The East African Breweries Limited (EABL) has launched its inaugural Environmental, Social and Governance report. The report provides an overview of the mechanisms that the company has put in place to support communities.
The report was launched at a virtual event streamed live from EABL offices. Dignitaries at the event included Principal Secretary Ministry of Environment and Forestry Dr. Chris Kiptoo, Principal Secretary Ministry of Energy, Dr. Eng. Joseph Njoroge, EABL Chairman Dr. Martin Oduor, EABL Group MD and CEO Jane Karuku and KBL MD John Musunga.
The launch of the sustainability report follows the recent launch of Diageo in Society 2030 Strategy, a 10-year comprehensive action plan to help the company create a more inclusive and sustainable world. The action plans to work on promoting a positive role for alcohol, championing inclusion and diversity, preserving the natural resources and making a positive contribution to the communities where they operate.
Some highlights from the report include EABL’s pledge to promote Positive Drinking. In their quest to support informed choices, the company has spread positive messaging, knowledge and awareness to over 13 million people in the region.
On championing inclusion and diversity, over 500 youth have been trained on business and hospitality skills over the past year and equipped with skills to improve their employability and ability to start their own entrepreneurial journey. Additionally, 0ver 5,000 bartenders trained in the Diageo Bar Academy.
Towards pioneering Grain to Glass Sustainability, between 2020 –2021,198,000m3 of water used on EABL sites was replenished and reused. Between 2016 to date, a total of 1,006,138 m3 of water has been replenished, this represents 30.6% of the company’s target to replenish 3,282,463 m3 by 2026.
On occupational health and safety, the company has witnessed a 36% reduction in total safety incidents and 100% pass in safety audits.
Speaking at the event, PS Kiptoo commented, “It is encouraging to see companies such as EABL embracing the concept of running sustainable businesses and integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their operations. EABL has been eager to partner with both the national and county governments – co-working with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry for example, in their extensive tree planting activities geared towards environment preservation and conservation.”
“We continue to strive to create a positive impact in our company, with our communities and for society. Our inaugural report is as result of a yearlong process where detailed research and introspection was applied to determine our material issues. This enabled us to map out our various stakeholders, capture their experiences and document the impact of our work on the ground. This report therefore provides a detailed overview of how EABL is making a significant difference in our region,” said EABL Chairman Dr. Martin Oduor.