2022 Sasol Sustainability Report - Book - Page 63
SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE AGAINST OUR FOCUS AREAS
INTRODUCTION
DATA AND ASSURANCE
MANAGING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT
Land and biodiversity
We have a responsibility to minimise the impact of our facilities on biodiversity.
OUR APPROACH
• We address land risk and associated contamination liabilities by managing the Group
top risk of major SHE incidents.
WHAT WE ARE DOING
PERFORMANCE
Our land and biodiversity
management activities
SEO
• Completed the consolidation of waste materials from remedial activities on the old tar pit footprint.
Consistent with our SHE Policy, we recognise
that we have a custodial responsibility to
respect and care for the environment, which
includes addressing land and biodiversity matters.
Our activities have the potential to result in
various biodiversity impacts including:
• Reduction or deterioration in virgin land size;
• Impacts on plants and terrestrial animals; and
• Deterioration of the quality and quantity of
river and groundwater.
As part of our custodial biodiversity responsibility,
we know that we need to understand our impact.
We will therefore be undertaking biodiversity
footprint assessments at select facilities in
South Africa.
• To preserve biodiversity for future generations, we manage two nature reserves near Sasolburg, hosting 14 species of game including gemsbok,
eland, giraffe, springbok, impala and black wildebeest.
• Implemented a permeable reactive barrier at the Bunsen site to address elevated levels of nitrates in groundwater.
• Remediation orders (to undertake the required remedial actions) are anticipated from the authorities in South Africa for land assessed
under the contaminated land management (Part 8) section of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 59 of 2008.
SO
• The State of Biodiversity (SOB) reporting is a collation of work undertaken which describes the preliminary biodiversity indicators against
the site’s biodiversity performance. The aim is to lay out the framework to monitor and report on the status and trend of biodiversity at SO.
In compiling the SOB, we focus on reporting of what are internationally termed headline indicators for biodiversity against a predetermined
desired state or target.
• During the 2021 monitoring cycle, the SOB reported a 75% achievement against the predetermined desired targets. We further reported a decline
in 25% of the targets. The decline may represent a stable to negative trend in the abundance and distribution of species and communities.
• Relocated two rhino cows to Secunda from a high-risk poaching area. They will contribute to the biodiversity of the site and promote the
condition of the vegetation in the camps where they graze.
• In May 2022, we carried out a desktop gap analysis of our biodiversity management. This report will form the basis towards formulating
a biodiversity management plan for the expanded operations.
• Priority biodiversity initiatives include rehabilitating some wetlands through better stormwater management, maintaining our focus on alien
invasive species and other initiatives to safeguard protected species.
• We continue to monitor the terrestrial biodiversity of a protected wetland area (Verloren Vallei) in collaboration with the Mpumalanga Tourism
and Parks Agency.
Contaminated land
• SO’s request for an ”order to monitor“ and manage contaminated land in terms of the National Environmental Management Waste Act
was approved by DFFE. The monitoring and reporting thereof will commence in the next financial year.
• During a voluntary external contaminated land audit, SO received a clear audit; namely 100% compliance against all conditions.
SASOL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2022
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