BAT Group's long history of sustainability pays dividend
In 2021, BAT won many awards at the Kenya Association of Manufacturers - Energy Management Awards.
What you need to know:
- BAT Group is keeping its eyes on the horizon and has set goals it aims to achieve in the next few years.
- BAT remains committed to delivering a positive social impact and ensuring robust corporate governance.
The BAT Group boasts a long history of sustainability achievements. Now, though, it has updated its strategy, with sustainability at the heart of its operations, and all its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
The Group considers this new strategy critical to delivering “A Better Tomorrow” for all stakeholders.
This year alone, it has registered impressive milestones on the various aspects of its sustainability agenda. In the meantime, the BAT Group is keeping its eyes on the horizon and has set goals it aims to achieve in the next few years.
Its official say while BAT is clear that reducing the health impact of its business is its principal focus area, the firm is also placing a greater emphasis on the importance of addressing climate change and driving excellence in environmental management.
At the same time, BAT remains committed to delivering a positive social impact and ensuring robust corporate governance across the business.
Here are BAT’s environmental priorities:
Climate change
Addressing climate change risks and opportunities, BAT aims to be carbon neutral by 2030.
Sustainable water stewardship
BAT is decreasing water use across its operations with a target to reduce the amount of water withdrawn by 35% by 2025.
Waste management and circular economy
Eliminating waste and applying circular economy principles across its business and product categories BAT targets 100% of its plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
BAT Group prioritizes eliminating waste and applying circular economy principles across its business and product categories.
Biodiversity and afforestation
By 2025, BAT aims for net zero deforestation of managed forests across our tobacco supply chain and net positive impact on forests in our tobacco supply chain.
In 2021, BAT recorded several milestones in its sustainability journey. Here are the key highlights:
Afforestation: More than 54 million trees planted since 1978. Since 2014, BAT has been planting more than 2 million trees annually.
People planting trees. Kenya Forest Service has co-opted schools in Siaya as part of the programme to tackle climate change.
Renewable energy: BAT’s Phase 1 Solar power installation in 2021 for supply of 300kW le to a reduction of 80 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Phase 2 will commence in 2022, and the supply 1.2 Mw will reduce 240 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
CO2 Reduction
Energy management: BAT installed a new high efficiency boiler. This led to a reduction of 402 tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2021.
Waste management: Clean up of Thika Green Leaf Threshing Plant during the 2021 World Clean Up Day. A total of 1.5 tonnes of community waste collected for proper disposal.
Sustainable agriculture: One hundred percent of farmers practised crop diversification in 2021.
Sustainable wood fuel: A total of 370 tonnes realised in 2021.
Circular economy: Zero waste sent to landfill.
Water stewardship: BAT has achieved water recycling up by more than 40 percent, and reduced consumption by 5 percent.
Circular economy: One tonne of old employee uniforms recycled into usable products.
Awards & recognition: 2021
BAT won many awards at the Kenya Association of Manufacturers - Energy Management Awards. These include:
- Overall winner, Energy Management Award, Nairobi manufacturing factory.
- Overall winner, Innovation and Best Practice Award, Green Leaf Threshing plant, Thika.
- Overall winner, Best Energy Management Team Award, Green Leaf Threshing plant, Thika.
- Overall Energy Management Award, Green Leaf Threshing plant, Thika.
- Runners-up, Thermal Energy Saving Award, Medium Category. Nairobi manufacturing factory.
