2022 Sustainable Business Report

8 | SAFARICOM SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS REPORT 2022 KPI SUMMARY OUR STAKEHOLDERS OUR MATERIAL TOPICS OUR BUSINESS MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO TRANSFORMING LIVES IN A CHALLENGING YEAR The year under review was challenging for us as a company and a country as we shifted our focus from surviving the COVID-19 pandemic to co-existing with the disease. Economic growth slowed, due in large part to the impact of the war in Ukraine, the associated impact on commodity prices and the concomitant increase in import costs. In addition, another poor rainy season in Kenya hampered crop production, further compounding the economic situation. Despite these challenges, I am pleased to report a financial year of strong performance with significant commercial momentum. While I am proud of these results, I am even prouder of the resilience and commitment our people showed as they upheld the four cardinal virtues of the Spirit of Safaricom – namely Customer Obsession, purpose, innovation and collaboration. Our Foundations, our people and our partners have leveraged these virtues to positively impact 4.2 million lives over the last three years. PUTTING OUR CUSTOMERS FIRST Our aim is to put our customers at the centre of everything we do. This means putting ourselves in the shoes of ordinary Kenyans, understanding what they go through and getting to know their needs, aspirations and priorities. This approach is anchored in our Agile way of working which fosters collaboration across the organisation and speeds up decision-making, bringing us closer to our customers. In this way, we enrich our customers’ digital lifestyles and deliver a superior customer experience as we transition to become a purpose-led technology company by 2025. Our focus this year was to embed Customer Obsession at the core of our culture by delivering superior customer experiences. LEVERAGING THE INNOVATION EMBEDDED IN OUR DNA Innovation helps us to stay ahead of the ever-changing environment and to be more responsive to customers, colleagues and community needs. As a sustainable business, we do not innovate simply because we have the resources, but because we want to combine technology and innovation to transform lives and the society in which we live and work. “I am pleased to report a financial year of strong performance with significant commercial momentum.”