Sustainability

Business, our society and the environment are intrinsically connected in complex ways and Efora believes that the sustainability of the Company within its operating environment should be a moral and economic imperative.

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Human capital management and social sustainability

People are essential to the success of the Group and we aim to maintain a productive and healthy workforce by employing diverse and talented people, strengthening our leadership, and enhancing employee performance and engagement through development and reward programmes and study assistance.

The Group is proud of its diverse culture and highly skilled leadership team, with a solid support system that is essential in driving the business to achieve its strategic objectives and creating a sustainable business. The Group also invests in local communities through donations, voluntary non-monetary contributions to underprivileged schools and the promotion of local employment.

Initiatives

  • Educational training provided to employees
  • Contributions to defined benefit plans for the future well-being of our employees
  • Human rights of employees respected
  • Diversity initiatives in place

Performance

  • Employing 150 people in 3 countries, with more than 60% of the workforce operating in South Africa
  • Employee turnover rate of 4.4%
  • Study assistance of R0.2 million to employees
  • Total of 836 hours of educational and HSE training provided to employees
  • Zero reported incidents of discrimination across the Group
  • No human rights violations reported
  • Appointed first black South African female to the Group’s Board in April 2017

Focus areas for 2018/2019

  • Increase educational training and development programmes provided to employees
  • Uphold zero tolerance for discrimination
  • Maintain zero human rights violations
  • Conduct human rights training for employees
  • Implement the Race and Gender Diversity Policy

Initiatives

  • Promote social development and skills by hiring from local communities
  • Support local enterprises by requiring that majority of suppliers are at least a Level 4 according to the BBBEE initiatives.

Performance

  • Spent 65% of total procurement spend on black-owned enterprises at Company level
  • 62% of workforce is locally employed
  • Donations of R0.4 million
  • 4 million spent on skills development in Malawi with respect to our now relinquished Block 1 licence
  • 21% of total workforce is female
  • The Company is 49% black owned

Focus areas for 2018/2019

  • Improve the BEE rating of the Company
  • Continue to increase the Company’s preferential procurement expenditure
  • Implement enterprise supplier development plans with local suppliers

Initiatives

  • Health and Safety Policy to minimise the impact of its operations on the environment in the countries in which we operate whilst providing safe and healthy working conditions for all our employees.
  • Prevention programmes, accident monitoring and incident reporting
  • Implementation of ISO 31000
  • Improvement of Group-wide Standard Operating Procedures

Performance

  • No reportable injuries or fatalities at any of the sites in South Africa, Egypt and Zimbabwe
  • No lost days or absenteeism due to work-related Injuries
  • All drivers transporting dangerous goods underwent monthly training

Focus areas for 2018/2019

  • Improved fleet safety and security
  • Implement independent health assessments of employees at operational sites in South Africa
  • Continue monitoring and improving HSE Policy

Social performance is important in delivering our business strategy at community level. Building strong relationships with people, understanding their priorities and concerns, and managing the impact on communities are key to being a responsible and sustainable company.

The Group assesses and manages the potential social impact of our projects and operations as part of integrated environmental, social and health impact assessments.

The Group’s main contribution to society is providing people with energy products.  We further contribute through paying taxes, focusing on procuring local goods and services, hiring locally and supporting social investment programmes.

Our contribution to society:

  • 150 people employed by the Group, of whom 62% are locally employed
  • 21% of employees are female
  • 2 million study assistance to employees and 836 hours of training for employees and interns
  • 9 million paid in taxes in South Africa
  • 4 million spent on donations
  • CSI projects in South Africa and Malawi

The Group’s seven guiding principles underpinned in its HSE Policy are as follows:

Compliance and standardsReporting and monitoringContinuous improvement
• Focus on complying with, but also exceeding where possible, all applicable HSE laws and regulations

• Compliance with all internal standards

• Compliance with generally accepted environmental practices and established industry codes of practice
• Regular evaluation and monitoring of the impact of past and present business activities on HSE matters

• Comprehensive quarterly reporting of HSE matters to SacOil’s Board of directors
• Use of innovative design and engineering to reduce the environmental impact of each of the Group’s operations throughout the asset’s life cycle

• Efficient use of natural resources, including energy to minimise waste streams and emissions