Sasol Limited Sustainability Report 2021 - Book - Page 6
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INTRODUCTION
Social and ethics report of the Chairman of the SSEC
Dear stakeholders,
“
Decarbonising for sustainability
is a cornerstone of our holistic focus
on ESG which is aligned with the
needs of our stakeholders.
“
Operating context
Focus areas
Performance at a glance
Resilience in a lowercarbon future
Mitigating the negative
macroeconomic effects using
levers of our response plan
and Sasol 2.0 transformation
programme
Responding to key societal
challenges by understanding
expectations and responding
effectively to diverse
stakeholders
Positioning ourselves to lead
the energy transition in South
Africa
Maintaining a safe working
environment while mitigating
against the risk of the spread
of the COVID-19 virus
Focusing on supporting
a healthy and safe
environment in collaboration
with, among others, local
health authorities
2*1
Performance
Upholding human rights and working towards their integration into our business practices is an ongoing endeavour. Specifically,
we reviewed related risks and how they may impact the effective implementation of our business and human rights policy. We also
improved our due diligence processes to encompass business and human rights assessments and established a dedicated Human
Rights Centre of Excellence to oversee enhanced business and human rights practices throughout the Group. This is further
reflected in Sasol’s triple bottom line approach of People, Planet and Profit, which is unpacked across our suite of reports.
Growing shared
value
• Fatalities:
• Social investment spend:
R526,2 million
• Recordable case rate (RCR):
0,26*
• Black-owned spend:
•E
mployee turnover:
• Black women-owned spend:
3 869
The Safety, Social and Ethics Committee (SSEC) has been purposeful in fulfilling its mandate to ensure that Sasol continues to
conduct its activities and contribute to society as a responsible corporate citizen. In executing our social and ethics responsibilities
in accordance with regulation 43 of the South African Companies Act 71 of 2008, the SSEC considers and monitors Sasol’s
activities, having regard to relevant legislation, business and human rights considerations and prevailing best practice on matters
relating to social and economic development, the environment, health and public safety, consumer relationships and labour and
employment.
With sustainability at the core of our strategy, we continued to improve our performance against our prioritised SDGs, namely 8,
12, 13 and 17. We are a values-driven organisation and have made measurable progress with incorporating the Ten Principles of
the UN Global Compact in our strategies, policies and procedures. To further enhance Sasol’s ethical conduct and anti-corruption
processes, various Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Policy Guidelines have been adopted. The Board
ensures that strategy, risk, performance and sustainable development considerations are effectively integrated and appropriately
balanced in achieving Sasol’s value-based strategy. Accordingly, the SSEC's terms of reference were amended this year to enable us
to further embed sustainability in the company and strengthen our performance, across ESG matters, particularly climate change
and social performance.
Muriel Dube
Chairman of the SSEC
Safe and enduring
operations
In the past year, the world has been adjusting to, and coming to terms, with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic while grappling
with the climate crisis. Sasol’s contribution has been far reaching and exemplary, and its 'can do' spirit has culminated in measures
to aid community and public health, most notably through supporting the Department of Health's vaccination strategy. The same
resolute determination forms the backdrop to our response to our material environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks,
including climate change, the impacts of which are being felt and demand demonstrable action as outlined in our suite of reports.
R23,8 billion
R15,8 billion
•M
ajor and significant fires,
explosions and releases
(FERs):
20*
We are developing pathways
to decarbonise our existing
operations that is aligned
with the requirements of a
just transition that creates
shared value
• Energy efficiency
22,75% improvement
for the Sasol Group and
22,08% improvement
for Sasol South Africa off
the 2005 baseline
• Total GHG increased by
1,9% compared to 2020
Minimising our
environmental footprint
Recognising the
environmental footprint
associated with our activities
and responsibly managing
these in a prudent and legally
compliant way
Diligently monitoring and
reporting on our activities
and complying with all
applicable regulatory
requirements
• Total water
consumption
decreased by 3,2%
• Recycled water
increased by 1,4%
• Total waste
decreased by 5,5%
• Total GHG decreased by
1% against 2017 baseline
Espousing the health, wellbeing and safety of people as a top priority must translate into zero fatalities. For this reason, the tragic
loss of two of our colleagues who passed away in work-related incidents - one before financial year-end, the other after, arising
from a high severity injury during the financial year, is not acceptable. We deplore their loss and know that it means we have to
do more to eliminate fatalities. The SSEC remains dedicated to effective oversight of safety at Sasol and supports the heightened
focus and systematic approach to prevent the recurrence and limit the severity of accidents and incidents. Culture remains a key
enabler to embedding improved safety standards and we are encouraged by the progress that management has made in nurturing
a culture of care and humanising safety. This approach has led to a marked decrease in the Group’s high severity injury rate.
We remain committed to providing decent work and working conditions for our employees, promoting equal opportunities
and fair employment practices globally across all Sasol’s businesses and contributing towards the educational development
of our employees. As we transition through Sasol 2.0, we recognise that the journey is difficult for our employees. The SSEC is
encouraged by the measures that management has put in place to ensure that employees are treated with care, dignity and
compassion. This extends beyond human resource practices, to creating Ntsika, which is an entrepreneur development programme
to support employees who have left Sasol.
The material matters we report on reflect a risk-based view of the business, but more importantly, are matters which are also
critical to our stakeholders. We thank our stakeholders for their willingness to engage with us and their recognition of our
commitment to transparency. We incorporate feedback into our decision-making processes, as we consider it vital that we adopt
an outside-in view to ensure that our governance remains robust.
As reflected in our material matters, decarbonising for the sustainability of Future Sasol is a cornerstone of our holistic focus on
ESG and closely aligns our stakeholders' expectations. The Board, supported by the SSEC, has clear oversight over climate change
matters, including Sasol’s decarbonisation pathway to Net Zero by 2050. Other environmental management focused matters
continue to be top of mind for the SSEC, given Sasol’s impact on the environment. The SSEC continuously monitors Sasol’s
progress in meeting key environmental targets as part of improving our ESG performance. Further accountability in respect
of climate change and environmental management has been incorporated into our remuneration policy through ESG metrics,
which are explained in the Report of the Remuneration Committee.
As a business, we are pushing ourselves beyond our capabilities to innovate our way through our current environmental
challenges. As chairman of the SSEC, I am confident that the SSEC has fulfilled its mandate as required by the Companies Act
and that there were no instances of material non-compliance with applicable ESG laws and regulations.
I am grateful to my colleagues on the SSEC, the rest of the board and Team Sasol for their unwavering support as we forge a
sustainable path towards a decarbonised future.
Muriel Dube
Chairman of the SSEC
20 September 2021
* Assured by Deloitte and Tholisiwe - refer to page 60
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One before financial year-end the other after
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Sasol Sustainability Report 2021