30 November 2015, Doha, Qatar

Microsoft Qatar was the official Technology Sponsor of CSR Qatar 2015 - the third edition of Qatar's flagship CSR innovation and issues summit - which was held last week under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.

Speaking on a first introductory panel at Qatar CSR Summit 2015 on Tuesday, Lana Khalaf; Public Sector Lead at Microsoft  praised the success and sustainability of CSR efforts across Qatar's corporate sector, citing technology as an increasingly important element of sustainable outreach strategies and social development in the years to come.

"Microsoft Qatar was enormously proud to be the official Technology Sponsor and partner of this growing and increasingly important forum," Khalaf said. "For companies in Qatar, CSR is now about more than just doing something good for the community. It is increasingly about creating measurable, scalable social impact and relevance on a long run. The impressive level of CSR engagement in Qatar should be the envy of any country and I think technology has been a major driver of that. In the years to come, especially in such a connected society, I see technology taking on new importance not only in reaching people, but in inspiring truly sustainable development and positive change."

"At Microsoft, we believe that what defines us as a company is the synchronization we enjoy with the country's national vision. We are proud to align our operations with the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030," she added.

Khalaf cited The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology's (ictQATAR) Better Connections program, which aims to bridge the digital divide and build digital skills among Qatar's migrant, low-income workers as a prime example. The program, to which Microsoft Qatar has donated free software, continues to gather key CSR players from across Qatar's public and private sectors - growing each year in scale and impact.

Microsoft Qatar General Manager Naim Yazbeck said: "Companies are most impactful when they contribute in their areas of expertise. Microsoft's initiative "Shape for the future" provides digital inclusion for more than 20,387 young people. Our projects targeting students such as Youth Spark which saw the participation growth of 200% year on year."

"SMEs and start-ups are also a major focus of Microsoft's CSR strategy in Qatar with 150 start-ups taking part in the BizSpark support program," he added.

Microsoft Qatar's own National Plan closely mirrors the four pillars of Qatar's National Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy, overlaying each with technology solutions - from cloud services supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to providing the latest hardware and software to student innovators during its annual Imagine Cup challenge.

-Ends-

About Microsoft Qatar
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:'MSFT') is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. As part of Microsoft Gulf with its Dubai-based headquarters, Microsoft Qatar opened in Doha in 2003 with its offices located in Qatar Science & Technology Park. Microsoft Corporation's address on the World

About Microsoft Gulf
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ:'MSFT') is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Gulf opened its Dubai-based headquarters in 1991. Microsoft Gulf today oversees Microsoft activities in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE. Microsoft Corporation's address on the World Wide Web is: www.microsoft.com Microsoft Middle East's Web site is www.microsoft.com/middle east                                                             

© Press Release 2015