●      Partnership will support paradigm shift in remote or smart working for Irish business

●      New partnership will provide Vodafone’s business customers with leading smart working capabilities

DUBLIN, Ireland – July 22, 2018: Vodafone Ireland has today announced a strategic partnership with smart working leaders Abodoo, to help businesses in Ireland understand and adapt to new ways of working and to help create an agile workforce for the future.

With at least 216,000 people in Ireland working from home, or from a co-working space, smart working is increasingly becoming a key consideration for businesses and their employees. With over 40% of businesses finding it difficult to recruit, and 68% of millennials looking for more flexibility and agility – there is an immediate demand for more companies to look at smart working as a realistic option.

The new partnership will initially provide direct support to Vodafone and SIRO’s Gigabit Hubs. The Gigabit Hubs initiative was launched in 2017 and since then eight hubs have received gigabit connectivity free of charge for a two-year period. The hubs are being used by a range of businesses and remote workers across the country. Since the launch of the initiative, 29 new companies have moved their business to the hubs   with an additional 80 people, with future plans for an extra 200 jobs over the next three years.

This Gigabit connectivity is helping to create a Gigabit Society across Ireland, where smart working will become a matter of choice, rather than a function of broadband availability. The economic and social benefits that gigabit connectivity can bring to the three million people living in rural locations outside our five main cities are almost incalculable. New job and business opportunities will allow people to remain in the country without sacrificing their lifestyles, rather than moving to cities or abroad. Employees can enjoy a better/work life balance, help reduce carbon emissions and it lowers pressure on housing in built up areas.

Vodafone and Abodoo – a smart working careers platform – will work together to educate employers – regardless of size and location – on the benefits of smart working, including; promoting diversity and inclusion, attracting and retaining talent, promoting a healthy work/life balance, giving companies a competitive edge while positively impacting the environment, cost of living and health and lifestyle. The partnership will include joint educational campaigns and events for Vodafone customers and for companies in the Gigabit Hubs and the new hubs, due to come online later this year.

Regina Moran, Enterprise Director, Vodafone Ireland “This is an exciting new venture for Vodafone. Through this partnership we want to show our customers the value of smart working for their businesses, their employees and for society as a whole. Abodoo is a dynamic Irish start-up which is fast becoming Ireland’s go-to smart working experts. Smart working has many clear benefits, but the positive impact created by reduced commute times on quality of life, wellbeing and the environment are at the heart of why this is important to me and to Vodafone.  In addition, Abodoo’s unique platform anonymously matches candidates’ skills to roles – removing any bias around gender, disability, mobility, race and location – so is aligned with our own substantiality ambitions”.

Vanessa Tierney, Co-Founder Abodoo.com “Abodoo is delighted to have partnered with Vodafone as we believe their goals for diversity and inclusion, flexibility and agility in the workplace align directly with our own. Remote working makes economic and environmental sense and can vastly improve the quality of life for workers. Vodafone’s focus on connecting and supporting rural Ireland through their Gigabit Hubs Initiative will enable more skilled workers to work in a location of their choice. Through this partnership, we have the opportunity to support the regeneration of rural Ireland while enabling companies to access amazing talent fast, efficiently and at a reduced cost.”

-ENDS-

For further information, please contact:

For Vodafone:

Sarah Horgan, Vodafone, +353 87 6658942, sarah.horgan@vodafone.com

Niamh O’Keefe, Rep Inc, +353 87 970 3752, NOKeeffe@reputation-inc.com

Notes to editors

About Vodafone Ireland
Vodafone is Ireland's leading total communications provider with 2.3 million customers and employs over 2,000 people directly and indirectly in Ireland.

Vodafone provides a total range of communications solutions including voice, messaging, data and fixed communications to consumers and to small, medium and large businesses. Since 2011, Vodafone has expanded its enterprise division, offering integrated next-generation fixed and mobile solutions in addition to cloud-based platforms, machine to machine services and professional ICT support.

Vodafone Group is one of the world's leading international mobile communications groups with mobile operations in 26 countries, partners with mobile networks in 55 more, and fixed broadband operations in 17 markets. For more information, please visit www.vodafone.ie

About Abodoo

Abodoo is the world’s first free-to-access smart matching careers platform for people and companies interested in permanent remote, flexible, hybrid or co-working roles. Their powerful technology matches highly skilled talent with top companies in a simple, hassle-free way, eliminating hours of searching and screening.

SmartWorking - as defined by Abodoo - is the combined use of technology with the flexibility and agility for employees to work remotely, co-work or use hybrid models. It enables companies to grow by hiring and retaining top talent based on skills rather than location, and people to achieve a true work life harmony. SmartWorking also supports global challenges such as the environment, cost of living, health, lifestyle and diversity. For more information, please visit www.abodoo.com