Public Policy Participation

Public Policy Participation

Apart from offering reliable connectivity and quality digital services for all, AIS is committed to driving the Thai society to embark on the digital economy, promoting digital inclusion, and addressing the climate change agenda. We recognize the importance of public policy in shaping the business environment, fostering economic growth, and promoting social well-being. Therefore, our engagement with regulatory agencies, trade associations, and industry organizations aims to contribute positively to the development of policies that support the growth and sustainable development of the industry and the economy. As we aim to play our part in achieving a sustainable future, our direction for public policy participation and our corporate strategies aligns with the goals and principles outlined in the Paris Agreement, which provides a critical framework for global action on climate change mitigation and adaptation.

We are also committed to adhere with relevant laws and regulations, as well as our ethical standards. This public policy participation framework applies to all of AIS’ business operations and subsidiaries in all jurisdictions.

See policy and procedures on political contributions and charitable contributions and sponsorships from our Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy https://investor.ais.co.th/misc/cg/20200626-advanc-anti-bribery-corruption-en-01.pdf

Our strategy

Our public policy participation is mainly engagement with regulatory agencies, trade and industry associations to promote dialogue and knowledge-sharing among industry peers, academia, civil society, and policymakers.

1. Transparency
   State our positions by engaging with regulatory authorities and trade associations in a professional way and openly proposing our views through provided channels such as public hearing, focus groups, and seminars
2. Professionalism
   Support data-driven approach and constructive dialogue in the process of public policy formulation
3. Inclusivity and Sustainability
   We value co-existence of peers and stakeholders and aim for long-term and conducive benefits for the industry as a whole. So, we seek more voices from peers and stakeholders to leverage different perspectives and articulate our positions to contribute to the formulation of effective and balanced public policies

Key areas of our public policy engagement

1. Regulatory Authorities

I. Industry regulator and government agencies such as Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), Electronic Transactions Development Agency (ETDA), and National Cybersecurity Committee (NCSC)

II. Other authorities for our new businesses such as The Bank of Thailand and Office of Insurance Commission

2. Trade and Industry associations relevant to our businesses

Governance

We recognize the importance of robust governance frameworks to guide our public policy engagement efforts. We have established the processes and clear roles and responsibilities of management and related teams to ensure our engagement aligns with the highest standards of integrity.

AIS has a Business Relations department, which is responsible for formulating strategy and action plans and providing an effective public policy engagement program that complies with all laws and regulations and internal policies. This department also reviews and monitors the progress to ensure the alignment of our public policy engagement and our corporate strategies, as well as addresses the issues in case of misalignment.

In terms of supervision, CEO and Executive Management have the roles to oversee and review our positions and engagement activities, as well as evaluate the effectiveness of our policy engagement activities to assess their impact and identify areas for improvement. The Management also provides guidance and support for the team in executing the public policy engagement activities.

The Risk Management Committee has the role to assess and monitor potential risks associated with our engagement efforts, including conflicts of interest, regulatory challenges, and reputational considerations. The Risk Committee also helps ensure that our engagement is conducted ethically and responsibly. Furthermore, the Board of Directors is responsible for effective oversight to ensure that the directions and activities on public policy engagement align with business ethics and maintain properly balanced views across various stakeholders.

Annual contributions to and spending for trade associations and industrial organization are summarized in the table below:

Total monetary contribution to external organization

Top 4 organizations that AIS supported