Thursday, December 11 2014

 Today, on the occasion of the Day of International Human Rights, a one-day conference on Economic Rights was organized at Hotel Marriott under the aegis of the Human Rights Defender Office of Armenia. The conference was presided by the Ombudsman of Armenia Karen Andreasyan, gathered under one roof representatives of the executive, legislative, state regulatory, educational and business spheres, as well as representatives of human rights, consumer protection and other non-governmental organizations. The conference was attended by the RA Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan, the Ambassadors of US, UK and representatives of international organizations in Armenia. 

VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian was invited to the conference as a guest-speaker representing business. In his presentation "Ensuring non-discriminatory conditions for business, and prevention of monopolies and dominant position in the market" Yirikian touched upon the issue of healthy competition from the perspective of utilizing the internal potential of market players for implementing the principles of Human Rights and ensuring daily operation in line with what is set by Human Rights. In particular, VivaCell-MTS General Manager spoke about the need to reveal and enact internal drivers for the institutionalization of Human Rights at the Company level. 
Ralph Yirikian stressed that working in a highly competitive market of information and communications technologies, VivaCell-MTS has proven that it's possible to work in the market, achieve and maintain market leadership, without compromising Human Rights in the course of its daily operations. And also he expressed readiness to share this solution with other market players. 

"Throughout years of operation, VivaCell-MTS has proven that there are certain activities that can be implemented by companies at the organizational level, including the adoption of ISO 26000, with an aim to confirm themselves to rules of ethical conduct of business, fair competition, respect for Human Rights, including consumer rights and employees' rights, respect for the law, and timely and lawful fulfillment of tax obligations. I believe these activities implemented from bottom-to-up should go in parallel with up-to-down activities implemented by the regulator and policy-makers, for ensuring fair competition in the market," Ralph Yirikian concluded.