From education to employment

Rolls-Royce’s Learning and Development Centre introduces the #MeetLikeAHero initiative to help cancer research

Vodafone is working with UK businesses Rolls-Royce plc and The British Council to pilot a new initiative that uses DreamLab, a crowdsourcing app, to help increase productivity while speeding up cancer research.

Introduced at Rolls-Royce’s Learning and Development Centre in Derby, the #MeetLikeAHero initiative encourages staff to connect their smartphones to one of DreamLab’s charging lockers or stations while in a meeting. 

The initiative is designed to encourage employees to be more productive and focused in meetings, while using technology for a good cause.

The British Council is also piloting a similar programme with its 250 Manchester-based employees.

When downloaded and placed on charge the app, created by The Vodafone Foundation, uses the collective processing power of smartphones to complete thousands of vital calculations, helping speed up cancer research.

The data-based project, run by Imperial College London, has already identified new combinations or alternative uses of existing drugs to help combat cancer. 

Paul Broadhead, Head of Community Investment and Education Outreach at Rolls-Royce, said:

“This project complements our vision of pioneering the power that matters. Here the app helps significantly increase the speed at which researchers are able to make breakthroughs in cancer research, ultimately saving lives. Initiated by one of our employees who had the fantastic idea of using the power of DreamLab at a business level, I hope we can inspire other companies to see technology as a source of positive social impact.”

Helen Lamprell, General Counsel and External Affairs Director at Vodafone UK said:  

“DreamLab is a great example of the power of connectivity and technology to change the world for the better.  We are delighted that Rolls-Royce and The British Council are adopting DreamLab in the workplace, and hope others will follow suit.  The more people and businesses we bring on board, the faster we can collectively crunch life-saving cancer research data.”

Initially launched to the consumer market, the DreamLab app is also now available to the UK business market.

The app is free to download and data can be used on company phones for free when connected to Wi-Fi. When not using Wi-Fi, Vodafone UK business customers using a non-Vodafone APN setting or VPN will be charged according to their mobile price plan. Roaming incurs standard international rates. Terms apply: Vodafone.co.uk/dreamlab.

About Vodafone Foundation: The Connecting for Good programme combines Vodafone’s charitable giving and technology to make a difference in the world. Globally, the Vodafone Foundation supports projects that are focused on delivering public benefit through the use of mobile technology across the areas of health, education and disaster relief. The Vodafone Foundation invests in the communities in which Vodafone operates and is at the centre of a network of global and local social investment programmes.


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