MEDIATRACNET
Sahara Group has restated its commitment to building a sustainable society by creating shared values for its various stakeholders through economic development, and protection of the environment.
The energy conglomerate stated this in the 2020 edition of its Sustainability Report published at the weekend.
Sahara Group’s 2020 Sustainability Report reflects its economic, social, and environmental activities from January 1 to December 31, 2020.
The report is the energy conglomerate’s sixth sustainability report, and the fifth report written in line with the global reporting initiative (GRI) standard.
The report highlights the Group’s economic, social, and environmental performance across seven operating entities within the Group, including the Sahara Foundation.
Focusing on the theme: ‘Leveraging Disruption for Growth and Innovation’, the report underscores how Sahara Group continues to leverage innovation and technology in achieving its corporate goals and sustainability ambitions across its businesses in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
In 2020, the Sahara Group said it navigated through the global economic and health challenges, thereby ‘Leveraging Disruption for Growth and Innovation’.
Director, Governance and Sustainability, Sahara Group, Pearl Uzokwe, said the Group had continued to foster partnerships and initiatives that have co-created a desirable future through innovation.
“We navigated through the global economic and health challenges with continued attention to creating shared value for our stakeholders. Our proactive response to the pandemic ensured business continuity,” Uzokwe said.
The Group’s COVID-19 response work, she said, included the launch of Abuja’s only 300 beds isolation, recovery and treatment centre for patients; providing and sustaining oxygen supplies for hospitals in Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire; providing dry and cooked food to over one million beneficiaries; supply of face masks, hand sanitizers and relief materials to communities where the company’s power affiliates (Ikeja Electric, Egbin Power and First Independent Power Limited), upstream and other Sahara Group affiliates operate across Africa.
In Zambia, she said Asharami Energy Limited Company donated tens of thousands of hand-made fabrics/Chitenge masks to shore up access to personal protective equipment (PPE), and slow down the spread of the virus.
Also, she said the company published materials in English, Bemba, and Nyanja to facilitate the dissemination of information about the pandemic in the country.
In Kenya, Asharami Synergy Limited donated thousands of 5 litre jerrycans of hand sanitizers, whilst oxygen was donated to hospitals in Nigeria, (through Egbin Power), as well as Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire to boost life support operations.
“Our commitment is to make an impact on 1.3 billion Africans as the continent recovers from the pandemic,” she said.
Besides, Uzokwe said Asharami Energy Limited, a Sahara Group Upstream Company, recorded an improved performance in responsible procurement with 92%percent of the company suppliers assessed for environmental risks in 2020.
She said Asharami Energy, a foremost operator in Africa’s upstream sector, also achieved zero fatalities and loss time injury in the reporting year.
In addition, she said Sahara Group’s trading arm has committed to total compliance with IMO2020 regulation on keeping Sulphur content in shipping fuels at 0.50% m/m (mass by mass) for emission control.
The Group equally committed about $44million for the construction of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) facilities within West African region, in addition to the purchase of two additional LPG vessels to ensure the availability of cleaner energy sources for the global market.
“Our commitment to host communities enabled our investment of $742 million in community development with a focus on COVID-19 relief support. We also fixed all cables and panels for the rural electrification project in Ajoki community, a project we plan to deliver by 2022. These demonstrate our progress on the sustainability journey,” Uzokwe added.
In spite of the challenges faced in 2020, Uzokwe said the Sahara Foundation realigned its focus areas to address two new pillars – promoting access to clean energy and fostering sustainable environments as we execute the Group’s Personal and Corporate Social Responsibility (PCSR) initiatives.
In 2020, we launched a flagship project, the Sahara Impact Fund, aimed at boosting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) in Africa with over $100,000 capacity.
The 2020 Sustainability Report has been organized and presented in accordance with the Sustainability Reporting Standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The guidelines seek to achieve consistency amongst corporations reporting on their sustainability activities.
