eBusiness Weekly
Chipo Sabeta
Telone, one of the country’s leading telecommunications companies, has gone an extra mile in solidifying its sports pace in Zimbabwe.
The telecoms firm donated $40 000 to the National Netball team ahead of their travel to Liverpool, England for the World Cup starting later this month.
The parastatal shares the belief that besides professional sport, regular wellness issues are imperative for corporates, hence the need to support the sporting industry and create work-life balance.
Speaking at the official handover, TelOne managing director Chipo Mtasa said it was their duty to back the sports industry from grassroots level before encouraging other corporates to chip in not only in the netball field but in other sporting disciplines.
“We read and heard about the challenges the team has been facing in their preparation journey. However, as corporates, it remains imperative that we chip in especially in light of the current challenges we have in the economy. The success of the team depends on how much support they get from all of us, not Government alone,” Mtasa said.
“It is, therefore, in this context that as TelOne, we felt obliged to come to the party and play our part. As some of you may already know, TelOne is already in the sports space as part of our corporate social investment. Besides sponsoring TelOne Football Club in the top-flight league, we have our staff competing at different levels internally and externally in five sporting disciplines.”
She added: “These include netball, soccer, volleyball, darts, pool, athletics and chess. Our $40 000 sponsorship to the Gems, which we are gathered here for, is therefore, a continuation of this drive. We believe in supporting sport as a profession as well as a wellness tool and we are committed to continue investing in this space.”
The State-owned telecommunications operator is currently bankrolling TelOne FC, also known as the WIFI boys in the Castle Lager Premiership.
The Gweru-based football club are sitting on 12th position with 11 points having produced the biggest upset of the season so far when they beat champions FC Platinum at Luveve Stadium in Bulawayo last month.
The parastatal’s communications head Melody Harry, said TelOne has gone an extra mile in backing sport since corporate health and well-being programmes are cost effective ways for employers to harness talent while improving the well-being of their employees.
“Over the period of Easter 2019, TelOne’s volleyball, soccer and netball teams participated at the SADC Telecommunications games and scooped three silver medals for each discipline.
“We also have TelOne annual Sports Gala that it religiously has every year where employees from all its regions across the country convene at a chosen area to compete for different sporting activities and get rewarded.
“The company is committed to protecting the health and safety of all its employees and has taken the responsibility to advance sporting and health awareness programmes.”
Harry continued: “We hold annual wellness fairs for all employees across the country in different regions. At these fairs, employees receive free medical screening and consultation for various ailments and conditions, which include diabetes, hypertension, cancer and HIV.
“The company’s workforce has over the years gladly participated in sporting activities as well as wellness fairs as this not only keeps them fit and healthy, but ‘brings the company together’.”
Numerous corporates have since embraced involvement in sport and wellness matters as part of their social responsibility tools.
Telecommunications giant, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, is one of the companies that continues to blossom in the employee wellness turf as part of its broader business strategy. Besides funding events like the Econet Victoria Falls Marathon through the EcoSure brand, their attendance and participation in sports, is an endorsement of how effective the company’s staff wellness strategy has become priority to them.
Zimpapers Group is on track with employee health wellness as the biggest diversified media company be officially opens its state of the art gym for workers at The Herald House soon.
Accessible to all Zimpapers staff members, the gym has employed qualified staff members who will be on the floor to assist with correct exercises or a programme.
“It focuses on encouraging activities at all levels of fitness — from beginners to the performance-focused individual.
“The benefits of exercise are recognised by most people. We all feel better when we exercise and manage to accomplish more with our day. The challenge is always finding the time to dedicate to a regular training routine,” said Zimpapers Public Relations and Corporate Affairs Manager Beatrice Tonhodzayi.
Recently, African Sun Limited said it opened a state of the gym facilities at their hotels countrywide as management seeks to give a full package for their diverse clientele.
