Southern Africa - Sappi

10
Sustainability Report 2011
Our sustainability
governance structure
Our sustainability structure plays a key role in making sustainability a way of
life by allocating responsibilities, setting targets, reviewing progress, driving
communication around the issue and incorporating the principles of sustainable
development into the everyday management of our business.
Sustainability Council
The Regional Sustainable Development Councils, which include the South African Council, report to
the Group Sustainable Development Council (GSDC) which in turn reports to the Board Sustainability
Committee.
The Regional Council is focused on inculcating sustainability into the organisation. Accordingly, the
council encompasses representatives from all our manufacturing facilities, corporate functions including
BBBEE, marketing, human resources, prosperity, corporate affairs and business segments such as
forestry.
Sustainability Ambassadors
A regional strategy was developed and approved in 2010. Included in this strategy is the Ambassador
Programme which aims to ensure sustainability management is implemented at all business units. This
is a grass roots programme designed to educate employees about sustainability. This in turn gives,
employees elected as ambassadors, an opportunity to interact and work directly with the staff and our
Regional Council on policies, procedures and programmes concerning sustainability.
The role of the ambassador is to promote and create awareness of sustainability, as well as to provide
information and answer questions related to sustainability. Ambassadors have the unique opportunity to
bring sustainability to the attention of Sappi employees and give them an understanding of how it drives
Sappi.
A ‘road-show’ to launch the programme at the South African mills and relevant business units took place
in 2011.