Leading South African diversified mining company, Exxaro Resources, has won the Best Sustainability Reporting Award in the Metals & Mining category at the 2021 ESG Reporting Awards. The company operates in coal, and renewable energy production and is invested in iron ore and zinc commodities.
Exxaro was short-listed in two categories, Best Sustainability Reporting and Best Climate-Related Reporting. They won the Best Sustainability Reporting: Metals & Mining.
The ESG Reporting Awards are devoted to assessing and evaluating the best listed companies in relation to sustainability and climate-related reporting from around the world.
“We are humbled to be recognised for our commitment to sustainability and transparency in the metals and mining sector,” said Exxaro Resources CEO Mxolisi Mgojo. “Our environmental, social and governance (ESG) approach goes beyond mere environmental impact and related governance issues, such as climate change. At our core we have a deep appreciation for the everyday lives of people.”
“In our view, if our host communities are struggling, so will business, with a knock-on effect on stakeholder value creation and national economic performance. Our approach to ESG is holistic and aims to achieve ‘value beyond compliance’ and sustainability in all our operations. This has been our approach before the Covid-19 pandemic and will continue to drive our operations long after the pandemic is over,” Mgojo said.
The 2021 ESG Reporting Awards panel of independent judges looked for outstanding merit in ESG, sustainability and climate-related reporting and disclosure. In assessing entries for each category, the judges examined each company’s overall reporting strategy along with its engagement and communication practices towards investors and stakeholders across all areas of corporate sustainability and climate change policy.
Exxaro invested in green energy
In addition to its reporting standards Exxaro has also strategically invested in green energy. It contributes to South Africa’s national energy supply through Cennergi, its wholly owned subsidiary since 1 April 2020, which has developed two wind energy projects in the Eastern Cape. First put into operation in 2016, together the Tsitsikamma Community Wind Farm, 30km north-west of Cape St Francis, and the Amakhala Emoyeni RE Project plant, located between Cookhouse and Bedford, have a generation capacity of 239MW.
Mgojo said, “While we are immensely proud of such global recognition, we dare not grow complacent. We will continue to set stringent goals for our business to guide our sustainability journey and demonstrate value creation, as we strive to continue to set a new benchmark for reporting and sustainable investing.
“This journey is not about recognition, but to ensure that we remain committed to creating a better present and future for all who encounter our work – from communities to our shareholders; from our clients to our employees,” he said.
