Sappi paves the way for a sustainable future in Mpumalanga

Unlocking the power of trees.

The Mpumalanga province owes much of its vitality to the investment from local industry. For decades, the global renewable resource company, Sappi, has been a driving force contributing to the lifeblood that sustains the local economy and communities while boosting the province’s growth.

With its commercial plantations and manufacturing facilities, Sappi’s operations are instrumental in driving prosperity within the province. It contributes ZAR5.5-billion to the local economy annually and provides livelihoods for thousands of people.

While fortifying the present, Sappi also has its sights set on a brighter tomorrow. Embracing the concept of a biobased circular economy, it champions responsible forestry practices and extracts sustainable alternatives from woodfibre to reduce the reliance on fossil-based materials. Through innovative approaches, Sappi unlocks the power of trees, cultivating purpose and value from every by-product and resource it employs.

A positive foothold

At the heart of its operations in Mpumalanga lies Ngodwana Mill, a key player in the province’s economic landscape. This manufacturing entity produces unbleached chemical pulp, mechanical pulp kraft linerboard and dissolving pulp to meet domestic and international demand. In Barberton,

Lomati Sawmill provides structural lumber for, among others, the building, furniture and packaging industries.

Sappi also manages vast forestry plantations in the province, of which approximately one-third is unplanted and conserved for biodiversity. This includes the management of four conservation sites – the Ngodwana River Valley, Mount Morgan, Oosterbeek and Angle Ridge Nature Reserves.

Sappi’s various international certifications ensure that its performance is monitored and that operations comply with global best practice across a range of environmental, safety and quality criteria. These external assessments and independent third-party certifications give stakeholders confidence that reported performance indicators are reliable, accurate and pertinent.

Empowering local communities

The company’s impact also reaches well beyond economic and environmental interests.

Honouring its commitment to a better, sustainable future, Sappi holds a share in a 25MW biomass energy project set to alleviate the demand on the national grid. This endeavour goes beyond corporate interests and actively involves one of Sappi’s host communities, who have been granted a stake in the project. By including local community members as partners, Sappi is fostering a sense of ownership and shared prosperity.

Another example of community empowerment is the Ngodwana Skills Centre and Learning Hub which provides skills training and trade testing programmes for apprentices, post-apprentices and engineersin-training. Moreover, community members have access to courses in basic life and hand skills, as well as specific trades like painting, electrical work, plumbing, bricklaying and cement work.

By equipping local people with practical skills, Sappi is enhancing employability and fostering entrepreneurship. The company is also actively involved in about 37 enterprise supplier development programmes, employing over 300 people – all of which nurture a resilient local economy.

Community engagement is another cornerstone of the company’s presence in the province. The Sappi Abashintshi programme uses a social mobilisation and asset-based community development (ABCD) approach to uplift and empower the youth. Deployed across several communities throughout the region, the programme stands as a shining example of bringing about positive change at grassroots level.

Over the years, the programme has resulted in hundreds of small businesses that have either been started up or rejuvenated – ranging from brickmaking projects, poultry and pig farms to crèches and home industries, while also providing welcome respite for the youth during its annual sponsored holiday programme.

Promoting education, health and wellbeing Education counts among the key social impact priorities. Expanding the talent pool in critical areas, Sappi is nurturing the future leaders and innovators of Mpumalanga.

The importance of Early Childhood Development (ECD) is recognised as a foundation for building capacity, and in Mpumalanga, Sappi has developed an ECD Centre of Excellence at the Sappi Elandshoek community in partnership with Penreach. ECD practitioners are being taught to implement programmes at each of their sites to promote the child’s holistic development. Currently, 130 centres and about 1 000 children benefit from this programme in Mpumalanga, with many thousands more having benefited over the years.

Sappi furthermore has a vested interest in the health and wellbeing of its surrounding communities. Employees are also encouraged to get active in their communities. One example was the establishment of the Sisonke Food Security project at Lomati Mill (pictured), an initiative that gives back to employees, builds trust and supports the broader community by transforming a barren piece of land into a fertile vegetable patch to ensure food security within and around the mill, all year round.

With its wide-ranging investments in manufacturing, the environment, skills training and community upliftment, this company is a prime example of how industry can drive positive change in a province and in the lives of its people.

As a responsible corporate citizen, Sappi sets an inspiring example for others to follow, and its contributions continue to make a lasting impact and difference in this region. ■