2022 Sasol Sustainability Report - Book - Page 48
INTRODUCTION
SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE AGAINST OUR FOCUS AREAS
DATA AND ASSURANCE
GROWING SHARED VALUE (CONTINUED)
Creating platforms for advancement and development
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
Sasol has been the pre-eminent brand behind
women’s football for the past 13 years.
The Sasol women’s football sponsorship is more than
just the sport, it’s about accessing opportunities that will
holistically develop our female footballers, on- and off the
field eg pursuing academic excellence beyond football,
shaping our players to be a catalyst for positive change in
their communities.
Sasol created a sustainable women’s football partnership
with the South African Football Association. This model helped
produce world-class women footballers who are playing for
prominent professional clubs abroad. Sasol’s enabling role
also contributed to Banyana Banyana being crowned as the
African Champions at the 2022 Women African Cup of Nations.
Banyana Banyana also qualified for the 9th FIFA Women’s
World Cup to be held in 2023 in Australia/New Zealand.
Our commitment to ensure the sustainability of women’s
football talent from grassroots level to the national team
and beyond, started in 2009, when we established the Sasol
Provincial Women’s League. Known as the Sasol League,
it presents young girls with an opportunity to play in a
structured and organised programme, which runs between
April and October every year in each of the nine provinces.
Sasol Solar Challenge: A bi-annual initiative promoting
STEM education through solar-powered vehicles
Sasol has been involved since 2012 with the South African Solar
Challenge, now known as the Sasol Solar Challenge.
Sasol and Wheelchair Basketball South Africa
Sasol entered into a partnership with Wheelchair Basketball South Africa (WBSA) 15 years ago.
This strong relationship demonstrates our commitment to building
an inclusive culture and supporting people who are differently abled.
Our wheelchair basketball sponsorship seeks to raise the profile of
differently-abled athletes, also aiming to ensure that these athletes
participate and excel on the global stage. The WBSA Women’s team
and the South African under-23 Men’s team have collectively
participated in five World Championships.
The challenge is a showcase of alternate energy for transport and the ability
of the sun to power a new generation of vehicles, while applying the latest
solar technologies and innovative engineering. The solar challenge delivers
a highly competitive showcase where ‘brain sport’ and fierce competition
are the order of the day. Joining the eight-day journey across the country
is a crew of over 400 engineers, technicians, scientists and experts across
multiple fields, as well as volunteers from South Africa and overseas.
The men’s team qualified for the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012
Paralympic Games. During Sasol’s sponsorship, 148 players have
played overseas. Four international referees, three international
commissioners and two international classifiers became certified
under the Sasol technical excellence programme.
For Sasol, this sponsorship demonstrates our commitment to renewable
energy and STEM education. Targeting schools along the route, it inspires
young people to take an interest in and pursue tertiary studies and/or
careers in STEM-related fields. It also highlights Sasol’s commitment to
future generations by giving the brightest minds of today a chance to show
what a better tomorrow could look like.
Our wheelchair basketball sponsorship demonstrates our role in
action and living our Purpose of innovating for a better world.
SASOL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2022
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FEATURE STORIES
Taking place over eight days, local and international participants drive
custom-built solar-powered vehicles in an endurance race covering more
than 2 500 kilometres. Participating teams design, manage, build and drive
solar-powered vehicles. This gives students a hands-on opportunity to learn
about science, innovation, teamwork, logistics and business. The participants
also gain so much through the practical application of theory. The alumni of
the Sasol Solar Challenge are leaders in fields as diverse as renewable energy,
e-mobility and Formula 1 team strategy.