Doha, Qatar: Snoonu, Qatar’s leading tech startup, has earned the ‘Best CSR Initiative in the Tech Sector’ award at the 2024 Qatar CSR Awards Ceremony, held on the sidelines of the Qatar CSR Summit.

Among the 24 categories honoured, Snoonu stood out in the Technology Sector for its impactful ‘No Riders Under the Sun’ initiative. This initiative, launched in June 2021, prioritises the safety and well-being of delivery riders during Qatar’s sweltering summers.

By restricting bike deliveries from 10am to 3:30pm and providing air-conditioned cars, Snoonu ensures its workforce operates in a temperature-controlled environment, mitigating the risk of sunstroke and heat exhaustion.

“When we announced our No Riders Under the Sun campaign, we knew our business might get affected. However, we chose our humanity over profits, because it was the right thing to do. We believe empathy is a strength, not a weakness, and that’s the philosophy behind our operations’’ emphasised Hazar Alkilani, Snoonu’s PR and CSR Manager.

“This victory holds particular significance for us as it marks Snoonu’s inaugural participation in the summit. It reaffirms our belief that corporate social responsibility is not just an obligation but a cornerstone of our identity. We are thrilled to announce that participating in the Qatar CSR Summit will become an annual tradition for Snoonu, underscoring our ongoing commitment to fostering sustainable practices and making a tangible difference in our community,” Alkilani added.

Notably, the initiative’s impact reverberated beyond Snoonu, as the Ministry of Labour integrated similar measures into law in July 2022.

This recognition underscores Snoonu’s unwavering commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Snoonu’s dedication to weaving the SDGs into its business operations sets a powerful example for the tech industry, showcasing how businesses can drive tangible change and address global challenges.

“Snoonu’s initiative, No Riders under the Sun, rightfully deserved winning the award for the Best CSR Initiative this year because this initiative presents a perfect example of how such initiatives can positively influence the way of conducting business and inspire policy makers to introduce responsible measures and legislations. As we all know, the Ministry of Labor imposed a law based on this initiative one year after launching it, and this is exactly the kind of inspiration we would like to see from CSR initiatives,” said Haidar Meshaimesh, General Manager of IFP Qatar, the company organising the summit.

As a gold sponsor of the summit, Snoonu showcased a spectrum of CSR efforts. From combating poverty through partnerships with Qatar Charity and Education Above All to promoting health and well-being with mental health initiatives and accessible pharmacist consultations, Snoonu’s commitment to social impact permeates every aspect of its operations.

Additionally, the tech company also took part in discussions happening at the summit, as the Founder and CEO Hamad Al Hajri was part of a panel titled “Pathways to Sustainability: Business Schools and Stakeholders Joining Forces” that happened on the first day.