Yarub Al-Bahrani, Managing Director, BAT West and
Central Africa has announced that the company initiated the Environmental,
Social, and Governance (ESG) Forum to address the need for sustainable and
responsible practices in the manufacturing sector.
Yarub disclosed this at the maiden edition of the
Private Sector ESG Forum hosted by British American Tobacco (BAT) Nigeria in
partnership with Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Bottling
Company (NBC), Nigerian Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC), Stanbic IBTC, Enactus
Nigeria, Sterling One Foundation, International Breweries, Private Sector
Advisory Group (PSAG) and Blue Echo Foundation to promote sustainable future.
In his opening remark, he said “The vision behind
the forum is to create a platform that connects industry players, bridges
knowledge gaps, and promotes the adoption of sustainable business practice for
inclusive growth and shared prosperity. The forum is important because the
private sector is a formidable force in shaping economies and societies”.
He mentioned that BAT has made a bold commitment to
create ‘A Better Tomorrow’ by reducing the health impact of its business and
delivering sustainable value for its stakeholders – the society, the people,
and its consumers and shareholders.
“Our ambition to create A Better Tomorrow transcends
mere rhetoric; it encapsulates our keen belief that we have a role, an
obligation to be stewards of change. This ambition has driven a profound shift
in our corporate ethos, ensuring sustainability is not a random pursuit but is
front and centre of everything we do and integral to every facet of our
operations, it is this bold purpose that has given rise to the Private Sector
ESG Forum”, he added.
Pieter Scholtz, KPMG Partner, and Africa ESG Lead,
in his keynote address, highlighted the need for organisations to incorporate
financial reporting and other ESG strategies into their operations.
In his words: “It has been proven that
sustainability-linked products grow six times faster than others while
companies that employ net zero emissions are seen to reduce their operating
expenses. Also, lots of companies are now starting to gain productivity via ESG
incorporation so the private sector has to take the aggressive lead seeing that
there is no logic in not embracing ESG.”
Announcing the Private Sector pledge at the Forum,
Odiri Erewa-Meggison FCIS, Director, External Affairs, BAT West and Central
Africa, said “The Private Sector has resolved to set up a Working Group as a
measure to ensure that manufacturing companies operating in Nigeria embrace
sustainable practices and implement actions to safeguard the environment and
support their operating communities. The working group will be inaugurated in
the first Quarter of 2024.”
She added “BAT is proud to be part of this
transformative journey, working hand in glove with our partners, co-organisers,
and collaborators. We remain dedicated to being a catalyst for change and to
continually advancing the cause of sustainability in the private sector.”
The forum had three expert panel discussions where
renowned experts in the field of ESG led engaging panel discussions on topics
focusing on reducing carbon emissions and building a resilient climate future;
harnessing the opportunities for collaborative growth and Reporting and
Transparency in ensuring accurate and transparent ESG performance. Panelists shared their experiences, best
practices, and vision for a sustainable future.
Panelists included Bankole Oloruntoba, CEO, Nigerian
Climate Innovation Centre; Dr. Chidozie Uriel Ezike, Head, ESRM &
Sustainability, UBA; Tomi Adepoju, Partner & Head, Enterprise Risk and ESG
Services, KPMG Nigeria; Ruka Sanusi, Director, Ghana Climate Innovation Centre
(GCIC); Pamela Nkuna, Director, Corporate Affairs, Pernod Ricard, South Africa
& Sub-Saharan Africa, and Bolaji Okusaga, Managing Director, Precise
Platforms Limited, amongst many others.
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