Projects for social support and improving the quality of life of employees

GRI 401-2

Uzbektelecom JSC implements a social policy aimed at supporting young people, improving working conditions, and developing employees. The company implements programs for professional training, leisure activities, sports and cultural events, and provides social support. Particular attention is paid to environmental projects, involving young people in social initiatives, and strengthening a corporate culture based on equal opportunities, career development, and job stability.

The key instruments for implementing social policy are the Trade Union and the Unified Collective Agreement concluded for 2023–2025 between the Company and its employees. The Trade Union’s activities are based on a regulatory framework that includes the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the General Collective Agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers, the Federation of Trade Unions, and the Confederation of Employers on Social and Economic Issues, as well as the Sectoral Agreement between the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications and the Republican Council of the Trade Union of ICT and Mass Communications Workers. These documents are supplemented by the Unified Collective Agreement of Uzbektelecom JSC.

In accordance with the Collective Agreement, employees are entitled to a number of allowances and additional payments, the main ones being:

allowances for work on weekends and public holidays;
allowances for night work;
allowances for overtime work;
increased wage coefficients for employees working in unfavorable conditions;
bonuses on professional holidays;
partial compensation for heating costs during the cold season;
compensation for relocation expenses.

In accordance with the Regulations on additional payments for length of service in the communications sector to employees of Uzbektelecom JSC, all employees hired under an employment contract and having continuous service in the communications sector (including cases of transfer from other positions within the Company) are paid an annual bonus for actual days worked, depending on the length of service: from 1 to 3 years — 5% of the official salary; from 3 to 5 years — 10%; from 5 to 7 years — 15%; from 7 to 15 years — 20%; from 15 to 25 years — 25%; for more than 25 years — 30%.

GRI 202-1

Uzbektelecom JSC provides a decent level of remuneration to its employees. Between 2022 and 2024, there will be a steady increase in average wages:

in 2022 — 5,268,667 sum,
in 2023 — 8,495,550 sum,
in 2024 — 9,178,883 sum.

The minimum wage has also increased: from 1,527,200 sum in 2022 to 2,440,515 sum in 2024, which is more than twice (a ratio of 2.1) the minimum wage set in the country (MW), which is 1,155,000 sum from October 1, 2024.

The Company strives to maintain competitive wages in line with market conditions and internal policies.

In addition to bonuses and allowances, the Company provides its employees with a range of social benefits. Summer camps are organized for employees and their families, and there are 12 canteens with subsidized meals in the central office and branches. Employees can also receive vouchers for health resorts. Social support includes payments for various life circumstances, such as marriage, loss of a close relative, early retirement due to health reasons, as well as assistance to victims of natural disasters or fires.

During the reporting period, the Company’s social support expenses amounted to 141,490.7 million sum, with the main areas of expenditure presented below:

Employees working in branches in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Navoi Region, Bukhara Region, Namangan Region, and Kashkadarya Region are granted up to 6 additional days of paid leave in accordance with Appendix 1 to the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated September 6, 2019, №-743.

An important part of the Company’s social policy is a program that provides housing for employees. Since 2020, on the initiative of the Company’s Trade Union, multi-storey residential buildings have been under construction on the site of old Access Control Systems (AСS) for employees in need of housing, young and large families, etc.

Based on the powers granted to it, the Company’s Trade Union accepts applications from employees in need of housing and selects them according to social need criteria, giving priority to those most in need. Housing is provided on preferential terms with an initial payment of 30% of the cost, and the remaining amount is paid monthly without additional interest over a period of three years. in 2024, the Company allocated another 44 apartments for employees in need of housing. This large-scale social project continues to be implemented at present.

Youth policy

Uzbektelecom JSC is committed to increasing the representation of young professionals within its workforce structure. as of the reporting period, the number of employees under the age of 30 totals 4,132, including 86 in managerial positions and 4,046 in other operational and line roles.

The company focuses its efforts on developing the potential of young specialists by holding seminars, training sessions, and round tables. in partnership with the Trade Union, sports events are regularly organized to support corporate culture and a healthy lifestyle. The youth policy covers not only the head office but also all of the Company’s branches, creating equal opportunities for career growth. as part of this work, the following measures were implemented during the reporting year:

Organization of seminars on current political, legal, spiritual, and educational topics aimed at improving the legal literacy and personal potential of young employees of Uzbektelecom JSC;

Conducting «Youth Week»;
Familiarizing young people with current regulatory and legal acts, including:

The address of President Sh. Mirziyoyev to Parliament;
The Law on Youth Policy;

Organization of «Manager and Youth» meetings to facilitate direct dialogue between the Company’s management and young employees, as well as to identify the interests and initiatives of young people;

Organizing visits to theaters, cinemas, and museums for the spiritual enrichment of young employees, and others.

Partnership with universities

As part of its youth policy, the Company is developing partnerships with universities and other educational institutions:

On February 2, a cooperation agreement was signed between Uzbektelecom JSC and the Industry Center for Retraining and Advanced Training of Teaching Staff at the Muhammad al-Khwarizmi Tashkent University of Information Technologies.
On May 10, a memorandum of cooperation was signed in Tashkent with the Webster University Center for Educational Programs, aimed at expanding academic opportunities and supporting the professional growth of the Company’s employees.
On September 10, Uzbektelecom JSC and the Muhammad al-Khwarizmi Tashkent University of Information Technologies signed Cooperation Agreement №-17, confirming the parties’ intentions to develop partnership in the field of training specialists in telecommunications and digital technologies.

One of the key areas of this cooperation is providing students with internship opportunities at the Company, which allows them to gain practical experience, adapt to the corporate environment, and develop the necessary professional skills.

Production and pre-graduation internships were organized for 1,647 students of the Muhammad al-Khwarizmi Tashkent University of Information Technologies and its regional branches. at the same time, qualification and pre-graduation internships were organized for 16 students from the Islam Karimov Tashkent State Technical University and 27 students from the Turin Polytechnic University in Tashkent.

The company strives to create favorable conditions for the development of young professionals, encouraging their desire for continuous learning and professional improvement. as part of this initiative, a bonus is provided to employees who successfully complete their studies at higher education institutions. Also, in accordance with the Collective Agreement, in 2024, employees were granted training leave worth 20.24 billion sum and scholarships worth 190.48 million sum.

A comprehensive approach to youth policy allows the Company not only to attract talented specialists, but also to contribute to the development of education and professional training in the country.