Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited {AIS) is the market leader of the telecommunications business in Thailand. The company was established in 1990 and is registered on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. It turned a net profit of 36,033 million baht in 2014. Currently, AIS employs 12,000 staff members nationwide including 28 employees with visual impairments, eight employees who are hearing-impaired, and 42 physically-disabled officers. Care for Thailand and its people top the list of AIS’ CSR endeavors.
AIS-CSR comprises 4 pillars:
1) Sarnrak Supporting Families Working with the notion of ‘Creating strong Thai families for strong country,’ ‘AIS’ family campaign features a public-spot announcement highlighting various family values. The PSA is broadcast nationwide on free TV channels. Supporting annual activities include AIS Family Rally and AIS Walk Rally.
2) Sarnrak Konkeng Haujai Grang
“Sarnrak Kongeng Huajai Grang” (Weaving Love: Good Kids Great Hearts), is a weekly TV documentary based on inspiring true stories of underprivileged children. Despite living in poverty, these children fight to survive by maintaining school attendance, working to help feed the family, and taking care of their parents and grandparents. AIS offers scholarships with no obligations until the children complete a Bachelor’s Degree program. There are approximately 600 students under the scholarship program, with 130 graduates.
3) Sarnrak for Thai Community
Every national Children’s Day, AIS organizes “AIS Smiles on Children’s Day” to entertain as well as empower children with disabilities. Regardless of disability (sight, hearing, physical or mental), AIS believes that these children deserve care, fun and happiness the same way as normal children do. The company offers “Job Opportunities in Call Center for People with Disabilities,” the first CSR project of its kind in Thailand, to assist handicapped workers and raise awareness of their potential in workplace. Presently, there are nine AIS call centers manned by disabled persons.
The AIS-Sarnrak Child Development Center is designed to help parents in rural areas who cannot afford babysitters. Each AIS-CDC offers well-trained teachers/caretakers, preschooler curriculum, story books, stationary, lunch and milk, all paid by AIS. Currently, there are five Child-Development Centers.
As recipients of Good Kids Great Hearts scholarships approach senior year, AIS organizes “Career Guidance for Graduating Students.” The one-day workshop consists of preparations for the working world. The program has now been extended to regular university students in senior year.
Every year, AIS provides survival kits to fellow Thais affected by natural disasters. From 2001 to present, a total of 65,650 survival kits valued at approximately 20 million baht have been distributed across the country. The company has also established the AIS Fund for Elderly People in Accordance with the Rajaprajanugroh Foundation, donating five million baht every year on National Elderly People’s Day starting 2002. The fund is currently valued at 70 million baht.
4) Sarnrak: The Hearts of Volunteerism The company-wide ‘AIS Volunteers, Sustainable Social Development’ program applies CSR concepts to work processes, disseminating knowledge for personnel development and CSR awareness for people in the organization. Days spent on volunteering are treated as workdays (with pay) with a maximum of three days per year. AIS practices corporate governance with special emphasis on quality workplace, financial performance, and innovative products and services. In 2015, the company has been named Best Employers in Thailand (for the third year) by Aon Hewitt Thailand and Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration. It was also awarded Best Company 2015 in the technology category, at the Money & Banking Awards 2015.
