CEO's statement

Good corporate behaviour needs to be fostered internally.

A message from Danuta Gray, Chief Executive Officer, O2 Ireland

How we behave internally in the business is reflected in how we behave externally towards our customers, our environment and the communities we work in. That is why we put so much emphasis on our employees and how we work together in O2 Ireland. It's about how we communicate with each other at work, how we help our employees to fulfil their potential and  how we try to embrace the diversity and individuality of their needs and aspirations. We do this because I believe that a company can only become a good corporate citizen if good corporate behaviour is fostered internally, so that it simply becomes the way in which we do our business.

Our aim is to approach corporate responsibility in this holistic way. We want to embed good corporate behaviour into every aspect of how we do business in Ireland.

We do this in many ways. It could be in the background - such as our supply chain management and environmental initiatives. Or it may be the more obviously visible - such as our approach to child protection and the way we treat our employees.

We want to engage with our employees and with communities in Ireland to demonstrate that we value individuals from all walks of life and we want to show how mobile services can enhance our lives.

For example, we sponsored the first O2 Ability Awards in February 2005. Our involvement with RehabCare's Suicide Prevention Programme is helping young people in crisis. And since 2004 we have worked with the National Council for the Blind in Ireland to launch a talking handset for the visually impaired.

Our support for the Business in the Community Schools' Business Partnership, the CITY project in Ballymun and the nationwide Children's Hour programme demonstrates how we encourage our employees to develop their skills and get involved in activities that benefit the wider community.

We were delighted to have been named Ireland's Best Company to Work For with more than 1,000 employees and in the top five companies to work for in Europe. But we were equally delighted that a member of our team, Willie Murphy, won O2 plc's first community investment award for his devotion to CAMP, a cause that motivates and provides activities for children and adults with disabilities.

We aim to look beyond our own interests and bring the benefits of mobile communications, our employee skills, our environmental practices and our community involvement to all - whoever and wherever they are.