JEDDAH — “Cybersecurity is not only a rewarding and exciting career, but it also does a lot of good in the world to protect people, businesses and organizations from cyberthreats,” Kaspersky Lab said in its latest Corporate Social Responsibility Report released Sunday. “We need more women to help us plug the skills gap and widen the industry’s perspective on those

threats,” it noted.

This year’s report explores the work being done to promote gender equality in the technology industry across the globe, and how Kaspersky Lab is encouraging child education about digital security. The report reflects how the company is helping communities grow and contributing to making the world a better, and safer, place.

Kaspersky Lab is a proud advocate for gender equality in the technology industry. “Diverse workforces make businesses more successful, productive and dynamic, and we are committed to promoting careers in cybersecurity to women,” the report said.

Kaspersky Lab’s sponsorship of Girls in Tech’s AMPLIFY competition – a competition for female entrepreneurs to exhibit their business achievements – is just one of the initiatives the company supports in its aim to help more women to fully pursue their passion for digital products and services. Through PwC’s Tech She Can charter, Kaspersky Lab is also committed to increasing the number of women working in technology roles.

Eugene Kaspersky, CEO of Kaspersky Lab, said “corporate social responsibility may not be the most obvious one, but it’s still very important for the development of our corporate culture. It’s also our contribution to making the world outside our company’s walls a safer, better place. We focus on projects close to our line of work, like providing access to free security solutions or teaching kids about online safety, but we also have projects to ensure gender equality, and to promote STEM education.”

Kaspersky Lab is dedicated to helping parents keep their children safe through technology. These solutions include the Kaspersky Safe Kids mobile app that allows parents to locate their children at all times. The app even sends a notification if a child is in unfamiliar territory. For instance, in South Africa, mother Lida Erasmus relied on the app to find her teenage daughter after she had left home with a young man and didn’t return. Lida’s fears were subdued as she was able to trace her daughter and drive to the location to pick her up.

Kaspersky Lab regularly organizes Safe Kids roadshows to raise awareness about child safety on the Internet. Children aged between 7 and 13 in Johannesburg and Cape Town, as well as parts of East Asia, have been taught how to keep themselves safe in both real and virtual life situations that could lead to danger.

Additionally, Kaspersky Lab employees support charitable causes through volunteering and organize events to help people in need and make the world a better place. Staff in Russia and North America have been particularly active in these initiatives, ranging from delivering vital supplies to an orphanage in Udomlya, to raising funds for the American Cancer Society and the Cure for Alzheimer’s Fund, along with those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

The CEO of Kaspersky Lab added: “I’m also very happy that we can share the results of the work done not only in our headquarters, but also in offices all around the globe with their own local volunteering programs and other charitable undertakings.” — SG