Cambodia Investment Review
Smart Axiata has placed sustainability at the centre of its corporate strategy, outlining expanded commitments across digital inclusion, climate responsibility, community development and governance in its newly released ESG 2024 Sustainability Report. The theme, “Making Sustainability Count,” underscores the company’s position that sustainability is not a marketing exercise but a measurable driver of long-term business value.
The report was launched during the Earth Arts Festival 2025 at Koh Pich City Hall from October 24–25, an event that also marked 10 years of sustainability reporting by Smart Axiata—a milestone the company says reflects a decade of integrating ESG principles into its growth journey.
CEO Ritesh Kumar Singh emphasized that Smart is not only advancing telecommunications but shaping Cambodia’s digital and socio-economic transformation. According to the report, sustainability now guides operational decisions, infrastructure investments, product design and community programs.
Digital infrastructure gains pace alongside inclusion initiatives
Smart expanded 4G population coverage to 93.1% in 2024, supported by 429 newly deployed base stations to strengthen connectivity nationwide. Complementing infrastructure growth, the company distributed a bilingual Digital Literacy Guidebook across schools and scaled CSR initiatives under the EDISON Alliance, reaching 64,823 beneficiaries through digital education and skills development programs.
To widen access to services, Smart rolled out 23 additional Smart Shop Express stores across 21 provinces and upgraded the SmartNas app with improved onboarding and eKYC facial recognition. Its Smart for Business platform continued targeting SMEs with cloud, IoT and cybersecurity tools aimed at reducing digitalisation costs for smaller enterprises.
Climate projects expand as net-zero 2050 roadmap advances
Smart continued renewable energy deployment as part of its net-zero strategy, adding 150 new solar sites in 2024 for a total network of 1,684 solar-powered locations. The company upgraded data centres to reduce energy consumption by 11,000 kWh per year and expanded AI-powered optimisation—including iPowerStar 2.0 and Intelligent Digital Management Unit technologies—to reduce base-station energy loads during low-traffic hours.
Externally, the company strengthened partnerships to contribute to nationwide environmental efforts. Smart supports the Ministry of Environment’s Green Sprouts initiative, which aims to grow 1 million saplings annually, and backed plastic-reduction and ecosystem projects through the Inland Ocean Festival and community waste-separation schemes that benefited 16,068 individuals.
Talent development and community learning prioritised
Smart delivered over 34,000 hours of employee training to 1,177 staff in 2024, with women now making up 36% of senior management. The company said human capital development and workplace inclusivity remain structural priorities as it modernises operations and prepares for future technologies.
Investments in community programs reached US$461,592, supporting STEM learning, youth development and entrepreneurship. Flagship programs—including SmartStart ULP, Technovation Girls and BEEP—continued to offer pathways into digital skills, innovation and employment for thousands of young Cambodians.
Strengthened cybersecurity and governance in response to digital risk
With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated, Smart adopted the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for its network and data centre, and launched a Global Security Operation Center (GSOC) to provide AI-supported cybersecurity monitoring and incident response.
Smart also expanded initiatives to protect children online, integrating formal child-safety mechanisms into its Code of Conduct and working with APLE Cambodia to provide a reporting channel for online abuse.
Smart’s leadership says the company will continue embedding sustainability into business decision-making and competitive strategy. With Cambodia’s digitalisation accelerating, the report asserts that responsible growth, community impact, and green transition will define the next decade of telecom development. Download the full report here.
