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Flow - Leveraging CSR to make lives better
CORPORATE PROFILE
In 2005‚ Columbus Communications Inc. acquired Trinidad and Tobago Transcable Company Ltd. and renamed the company Columbus Communications Trinidad Limited, operating under the brand Flow. With over 125,000 subscribers, Flow is Trinidad’s dominant video service provider and the largest video operator in the English-speaking Caribbean. An aggressive five-year US$160 million plan will see Flow upgrading the network system and extending its network footprint to reach an estimated 80‚000 to 100‚000 residences in Trinidad that don’t currently have access to video and internet services. In 2007, Flow launched its broadband services, transforming the local industry. In 2008, Flow introduced landline telephone services, ending the landline monopoly and becoming the only company in Trinidad to offer true broadband triple-play services.
Columbus’ Corporate Social Responsibility to Trinidad and Tobago
At Columbus, we’re committed to giving back to the communities in which we operate. That means, enabling nation building through community development and the creation of social assets. Columbus is dedicated to achieving this through our core pillars which include:
Learning through Technology
Resource Capacity Building
Promoting National Identity Through Arts and Culture
Building Stronger Communities Through Sports Community Partnering
2012 H I g HLI g HTS
Last year Columbus worked on several CSR initiatives including:
Expanding the access to technology in the nation’s classrooms through the Triple A programme
Protecting cultural identity through film through our partnership with the T&T Film Festival
Sporting focus on the differently-abled Disaster relief for residents of Diego Martin after severe flooding
Promoting leadership in primary schools with employee volunteers via the Growing Leaders’ programme
Sponsorship of ‘Cycling on Avenue’ held by Mike’s Bikes and Njisane Phillip
Columbus Nation Builders –Leveraging CSR to Make Lives Better
Columbus Communications Trinidad Ltd, whose residential services has been operating under the brand name Flow, has been in the Trinidadian market since 2005 and can now, be considered as part of the fabric of the local entertainment environment with its services being enjoyed by over 140,000 subscribers.
According to Mr. Brian Collins, managing director of Columbus Communications Trinidad Limited, the company’s vision is to be more than a service provider – it aims to be an organisation which has a strong commitment to contributing meaningfully to the development of any country in which it operates.
“Hand in hand with the technological development which we bring to our markets, we are also committed to demonstrating good corporate citizenship through sustained activities for community development and nation building,” states Mr Collins.
Learning through Technology
One of Columbus’ flagship initiatives is its Triple A (Aim.Aspire.Achieve) Programme which facilitates the provision of free cable and broadband to all government and government-assisted schools which over 250 schools currently benefit from.
In support of this initiative Columbus has also embarked on campaigns to promote the effective use of cable and broadband technology as a teaching and learning tool by partnering with many organisations that specialise in primary and secondary school education and skills enhancement in communities such as:
Pennacool.com
CaribbeanExams.com
Hop Along Learning
iLearn
Community Hub
Protecting Our Identity through Arts & Culture
Since 2008, Columbus has been the presenting sponsor of the Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival (TTFF) one of the largest in the Pan-Caribbean region. In addition to supporting the festival from a financial perspective participating filmmakers are given the opportunity to showcase their work on Flow’s Video on Demand platform, with 100% of proceeds from purchases in the first six months of viewing given back to the filmmakers.
The Red Cross Children’s Carnival is another one of the annual events which Columbus believes promotes local culture as it allows children to experience the vast wealth of our
local Carnival Celebrations and has been a recipient of over TT$40,000 in sponsorship to date.
Columbus is also the programming sponsor of television channel Gayelle, proving an investment of TT$2,000,000 to date, to assist in the channel’s continued effort to provide a platform for local content and talent.
Building Stronger Communities through Sports
As one of the main sponsors of The Beacon Trinidad and Tobago Cycling Festival since 2009, Columbus has donated $30,000 in cash and sponsored $300,000 in cable advertising.
Columbus has also been a strong supporter of golf and its continued exposure to the general public as a platinum sponsor of the Millennium Lakes Golf and Country Club’s Free Public Clinics and Junior Championship Tournaments since 2008. The company’s sponsorship to date exceeds $500,000.
Besides golf and cycling, Columbus is also involved in football, basketball, swimming and cricket.
Community Partnering
The unprecedented floods and emergencies resulting from odd weather patterns in 2012
sent many Columbus employees out into the field to bring relief and care to a number of citizens. For employees, it was not about social service. It was just the right thing to do. Many of them lived nearby or knew someone who was affected. As they see it, in a state of emergency, we are all family.
Working with public and private sector partners, Columbus supports myriad initiatives that benefit the underserved, investing significant resources annually in community development.
Diego Martin disaster relief efforts
“Growing Leaders”
“No Excuses”
Toco Community Science Week
Film Festival sponsorship
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