SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2024

Supplement to the integrated annual report for the year ended 30 September 2024

Integrated environmental management

Management

In line with our new operating model, responsibility for environmental management has shifted from the security, safety, health and environment (SSHE) department to the process and sustainability department, with compliance support from security and risk. Additionally, an environmental steering committee has been established, with monthly meetings to review progress against our 2030 commitments.

Our manufacturing sites operate under a manufacturing excellence, customs and practices (MECP) framework, alongside an ISO 14001-compliant environmental management system. These systems ensure systematic site-level processes for identifying and assessing environmental impacts, tracking performance and auditing compliance.

Environmental issues are identified through regular site visits and annual risk assessments, with site-specific improvement plans developed to address these. Significant issues are escalated where necessary to inform broader risk management processes. Site-level procedures record all environmental incidents, and we conduct root-cause analyses and corrective actions for significant cases.

The process optimisation team provides onsite support for issue management and monitors incident reporting. Annual audits, excluding Chococam, review compliance with group policies, MECP and ISO 14001 SOPs, and evaluate progress on site improvement plans. We host annual water and energy days at each site to promote resource efficiency and address leaks and other maintenance-related inefficiencies.

In recent years, we have strengthened foundational environmental practices, improved regulatory compliance, optimised processes to enhance efficiencies and reduce our footprint and outlined a clean energy plan. In 2024, we continued with our clean energy plan, but are making slow progress and initiated a review of our plastic waste and packaging targets. A key focus was on improving waste management at manufacturing sites, creating action plans at priority sites to reduce food waste and waste to landfill.

We have improved our site-level reporting of utilities, addressing previous consistency and accuracy challenges, while still using manual processes. We are exploring automation opportunities for further gains. Environmental audits by our external auditor have highlighted opportunities to enhance data validation and management.

Performance

Overall, we allocated R35,6 million to environmental improvements across focusing on reducing utilities (LED lighting conversions, power factor improvements, cooling tower refurbishments, dry vacuum technology, rain water harvesting and metering). We recorded 31 environmental complaints of which 19 minor and no significant complaints.