that combines specialized volunteer work, community awareness, youth empowerment, and continuous operational and field support. The Gulf award underscores that the private sector’s role has expanded beyond mere sponsorship and support to become a key partner in driving sustainable development, by leveraging its expertise, institutional capacities, and media and awareness platforms to enhance the growth and broaden the social and environmental impact of specialized initiatives.

This achievement embodies Zain’s vision of building long-term strategic partnerships based on sustainability and impact measurement, affirming that true investment in society is realized through initiatives capable of generating continuous, sustainable change that positively impacts people, the environment, and future generations.

This award follows Zain’s history of receiving recognition across the GCC for its community initiatives. Previously, the company was honored in Doha in 2024 for its annual Ramadan campaign “Zain Al-Shuhour,” which was selected among leading social work projects in the Kuwaiti private sector. This took place during the 13th ceremony honoring leading social work projects, held on the sidelines of the 10th meeting of the GCC Ministers of Social Affairs and Development.

Zain treats corporate social responsibility as an integral part of its institutional approach, through sustainable partnerships and initiatives that go beyond immediate impact to create long-term value for society and the environment, while supporting national priorities in sustainability, natural resource protection, and empowering future generations. The strategic partnership between Zain and the Kuwait Diving Team has spanned more than 28 years, during which the company supported the team’s operations by providing four fully equipped boats, the latest of which was delivered in 2023. This partnership has contributed to the execution of hundreds of environmental missions, the removal of thousands of tons of harmful waste, and the protection of tens of thousands of marine creatures.

The team’s year-round operations include installing and maintaining eco-friendly marine moorings around coral reef areas, monitoring reef health and reporting to relevant authorities, cleaning islands and beaches, retrieving fishing nets, waste, and debris, protecting seabeds and navigation channels from pollution, and documenting Kuwait’s marine environment for scientific and awareness purposes. The impact of the partnership extends beyond marine operations; Zain leverages its media and digital channels and its partner network to disseminate environmental awareness messages, highlight volunteer efforts, and encourage youth participation. It also involves students, young people, and volunteers in field initiatives, thereby instilling values of environmental responsibility, teamwork, and sustainability from an early age.

The project also reflects the integration of volunteerism with innovation, as Zain has employed technological solutions in its environmental efforts, including the BeBot beach-cleaning robot. This robot sweeps sand, collects buried waste and seaweed, and levels beach areas, operating on electricity generated through solar panels, thereby enhancing cleaning efficiency and reducing environmental impact. These efforts align with Zain’s vision, which links corporate growth to long-term positive impact on society and the environment, placing environmental protection, youth empowerment, support for local partnerships, and carbon footprint reduction among its priorities. This aligns with the company’s ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and its corporate goal of “Continuous Life. A Better Life.”