Sustainable Business Magazine EMEA 01/16 by Sustainable Business Magazine

SUSTAINABLE EMEA ISSUE 01/16

B U S I N E S S

M A G A Z I N E

EUROPE / MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

OSERIAN

FOSKOR

COLEMAN MICROTUNNELLING HANDYMAN’S LIME

NATIONAL WATER

& SEWERAGE CORPORATION UGANDA

ALSO FEATURED THIS ISSUE

LILONGWE WATER BOARD • MULONGA WATER

S U S TA I N I N G T O M O R R O W. T O D AY

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Assistant Editor:

George Newell

Senior Writer:

Marcus Bonnano

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EUROPE / MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA

CONTENTS ISSUE 01/16

Welcome to a special African edition of Sustainable Business Magazine, and the first issue of our new Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) magazine. Sustainable Business Magazine aims to spread awareness of the values of sustainability, as well as the brilliant ways in which organizations continue to meet challenges and champion corporate social responsibility. We start our focus on sustainability in Africa by speaking to Hamish Ker, Technical Director at Oserian Development Company Ltd. in Kenya, about flowers, technology, and empowering communities. To look at issues associated with mining we spoke to two companies in South Africa. We spoke to Shivaji Gadhave, Senior Manager for Project and Strategy at Foskor, about expansion, community development, and contributing to a self-sufficient South Africa, and we spoke to Simon Rhodes, Contracts Manager at Coleman Microtunnelling Africa (Pty) Ltd., about environmentally-friendly micro-tunneling technology, award-winning projects, and leading trenchless-crossing technologies in Africa. We also spoke to Weston Mwape, Business Development Manager at Handyman’s Lime in Zambia, about how the company’s state of the art kiln has led to important community development initiatives.

Oserian Development Company

Foskor

Coleman Microtunnelling Africa

Handyman’s Lime

Mulonga Water & Sewerage Company

National Water & Sewerage Corporation

Lilongwe Water Board

Global Events

Ad Index

This edition also contains a focus on African water utilities. We spoke to Bornface Mwamelo, Director of Finance at Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company, about how they have become and will continue to be a premier water utility in Zambia, we spoke to Dr. Silver Mugisha, CEO of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation in Uganda, about swift expansion, tried-and-tested solutions, and delivering safe water to all Ugandans, and we spoke to Alfonso Chikuni, Managing Director of the Lilongwe Water Board in Malawi, about expansion, environmental monitoring, and giving back to the community. We are excited that this new magazine allows us to expand Sustainable Business Magazine to three new regions, as we continue to promote environmental, economic, and social sustainability. We hope that you find this issue both interesting and inspiring. Thank you for reading. The Sustainable Business Magazine Team

FRONT COVER IMAGE: OSERIAN GREENHOUSES IN KENYA IMAGE COURTESY OF OSERIAN DEVELOPMENT COMPANY.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

OSERIAN

OSERIAN HAS GROWN INTO AN INTERNATIONAL FIGURE, AND LAST YEAR, THE COMPANY HANDLED MORE THAN A MILLION STEMS OF HIGH-QUALITY FLOWERS DAILY.

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WILD AT

HEART Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Hamish Ker, Technical Director at Oserian Development Company Ltd., about flowers, technology, and empowering communities. Oserian is a flower farm located on the shore of Lake Naivasha, Kenya. Spread across more than 5,000 acres, the farm is best known for its roses, also offering carnations and a number of filler flowers including the farmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original product, statice. Oserian was started by Dutchman Hans Zwager, a marine during World War Two who subsequently traveled the world, settled in Kenya in 1953, and met his wife June soon after. They decided to stay in the country as Hans embarked on his first entrepreneurial venture, pesticide importer Kleenway Chemicals. By 1969, Hans had sold Kleenway and invested the money in the large cattle ranch Oserian with a view to establishing

an agriculture business. For more than a decade his company successfully sold vegetables, including tinned asparagus and French beans, but the turning point came when a colleague of his suggested growing a bouquet filler flower known as statice for the European market. From this humble beginning in 1982, Oserian has grown into an international figure, and last year, the company handled more than a million stems of high-quality flowers daily. FAMILY BUSINESS The history of Oserian and their founder Hans Zwager is intimately linked with the economic development of Kenya over the past three and a half decades. Hans Zwager SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

OSERIAN

OSERIAN IS ALSO HOME TO THE LARGEST GEOTHERMAL HEATING PROJECT IN THE WORLD. THE PROJECT IS SPREAD ACROSS MORE THAN 120 ACRES OF LAND.

and Oserian were pioneers in Kenyan rose cultivation, starting with just a test site and growing to become one of the largest exporters of roses into the EU today. This achievement is, understandably, one of the company’s proudest. Hans Zwager was also instrumental in establishing TFA, an East African flower auction that allowed producers to sell flowers year round, thereby circumventing the monopolizing regulations imposed from within Europe. TFA played a pivotal role in the development of the East African flower market. For nearly 35 years, Oserian has been a major character in the story of Kenya. Trade in cut flowers today provides direct employment to 100,000 Kenyans, and a further 500,000 work in related industries. The original Oserian farm is now managed by Oserian Development Company Ltd. (ODC), which is helmed by Hans’ son Peter. Moving forward, the company is tying together the threads of environment, 4 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

community, and technology to create a united front facing the future with their ethic of being ‘champions by nature’. NATURAL CHAMPIONS Oserian have always been leaders in social and environmental responsibility. They were the first flower farm in Africa to receive Fairtrade accreditation. “This resulted from the ethos of the shareholders,” says Hamish Ker, Technical Director of ODC. “Hans’ vision was always of farming in harmony with wildlife, trying to put in place projects for the community and for the people. We had been doing it before Fairtrade, so when the auditors came along they just needed to tick boxes.” The farm was also the first in Africa to receive recognition from Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF), a UK-based organization which promotes sustainable farming. One of the most notable illustrations of Oserian’s environmental commitments is their involvement with the World Wide

Fund for Nature (WWF). Oserian and WWF collaborated on a plan to improve water quality and the ecosystem of Lake Naivasha, and WWF have promoted Oserian’s wildlife protection work, including the 18,000 acre Oserian Wildlife Sanctuary,

Your Growth, Our Growth

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OUR VISION

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At Greenlife, we refer to our stakeholders as associates; we hold our employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders with high esteem. We believe our success is derived from the success of our stakeholders. As Greenlife community, we believe in delivering what is promised. INTEGRITY and HONESTY tops our list of values. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION and UNEQUALLED SERVICE is embedded in our system, and when you come to us, you have no doubt that quality and timeliness is guaranteed.

OUR MISSION STATEMENT We envision to developing quality products of affordable cost and endeavour to conveniently deliver the products to our customers at absolute promptness. Our top priority is to meet all our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; agricultural requirements from our own products array while ensuring at least 95% customer satisfaction.

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OSERIAN

home to white rhinos until recently, buffalo, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, gazelles, warthogs, and leopards. The flower farm is even home to its own timber forest, so that ODC is able to source reliably sustainable wood and not support bad practices such as illegal logging of indigenous trees. In 2016, Oserian became the first flower farm in Kenya to receive a certificate of commendation from the Water Resource

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Management Authority (WRMA). This was awarded for the significant work the farm has undertaken with water usage and water management in a country where droughts are frequent and damaging. EARTH MACHINES “I remember when Mike Coupe was here several years ago,” says Mr. Ker, referring to the current CEO of UK supermarket

chain Sainsbury’s. “He said: ‘The thing about green business is it’s good business.’ This sums up one of our core philosophies – that by going back to nature you are able to see the solutions that nature herself has come up with.” The use of an integrated pest management system (IPM) embodies this approach. This holistic method encompasses techniques that seek to promote optimal plant nutrition while using naturally occurring biological solutions to pest management. Phytoseiulus are one such solution. These predatory mites are cultivated by Oserian and released to devour red spider mites, which are harmful to growing flowers. Phytoseiulus, meanwhile, leave crops untouched. Oserian is also home to the largest geothermal heating project in the world. The project is spread across more than 120 acres of land, using the earth’s heat in place of fossil fuels to warm the farm’s greenhouses. Geothermal heat provides stable temperatures in all seasons and at all times of day, reducing humidity and preventing diseases such as downy mildew. The CO2 produced by geothermal heating is trapped by the flowers, reducing Oserian’s overall carbon footprint while also giving the flowers the CO2 they need to achieve best growth. Geothermal energy is also used to power water pumps and other electrical require-

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OSERIAN

ments at Oserian, providing a stable power source in a country prone to blackouts. Another example of how Oserian has led the way with sustainable technology is in its use of hydroponics. This method offers multiple benefits over traditional growing by enabling near total control of nutrition, recycling of fertilizer, and reuse of large quantities of water. Approximately

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80% of Oserian’s flowers are grown hydroponically, and this was a key factor in their WRMA certification. “We’ve been using sustainable solutions because they give value,” says Mr. Ker. “In the future, however, I believe it will be a matter of legislation. The world will have to start insisting that agriculture is done in specific ways to ensure we are not

impacting on bees, or wetlands, or lakes. If you want to export your products you will have to be able to produce it within specific parameters. Sustainable production has been a buzzword, but it is going to become more intrinsic, and more part and parcel of your operations.” ONE OF THE PEOPLE Commitment to local communities is vitally important to Oserian. “When I talk about nature, it’s not just flora and fauna,” says Mr. Ker. “It’s people too. We’re all part of nature.” Oserian has funded a number of significant social projects, such as the drilling of boreholes for communities located further away from Lake Naivasha, improving water access, as well as offering these communities medical centers and schools. Local Maasai communities have also received the benefits of Oserian’s use of dorper sheep. Used at the farm in place of tractors to cut grass, these sheep also produce larger volumes of meat and wool than the Maasai’s traditional sheep breeds. As Kenya’s economy continues to grow and develop, dorper sheep will provide local people with greater economic sustainability. Oserian has also worked with local craftswomen to bring additional income to the surrounding communities. “Women of

Maasai and other communities such as the Kikuyu make bracelets,” says Mr. Ker. “We now put these bracelets on our bouquets, which are delivered to Europe, and the money from the bracelet then goes back to the women. Some of the Maasai girls may not have had the opportunity to go to school but their mums, through bracelet-making, have the opportunity to educate the girls. About two million shillings per annum are generated, going into the community to be used as the people wish.” LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENTS ‘Champions by nature’ is more than a tagline; it embodies Oserian’s DNA. Now, Oserian are looking to promote these commitments in an upcoming campaign called Flori 4 Life. Beginning Summer 2016, the living story of Oserian will be told through different brands like Flori 4 Water, Flori 4 Schools, and Flori 4 Nature, each communicating different aspects of the farm’s work. Each brand will be attached as a tag to certain bouquets so that consumers have the opportunity to gain a holistic picture of Oserian. Further into the future, ODC have a number of avenues for exploration, some of which may even expand the farm beyond floriculture. They are looking into the possibility of developing an aquaculture business out of the success they have already had with hydroponics and geothermal technology. They will also be looking at how their understanding of seeds may help local farmers increase their own yields to meet the demands of a growing Kenyan and African population, maintaining the

farm’s close relationship with Kenya’s economic development. At the same time, Oserian is pursuing the possibility of becoming carbon sub-zero, meaning the farm’s practices may actually result in a net reduction of global carbon output. “We can’t just focus on people’s need anymore,” explains Mr. Ker. “That’s not sustainable. It has got to be about the

needs of the planet. It is about people, planet, and profit. By generating revenue from our flowers, Oserian can give people opportunities while safeguarding nature. If you want to ask one thing we’re proud of, it’s that we are champions of nature. We will continue trying to farm in the most natural, and hopefully in the most sustainable, way possible.” c

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

FOSKOR

AS FOSKOR GOES FORWARD, THE PRIORITY IS ACHIEVING SUSTAINABILITY, BOTH OPERATIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY.

FEEDING A NATION

Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Shivaji Gadhave, Senior Manager for Project and Strategy at Foskor, about expansion, community development, and contributing to a self-sufficient South Africa. Foskor (Pty) Ltd. is a South African producer of phosphate rock (foskorite and pyroxenite), phosphoric acid, and granular fertilizer for the domestic and international markets. Founded in 1951 by the South 10 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

African government’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Foskor’s mine in Phalaborwa in Limpopo Province began producing phosphate rock two years later, in 1953. Subsequently, in 1987, Foskor

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PEP PROJECT, MILLING BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

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plant in Phalaborwa was commissioned, to extend the mine’s beneficiation capacity. “That project had a budget of over R500 million,” explains Shivaji Gadhave, Senior Manager for Project and Strategy at Foskor. “Then, beginning in 2006, we went for a second expansion, on a budget of R500 million. Previously, we had only one open pit mine, so to increase the life of the mine, we developed a new South Pit. This is called the Pyroxenite Expansion Project.” The Pyroxenite Expansion Project was conceived to respond to the steady depletion of above-ground foskorite at the mine. In Phase 1 of the project, Foskor constructed a new opencast mine for mining pyroxenite ore, and installed a new primary gyrator crusher and an overland conveyor system to transport the mined ore to the on-site processing plant. As a result of the Pyroxenite Expansion Project, Foskor will be able to

maintain its current phosphate rock concentrate output for at least the next 65 years. “Immediately after that was completed in 2010, we moved onto Phase 2 of the Pyroxenite Expansion Project with a budget of R650 million,” says Mr. Gadhave. “That basically entailed de-bottlenecking the Extension 8 plant – in other words, expanding our milling capacity.” Extension 8 as originally conceived used a dry milling process, but the plant had never been able to sustain performance at design capacity. Phase 2 added a parallel tertiary crushing circuit and a wet milling section, so Extension 8 now receives two streams, allowing it to perform at design capacity. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT Foskor’s most recent completed project is the D-Stream Flotation Plant Replacement Project. “Our old flotation plant had

MR SHIVAJI GADHAVE, SENIOR MANAGER FOR PROJECT AND STRATEGY, FOSKOR.

EXTENSION 8 PLANT, PHALABORWA.

took a 30% share in Indian Ocean Fertilizers (IOF), based 800 km away at Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal; Foskor became the full owner of IOF in 1997. Today, Foskor’s plant at Phalaborwa produces phosphate rock concentrate which is then shipped to Richards Bay, where it is processed into phosphoric acid and granular fertilizer. PYROXENITE EXPANSION Over the last twenty years, Foskor has undertaken a series of infrastructure development projects to increase output, to improve efficiency, and to bring new products to the market. In 1999, the Extension 8 processing SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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FOSKOR we’re looking at will be higher efficiency, better reliability and newer technology.” Foskor has a track record of investing in innovation. “We don’t just want whatever is proven in the market,” says Mr. Gadhave. “We want to try new things, for the betterment of our company, and for the betterment of the country. The IDC has a culture of social and economic development which has been transferred to the Foskor culture as well, and which leads us to look for new, better ways of operating.”

completed its life,” says Mr. Gadhave. “We wanted to demolish that plant, but before we could do so, we had to build a new plant to sustain our capacity.” The board invested R550 million in a new DSF plant, R100 million of which was spent locally, with heavy investment throughout the project in BBBEE suppliers and contractors. At the peak of construction, 60% of the project’s 350 employees were local, and over the course of 1.2 million man hours’ work, the construction of the new plant resulted in

no Lost Time Injuries. The project was completed in 2014. Now, Foskor is in the early stages of a R3.3 billion replacement program at their acid plant and mining division, which has been approved by the IDC. “The efficiency and availability of the acid plant has been dramatically reduced, so our shareholders approved this capital,” says Mr. Gadhave. “Some parts of this project are in the design and procurement phase and some are in the engineering phase. The parameters

SUSTAINABLE PROJECTS The new DSF plant isn’t an identical replacement of the previous plant; it offers several sustainability benefits. “If you compare this plant to the old one, which had the same capacity, the energy consumption has been reduced by more than 50%,” says Mr. Gadhave. “Furthermore, the efficiency, in terms of getting the final product out of the plant, has improved by 8%. It’s a drastic change. It also has a significantly improved spillage handling system, so it doesn’t pollute the adjacent soil.” In addition to these large projects, every year Foskor invests in several smaller-scale sustainability projects, with a typical combined budget of between half a billion to a billion rand. “There are currently around fifty DSF PLANT UNDER CONSTRUCTION PHALABORWA.

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FOSKOR

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projects going on in the Phalaborwa and Richards Bay divisions, with each project costing between one to ten million rand,” says Mr. Gadhave. “These are small in nature, like replacing pumps, improving water management systems, or improving dust control, but they make a difference.” FOOD SECURITY Foskor’s biggest contribution to South Africa, however, goes beyond efficiency and environmental compliance. The company was established with the explicit intention of making South Africa self-sufficient. “The

IDC didn’t want to make just money,” explains Mr. Gadhave. “Rather, they wanted to establish it so we could produce our own phosphate and our own fertilizer, which we could supply to local farmers. They also had an aim of community development, to boost the local economy and develop previously disadvantaged people and small enterprises. This is still a major part of our DNA.” To a great extent, Foskor has achieved that ambition. Today’s South Africa is a net exporter of food, exporting 30% more food in 2010 than it imported. Within that land-

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scape, Foskor is a key driver, as the largest producer of granular fertilizer in the country. “South Africa doesn’t import a drop of phosphoric acid,” says Mr. Gadhave. “We produce all the phosphoric acid required for the South African market, and we even export excess product into the Asian and European markets, bringing foreign currency to the country.” COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Another component of Foskor’s sustainable mission is its commitments to the local community. “Our procurement process

encourages doing business with small and medium enterprises,” says Mr. Gadhave. “It also gives preference to the local community. We have specific targets involving BBBEE built into our procurement policy. Basically, unless it’s a very specific technology which we have to order from an expert supplier, we try to give our business to the local community, to small enterprises, and to previously disadvantaged peoples.” Another pillar of Foskor’s community involvement is employment. “We have specific targets for gender and racial equality,” says Mr. Gadhave. “We give preference to local people, and previously disadvantaged people. That applies to hiring, and to contractors and subcontractors. We want to develop this community, because that’s how this country will become sustainable – not just through growing metropolitan areas but also rural communities like Phalaborwa and Richards Bay.” BETTERMENT OF THE PEOPLE For the last six years in a row, Foskor has been named one of the Top Employers in South Africa by the Top Employers Institute. “That makes us proud,” says Mr. Gadhave.

“Times are difficult, and the profit margin sometimes goes to negative, but we have a commitment to run this organization not to make only money but to develop communities. If we were looking only to make money, over the last two or three years we haven’t made a profit so we might have downsized, but our shareholders are committed to the betterment of the people here.” Foskor also regularly implements development projects in the local communities. “We have significant annual budgets for community development,” says Mr. Gadhave. “We recently renovated a school near Phalaborwa, and we’re running a crèche near there. We regularly help the munici-

pality with repairs to local infrastructure like roads and electrical infrastructure. Whenever there’s a power cut or a transformer burns out, our team are the first to go out there and help get things back on track.” As Foskor goes forward, the priority is achieving sustainability, both operationally and financially. “This means producing our product at maximum efficiency, at the lowest cost and at the volume that is required by the market,” says Mr. Gadhave. “We’re also in the study stage of diversification to get a competitive advantage. We want to keep contributing to the local community and South African agriculture for many years to come.” c

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COLEMAN MICROTUNNELLING

OVER THE LAST 45 YEARS, COLEMAN TUNNELLING HAS EVOLVED TO BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN TUNNELING SOLUTIONS.

NOTES FROM MR SIMON RHODES, CONTRACTS MANAGER.

UNDERGROUND

Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Simon Rhodes, Contracts Manager at Coleman Microtunnelling Africa (Pty) Ltd., about environmentally-friendly micro-tunneling technology, award-winning projects, and leading trenchlesscrossing technologies in Africa. Coleman Microtunnelling specializes in the construction of non-destructive underground crossings, using cutting-edge technology to deliver high-quality performance across South Africa and is now involved in cross-border work in Ghana, Mozambique, and Zambia. “The company was started by John Coleman in Ireland in 1971, a founder member of the Pipe Jacking Association and the Association of Augur Boring 16 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Specialists”, explains Operations Manager Padraig Smith. Over the last 45 years, Coleman Tunnelling has evolved to become an international leader in tunneling solutions, providing services to major companies in the oil, gas, transportation, and water industries. Multiple trenchless-crossings have been successfully completed in South Africa, beginning with a 480km gas pipeline

from Durban to Johannesburg, and thus establishing a credible business footprint in Africa. One notable project was the Mahatma Gandhi Road Sewer Extension Project, undertaken and completed in 2013 in a record-breaking two-month period. The 230-meter-long and 1200-millimeter-diameter tunnel with sewage-suitable-linings, was South Africa’s first Microtunnelling pro-

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ject, and Coleman Tunnelling was awarded a prestigious national engineering award for its trenchless-crossing technology and environmentally low-impact execution of the project. Coleman Tunnelling was acquired by the Bothar Group of Companies in April 2015 and rebranded as Coleman Microtunnelling. The new company forms one of the Bothar Group’s three main organizational pillars,

taking its place alongside Bothar Boring & Tunnelling in Australia, the Middle East, and Bothar International based in Dubai. The Bothar Group began in Sydney, Australia, but has since spread across Australia, the Middle East, and now with the acquisition of Coleman Microtunnelling in South Africa, it has its sights set on the Southern Africa Developing Countries (SADC) and the entire Sub-Saharan Africa region.

OCEAN-RECOVERY TUNNEL BORING MACHINE (TBM) In September 2015, Coleman Microtunnelling received their first major contract with EPC contractor Group Five at the Cenpower Kpone Independent Power Plant (KIPP) project in Tema, Ghana, a gas- and oil-fired combined-cycle thermal power plant. Coleman Microtunnelling’s contract is to construct ocean intake and outlet tunnels

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COLEMAN MICROTUNNELLING

for seawater-cooling at KIPP, including radial drives and a marine recovery of the Herrenknecht TBM. With ocean-inlet and ocean-outlet tunnels measuring 2000mm in diameter and 2.65km as the total length, this becomes their largest Africa project to-date. Ghanaian Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur inaugurated the TBM machine at the project site. Brent Jones, General Manager and Project Director, confirmed that Coleman Microtunnelling’s presence on the Ghana project is expected to be for two years, with completion planned for mid-2017. Once the KIPP project is completed the

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independent power plant will provide 350 megawatts of clean energy to Ghana, supplying an estimated 10% of Ghana’s total installed capacity, and 20% of its thermal generation capacity. BOTHAR MANUFACTURED TBMS The Bothar Group manufacture their own Bothar Built tunnel-boring machines (TBM) like the Steerable Auger System (SAS), in addition to owning one of the largest fleets of Herrenknecht (AVN) and Ancillary Systems microtunnelling machines which are currently in use on tunnel projects in Australia, Qatar and Africa. Our fleet consists of over 25 Microtunnelling Machines, 15

TBM Tunnel Boring Machines, 3 Horizontal Directional Drill rigs, 3 Steerable Auger Systems, and in excess of over 100 major plant items including Excavators, Cranes, and the like. SPREADING ACROSS AFRICA “We are focusing more on micro-tunnel projects and TBM options using the tunnel-boring and auger-boring equipment that we hold in Johannesburg,” says Simon Rhodes, Southern Africa region Contracts Manager. “In early August 2016 we started

cross-border work in Mozambique for the Belgian main-contractor Denys on the FIPAG Greater Maputo Water Supply Expansion project. From our offices in Benoni, we are also tendering on new cross-border projects in Zambia and other Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries and even inquiring about opportunities further afield in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Microtunnel options under a couple of major rivers in Africa and planned hydro-electric Microtunnel projects in neighboring states.” c

For more information on Coleman Microtunnelling please contact: Mr Simon Rhodes, Contracts Manager at Coleman Mircotunnelling Tel: +27 11 421 0855 Email: simon@colemantunnelling.co.za or visit www.colemantunnelling.co.za

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HANDYMAN’S LIME

“WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED GOOD CSR, SHOWING THAT OUR ACTIONS ARE NOT JUST ABOUT HANDYMAN’S LIME.”

IN THE LIME LIGHT Sustainable Business Magazine speaks with Weston Mwape, Business Development Manager at Handyman’s Lime, about how the company’s state of the art kiln has led to important community development initiatives.

MR WESTON MWAPE, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT HANDYMAN’S LIME.

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Handyman’s Lime is the first privately owned lime producer in Zambia to invest in a state of the art lime plant and quarry, and is based near the major city of Ndola. The company is a joint venture (JV) between Handyman’s Paradise Limited and Astro Holdings Limited. The shareholders in the company are Mr. Michael Pasquini (Chairman of Handyman’s Group) and Mr. Sanmukh Patel (Chairman of Astro Holdings Group). These astute businessmen came together in 2008 and conceived the idea to

set up a lime plant and quarry after seeing an opportunity in the local and regional lime markets characterized by inconsistent product quality and erratic supply. By 2013, concept had become reality. With the shareholders financing more than US$50 million from their own resources, construction of the Handyman’s Lime plant began in November 2013. The site itself is located nine miles from downtown Ndola. After less than two years, and at a total cost of almost USD$80 million, the

MICHAEL PASQUINI (LEFT) AND SANMUKH PATEL (CENTRE) SOUNDING THE BELL TO SIGNAL COMMENCEMENT OF LIME PLANT CONSTRUCTION AT THE GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY HELD ON NOVEMBER 15, 2013.

Mr. Pasquini and Mr. Patel were convinced of the potential for this idea: “The lime products being offered on the market were characterized by quality inconsistencies and unreliable erratic supply. The pair set out to create a lime plant that firstly would address inconsistencies in product quality and, secondly, meet the growing demand for lime in Zambia and the sub-region that includes the DR Congo Copperbelt, Great Lakes Region, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.” In the months since its opening, Handyman’s Lime has already gained UMCIL Kafue Steel Plant, First Quantum Minerals Kalumbila Mine, and Konkola Copper Mines PLC as customers. This is being followed

by Mopani Copper Mines PLC, Chambishi Metals PLC, and Ruashi Mining SARL where Handyman’s Lime has just received approval for its products. These high profile customers are clear indications of quality. WORKING WITH VILLAGERS There was a major challenge faced by Handyman’s Lime during the development of their mine and plant: The license area included the homes and farms of some families from the local Chiwala chiefdom. After the lime producer received approval from the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), it was up to them to devise an appropriate and positive solution.

KILNSTONE STOCKPILE (FEED MATERIAL FOR THE PRODUCTION OF QUICKLIME) WITH THE IMPOSING MAERZ R4S PARALLEL FLOW REGENERATIVE KILN ON THE RIGHT.

landmark development was completed in September 2015 and entered full production in December of the same year. The project received a loan facility to finance plant commissioning from foreign financial institutions in the German Development Bank (DEG) and KFW totaling over USD$30 million. The plant’s opening ceremony included special guest H.E. Edgar Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia. Weston Mwape, Business Development Manager at Handyman’s Lime, explains why

HANDYMAN’S LIME SHAREHOLDERS (SANMUKH PATEL AND MICHAEL PASQUINI) FLANKED BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND THYSSENKRUPP INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS (TKIS) REPRESENTATIVE AT THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY. TKIS PROVIDED ENGINEERING SERVICES TO THE LIME PLANT PROJECT.

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HANDYMAN’S LIME

SOME OF THE 15 HOUSES CONSTRUCTED FOR VILLAGERS DISPLACED BY LIME PLANT PROJECT.

Understanding the importance of home and livelihood, Handyman’s Lime decided to provide each of the 15 families directly displaced by plant construction with a new house and new plots of land, rehousing the community in November 2012. The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MACO) supports this community through its Farmer Input Support Program (FISP): Handyman’s Lime contributed money to this program so that the relocated families would be able to acquire the seeds and fertilizer they needed

to restart their plots. The company also subsidize their own agricultural lime for the displaced villagers so that the farmers may regenerate the earth in which they grow. “We have demonstrated good CSR, showing that our actions are not just about Handyman’s Lime,” says Mr. Mwape. COMMUNITY ACTION Handyman’s Lime have also made it a core part of their business to provide help to other communities around their plant. One such

example was the aid given to a local school, where the company provided the building materials, toilet fittings, and septic tanks for entire new toilet blocks. Employees even painted it themselves. In conjunction with international and local NGOs, Handyman’s Lime was therefore able to play its part in improving the sanitation of their local area. Health of the local community is, as Mr. Mwape illustrates, very important to the company: “We give out mosquito nets to our employees and their families so that we

Complete Mechanical installation of all equipments related to Handyman’s lime manufacturing plant, Ndola including erection of Maerz Vertical Shaft Kiln, Coal grinding plant, Lime handling plant, Lime charging system, Structure for Kiln, Coal dust firing system, Water gas system, Compressed air system etc. by providing the Management, Supervision, Skilled and semiskilled labour, Craneage, Tools, Equipments, Consumable materials, Testing devices etc.

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can contribute to the prevention of malaria. We are also supporting indoor residual spraying programs so instances of malaria are kept low, which has the additional benefit of increasing productivity. If that is not enough, we have just constructed on-site a fully furnished health center with a full time nurse. There is an ambulance too so we are fully equipped to respond to any emergencies that might arise, malaria related or not.” The list of other community support initiatives undertaken by Handyman’s Lime is long and includes everything from drilling boreholes so people have access to fresh water through to building a bridge across a local river that regularly floods during the region’s rainy season. Also Important is the role the plant has played in providing jobs: Many locals – including at least one member from each of the 15 displaced families – are being employed and given training by international staff so that they will soon be able to able to run the plant themselves. KILN At the heart of Handyman’s Lime’s social responsibility success is their superior technology. When the company was established, it was driven by a desire to offer the local market high quality lime with greater consistency than had previously been available. They recognized that one of the most important ways of doing this would be to acquire a state of the art kiln. The company chose a Maerz R4S Parallel Flow Regenerative (PFR) Kiln, one of the most advanced and high end pieces of lime manufacturing equipment available today. It enables the production of high quality soft burned lime, which is in demand from the market, and is able to do so at capacities of up to 630 tons per day. Until Handyman’s Lime’s plant opened in December 2015, the highest single kiln ca-

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pacity production in the country had been just 400 tons per day, giving the company an immediate lead over their competition. The Maerz R4S PFR kiln is able to produce lime in an environmentally friendly way too. “Our kiln is energy efficient, with energy consumption far lower than what you find in other kilns,” says Mr. Mwape. “Currently it is running on coal but it can be fired with sawdust. There are no emissions from our kiln. When seeing the plant you’d think our kiln is not running because it has got a dust capture system so that there’s nothing coming out of the stack. That is something we are very much aiming for because we want to contribute to cleaning up the environment. The dust captured is used as agricultural lime” Ndola is known for having high levels of coal emissions in its environment so the company is taking their first steps towards helping to combat this major issue. At the same time they are confirming their pioneering credentials as the lime kiln owned by Handyman’s Lime is the first of its kind on the African continent.

BETTER PLACED FOR SUCCESS Handyman’s Lime are going to take the leadership they are already displaying into a bright and prosperous future, beginning with the expansion of their product portfolio. The company has just begun offering limestone and quick lime and is now looking to bring hydrated lime to the market, providing customers with far greater options with the Handyman’s Lime seal of quality. The company are also looking at pushing their business beyond the borders of Zambia and into the surrounding sub-region. Mr. Mwape is confident in their ability to do so, if only because they already offer a product that is unique in how good it is: “Up until December the nearest quality lime market producers were South African. Our plant is strategically located with respect to major markets in the region. Ndola has access by rail, road, and water to markets in Malawi and Zimbabwe, in the Great Lakes Region, and importantly to the Congo DR Copperbelt where the market is rapidly growing. It is about 1000 miles from the Copperbelt to South Africa. We are better placed.” c

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MULONGA WATER & SEWERAGE COMPANY

SINCE 2015, MWSC HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTING THE ZAMBIA WATER AND SANITATION PROJECT (ZWSP) AND AS PART OF THIS THERE IS A PUSH TO INCREASE COVERAGE AND TO BETTER SERVE THE PERI-URBAN AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.

WATER

WAYS

(L) BORNFACE MWAMELO, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AT MULONGA WATER & SEWERAGE COMPANY.

Formed in 1998, the Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) is today the primary provider of water utilities to the towns of Chililabombwe, Chingola, and Mufulira in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. They were established as a corpo24 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Bornface Mwamelo, Director of Finance at Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company, speaks to Sustainable Business Magazine about how it has become and will continue to be a premier water utility in Zambia. rate body owned by the municipalities it serves under the Companies Act after the introduction of Water Supply and Sanitation Act Number 28 in 1997 by the Zambian Government. As such it has from the outset been regulated by the National Water and

Sanitation Council (NWASCO). MWSC became operational in 2000. During the past 16 years the company has expanded in line with national development programmes of the Government, taking on the responsibilities of water

serve the peri-urban and low income communities within the license areas. FULLY CHARGED As the primary water services utility, it falls to MWSC to ensure that the people of Chililabombwe, Chingola, and Mufulira are able to receive water at a price they are able to afford and this safeguard is provided by NWASCO, which is the country regulator in the water supply sector. The water utility has employed a variable tariff rate to meet this challenge. Bornface Mwamelo, Director of Finance at MWSC, explains more about how this scheme works: “It is not a flat rate. The tariffs, for unmetered properties, are structured simply according to the area where people live. Those who live in affluent areas pay more than those who live in a high density area. We call it cross subsidisation. MWSC are able to segment each area into high, medium, and low cost so that everyone is paying a fair rate.”

For these tariffs to be possible and to lessen the burden on its customers for any inherent inefficiencies, the company puts a great deal of work into reducing the level of non-revenue water in their network. The primary method MWSC has undertaken to tackle this issue is actively seek out pipe bursts and leaks as well as the installation of meters with customers to manage water demand. Analysts are also brought in to provide help and advice. The pipe network MWSC oversees is nearly 60 years old so it is no surprise that a strong and up to date maintenance program sits at the core of their daily operations. In doing this, long-term savings are made and the company is able to operate on a cost recovery basis, handing reduced charges over to the end users. “We don’t get a profit from the operation, we break even,” says Mr. Mwamelo. “We cover our costs and not much more so that the services we provide can be quite affordable. Even employees’ salaries are

utility provision across all three previously mentioned towns. Where each had its own water providing entity, MWSC was brought in to consolidate and thereby improve the efficiency of service across these neighboring areas. Today, MWSC have more than 51,000 connections to domestic and commercial properties, accounting for 97% of water and 87% of sewerage users. Water is drawn from the nearby Kafue River as well as local underground springs, treated, then distributed; sewerage is decontaminated before being released back into the water cycle while the slurry is treated again before being disposed of. Since 2015, MWSC have been implementing the Zambia Water and Sanitation Project (ZWSP), and as part of this, there is a push to increase coverage and to better SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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MULONGA WATER & SEWERAGE COMPANY

limited to ensure that we don’t charge more than what the average consumer can afford. Our ultimate aim is always to ensure the water we provide is affordable.” SERVING THE WIDER COMMUNITY The water sector reforms of 1994, embarked on by the Zambian government, required that the Zambian government took up the responsibility of resource mobilisation and as of 2010 MWSC had not been successful in attracting a strategic partner to support it in infrastructure financing. Due to operating on a cost recovery, non-profit basis there are very few opportunities for MWSC to attract market driven finance investments

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to expand their network as it would be a commercially non-viable prospect. However, in 2012, a consortium of funders made up of the European Investment Bank, European Union, Agence Française de Développement, and the Zambian government came together and committed a total of €156 million to support MWSC in infrastructure financing and to help the company implement a program, under the Zambia Water and Sanitation Project (ZWSP), that would expand their pipe network into peri-urban areas to bring safe and clean drinking water to poorer parts of the region. This financing is partly a loan and partly a grant.

Implementation of the ZWSP began in December 2015 and will be a six year project. PEOPLE POWER Underlying the company’s success is the quality and training of personnel employed by MWSC. “We inculcate our people with the core values of the company,” Mr. Mwamelo explains. “By people practicing the core values of the company, as laid out in our mission statement, we are able to ensure that we maintain a certain level of ability and maturity.” “To ensure we are fair and that we get to the highest standards of water production and reliability of supply, our people practice the core values of the company whenever they work. They adopt the approach of accessibility and reliability within their own work to ensure best practice across the board. That is what we demand from our people, that this is the minimum.” To meet this demand, time allowances are provided to all employees so they can attend classes, workshops, and training to ensure their skills are up to date and up to standard. MWSC also run a program of financial investment to improve the abilities of each department and to enhance perfor-

mance of staff the company is overhauling the current performance management systems. By doing this, MWSC aims to continue providing leading services to their customers even as they expand into new areas.

the community has been very supportive in this area. Our customers have been quite cautious when they are using our resources, and this is thanks in part to our awareness campaigns and metering programme.”

INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS MWSC also do what they can to ensure the public does their part in helping Zambia conserve its water resources through the promotion of information across many different mediums. Radio and television adverts, billboard posters, and newspaper articles are all taken out by the company to let their customers know that saving water helps not just MWSC but the public and the environment as well. Open days at the treatment plants are run too, with tours given to different community and commercial groups. Meanwhile, children and schools are invited to become involved in high profile events such as World Water Day so that people grow up with an intrinsic understanding of how water conservation plays a key role in ensuring good quality water for everybody. Mr. Mwamelo says that these different approaches have been successful: “I think

BECOMING THE BENCHMARK In 16 years, MWSC have covered a lot of ground in becoming an important and successful water utility for the towns of Chililabombwe, Chingola, and Mufulira: Unrivaled coverage and at costs informed by, rather than imposed on, their customers is the hallmark of the company. The next few years will see the company continue to improve these areas as they expand their distribution into peri-urban communities. Mr. Mwamelo concludes: “We believe there is still room for improvement and want to ensure that we capitalize on those opportunities. We have set ourselves ambitious targets and want to ensure we are able to achieve those, or at the very least 80% of those targets. MWSC want to be the model utility water company in the whole of Africa. We want to see other companies across Africa benchmarking against Mulonga.” c

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NATIONAL WATER AND SEWERAGE CORPORATION

NWSC IS IMPLEMENTING SEVERAL LARGE-SCALE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN URBAN AND MORE RURAL AREAS.

WATER FOR ALL Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Dr. Silver Mugisha, CEO of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation, about swift expansion, tried-and-tested solutions, and delivering safe water to all Ugandans.

Uganda’s National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) was established in 1972 as an amalgamation of the water boards which existed for the towns of Kampala, Jinja, and Entebbe. The mandate of the corporation is to provide water and sewerage services to the areas entrusted to it by the Ugandan government, an area which today represents 161 towns. The bulk of that expansion has only taken place recently. “In 2013, the geographical coverage was only 23 towns,” explains Dr. Silver Mugisha, CEO of NWSC. “So in the space of less than three years, we’ve realized a massive growth in our coverage, 28 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

and also in the sheer number of customers we’re providing services to. Since 2013, monthly income has increased from about USD4.5M to about USD8.2M; annual pipe extensions have increased from 80-120 km to over 1000 km per year; non-revenue water has reduced from 33.5% to 29%; and annual operating surplus has increased from USD12M to USD20M.” RAPID EXPANSION Such swift growth has brought its share of challenges. “We’ve had to take on new staff to manage all these facilities,” says Dr. Mugisha. “That’s also required a lot of training,

because we have to ensure our new staff are at least at the same level of competency as more experienced staff. Also, with most of these towns, the reason we’ve had to take over is because the level of service is quite low. So we’ve had to revamp and improve service in a very, very short time. It hasn’t been easy, but we’re now stabilizing, and there have been significant improvements in service provision for almost all the towns we’ve taken over.” CONSULTANCY SERVICES Other utilities have taken notice of NWSC’s successful implementation of these reforms.

As a result, NWSC recently established an external services unit, to provide consultancy services to utilities and other enterprises in Uganda and abroad. “We’ve now worked with a number of utilities in different countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, South Sudan, Bangladesh, India, and Trinidad and Tobago,” says Dr. Mugisha. “We’re unique in that we’re not a traditional consultancy firm. We combine consultants with experienced operators. We find that

most of these utilities and companies are going through some of the same things we’ve already gone through as a corporation, and so we can provide tested solutions. We don’t really go in as consultants; we go in as partners.” INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT Currently, NWSC is implementing several large-scale infrastructure projects in urban and more rural areas. As the population

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NATIONAL WATER AND SEWERAGE CORPORATION

of the capital grows rapidly, NWSC is laying down greatly-expanded water and sewerage infrastructure, and recently commissioned a new booster pumping station at Centenary Park, which will add six million liters per day to the Naguru

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Reservoir, raising the installed capacity for Kampala to 240-250 million liters per day. Other projects include water treatment facilities and sewerage plants, one of which will be capable of generating electricity. “We want to make sure we can meet the

demand that comes with expansion,” explains Dr. Mugisha. SAFE AND COST-EFFECTIVE A priority for NWSC is ensuring that the supply of water to customers is always safe. “All our water is treated,” says Dr. Mugisha. “We have a very strong water quality control department, who monitor the quality all the way from production to the customer. We have labs in every area we operate in, where we conduct daily tests. Safety always has to come first.” Also of utmost importance is affordability. NWSC has a four-tier tariff system, with different tariffs for commercial customers, institutions, domestic customers, and poor communities. “Basically, the institutions and commercial customers pay slightly more to subsidize the domestic and the poor customers,” says Dr. Mugisha. “In addition to this, we make sure the tariff categories are uniform across all our services. Though we have economies of scale, we make sure the large towns subsidize the towns where people may not be able to fully cover the

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NATIONAL WATER AND SEWERAGE CORPORATION cost of production. At the end of the day, we’re proud to say we are able to cover all our operating costs and also generate a bit of surplus to reinvest in infrastructure. We’re able to make our services sustainable without relying on government or any external support to fund our operations.” PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT NWSC cooperates closely with the ministries for water and environmental management in Uganda, monitoring effluents and ensuring they comply with national standards. Furthermore, as most of NWSC’s water is derived from natural sources, the company has measures in place to ensure these sources are protected, working in partnership with stakeholders from the local communities to run a series of source protection programs. The corporation has also implemented a set of School Water and Sanitation Clubs. “This initiative was conceived by NWSC, and we fully fund it,” says Dr. Mugisha. “We work with schools to create awareness in the children regarding environmental protection for the water supply, and also to encourage them to promote environmental initiatives. For example, we try to plant

50,000 trees every year, working with the schools and the communities.” COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT “In all our operations, the customer is at the center of our focus,” says Dr. Mugisha. “In every town we work with, there are Water User Committees, with representatives from NWSC, the local authority, and customers. These committees act

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as the link between the corporation and the communities, so the communities can have an input into the services we provide. We also go on a weekly basis to mosques and churches to talk to the community about our services, and to get feedback about areas where we’re not doing well.” When identifying areas to expand services to, NWSC solicits advice from local

people. What’s more, when it comes to implementing these projects, the company offers local businesses the opportunity to have an input. “Most of the projects we do, there’s heavy local involvement,” says Dr. Mugisha. “A great deal of the labor input and services are provided by local farms, and through this we can provide employment and an income for people.”

NATIONAL SERVICE NWSC’s strategic objective is to achieve 100% service coverage for the areas entrusted to them. “We believe when we reach everyone with safe drinking water, we’ll contribute greatly to the economic development of the country by reducing the time wasted by people walking to fetch water,” explains Dr. Mugisha. “We’ve achieved a lot as an organization. We’re

now providing water to 10 million people, and we’re operating in a region that has struggled historically with service provision. We’ve also been highly rated by customer feedback, which we’re very proud of. We want to continue providing excellent services to our customers, and over the next three years we’re setting out to achieve our vision of 100% service coverage in all the towns we operate in.” c

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LILONGWE WATER BOARD

WATER, EVERYWHERE Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Alfonso Chikuni, Managing Director of the Lilongwe Water Board, about expansion, environmental monitoring, and giving back to the community. Lilongwe Water Board (LWB), established in 1947, is a parastatal water utility in Malawi. LWB supplies potable water to the city of Lilongwe and the surrounding areas, serving domestic, institutional, industrial, and commercial customers. LWB currently

serves around 70% of the 1,000,000 people in the city, with 56,000 metered customers, and more than 600 water kiosks. Raw water is drawn from two dams along Lilongwe River, and the water is treated in LWBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two treatment works, which

MR. ALFONSO CHIKUNI, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE LILONGWE WATER BOARD.

have a combined capacity of 95,000 cubic meters per day. In 2005, the Board partially decentralized its operations into three operational zones, to improve delivery of services and responsiveness to its customers. As a result of this decentralization, customers no longer have to travel long distances to access LWB offices or services. Today, LWB has 462 members of staff working to live up 34 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

LILONGWE WATER BOARD IS CURRENTLY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION STAGES OF SEVERAL MAJOR EXPANSION PROJECTS.

to the Board’s motto: “Potable water all the time for all.” EXPANDING ACCESS Lilongwe Water Board is currently in the implementation stages of several major expansion projects to cater for recent growth in Lilongwe. One of the most pressing projects is the extension to Treatment Works II, the

newer of LWB’s two treatment plants. “In 2012, the water demand in the city superseded the combined production capacity of the two treatment plants,” explains Alfonso Chikuni, Managing Director of Lilongwe Water Board. “As a result, we urgently needed to augment our treatment capacity in order to reach out to an additional 250,000 people by the end of 2016.”

The completed US$8.7 million project includes new reinforced concrete water treatment units and a new power connection with the Electricity Supply Company of Malawi (ESCOM) which involved an upgrade of all LWB’s transformers to 1500 kVA. “An interesting feature of this project is that the project preparation and detailed designs were all produced internally by SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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LILONGWE WATER BOARD

LWB’s own engineers,” says Mr. Chikuni. “We just sought assistance from technicians and accountants for economic and financial analysis.” As a result of the project, LWB is able to supply customers with a further 30,000 cubic meters of treated water per day. GROUNDWATER SUPPLY An ongoing project is the Lumbadzi Groundwater Supply Project taking place in the Northern Zone of LWB’s supply area. Lumbadzi, located beside Lilongwe International Airport, is the farthest town from LWB. “As a result, the water supply was being heavily affected by interruptions to the system, be it electricity in the booster stations or major pipe bursts in the route to the Northern Zone,” says Mr. Chikuni. 36 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

“The aim of this project is to provide a standalone supply to residents of Lumbadzi.” The project will produce an additional 1200 cubic meters per day to supply Lumbadzi. So far, four boreholes have been sited and drilled to serve as a source of groundwater, and a booster station with a 300 cubic meter concrete surface sump, a pump house, and two surface pumps have been partly constructed. The project is scheduled to be online and operating midway through the year. To ensure adequate quantities of water are produced to meet demand, LWB regularly upgrade and rehabilitate their production, water storage, and distribution facilities, and remove hydraulic bottlenecks in the distribution network. What’s more, as the supply network is extended, LWB have

implemented a customer-friendly tariff to ensure clean water remains affordable for all their customers. STATE-OF-THE-ART LABORATORY The LWB carefully monitors their water quality so it meets both the National Water Standards of Malawi and the World Health Organization Water Quality Guidelines. “We achieve this through a state-ofthe-art laboratory,” says Mr. Chikuni. “With this laboratory, we can continuously check water treatment processes, and ensure the water leaving the plant and reaching our customers has acceptable levels of residual chlorine.” LWB also carefully monitors the environmental and social impacts of their operations. Waste water is treated before dis-

activities in only the last six months. The Board has supported everything from fun runs and sports to hospital infrastructure, construction at primary schools and libraries, and environmental awards for students. “We try to give back to our customers, to help the vulnerable and disadvantaged in society, and to help with the socioeconomic development of our country,” says Mr. Chikuni. It’s not only with their charitable works that LWB contributes to sustainable development, though. Through their everyday operations, the Board fosters public health and economic growth in Lilongwe. “Our water is used in hospitals and schools,” says Mr. Chikuni. “It’s used in industrial processes to manufacture goods, generating wealth for Malawi. At the same time, we’re able to provide training and employment to people, and we give business to local suppliers, consultants, and contractors.” DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION Next for LWB is the upcoming Lilongwe Water Program. This will involve securing sufficient supplies of water to provide for the city’s growing population, and increas-

ing access to reliable water and sanitation services. Over the next ten years, LWB will increase water storage capacity, rehabilitate and expand treated water production, transmission, and distribution, improve catchment management, and invest in sanitation. A key component of this project will be the construction of a new dam on Diamphwe River, as well as raising the existing Kamuzu Dam 1 on Lilongwe River by seven metres. “Available live storage is expected to increase from 24 million cubic meters to 178 million cubic meters,” says Mr. Chikuni. “That will be enough to satisfy demand until 2045, while also enabling irrigation development downstream of the lower Diamphwe Dam.” “We’re very proud of being able to attract the right technical skills for water services provision,” says Mr. Chikuni. “We’ve shown an ability to plan ahead, and have built up trust from our financing partners, with many large-scale projects successfully implemented. We want to remain a leading, customer-focused, financially-viable water utility in Southern Africa for many years to come.” c

charge into the natural water course. At the point of intake, the Board ensures enough water is being allowed to flow downstream that the needs of the natural environment and the communities which depend on the Lilongwe River are met. They also undertake activities to rehabilitate the catchment, including significant contributions to the Dzalanyama Forest reserves. “Before any new project can begin, we undertake environmental impact assessments or environmental scoping,” says Mr. Chikuni. “Then when we start work, we ensure our construction sites are covered and fenced, and we closely monitor our noise pollution.” CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY LWB has contributed the equivalent of tens of thousands of US dollars to CSR SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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GLOBAL EVENTS

OCT

2016

12th - 13th

GCC District Cooling Symposium Dubai, UAE

Searching for more energy efficient solutions and is one of the main goals of the current energy market. The GCC District Cooling Symposium discuss some of these challenges and the possible solutions for the DCS installed in the GCC Region.

Renewable Energy Trade Mission Iran 2016 Tehran, Iran

A 5-day turnkey solution to explore the opportunities for your Renewable Energy business in Iran. The RE Trade Mission Iran is the first dedicated international renewable energy delegation to visit Iran and explore project development and investment opportunities for large scale renewable energy projects.

World Mountain Forum 2016 Mbale, Uganda

The forum will focus on four subthemes: Mountains and climate change; mountain communities and livelihoods; mountain ecosystem services; and sustainable mountain agriculture.

WasteCon 2016 Biennial Conference Johannesburg, South Africa

WasteCon 2016 is the flagship conference of the IWMSA and one of the most important events on southern Africa’s environmental calendar this year. The theme for the 23rd biennial conference is ‘The Changing Face of Waste Management’.

http://www.gccdcs.com

16th - 22nd

http://www.retrademissioniran.com

17th - 20th

http://wmf.mtnforum.org/WMF16/en

17th - 21st

http://www.wastecon.co.za

1st - 2nd

Unlocking Solar Capital: Africa 2016 Nairobi, Kenya http://www.unlockingsolarcapital.com

Solarplaza and GOGLA are proud to present Unlocking Solar Capital Africa, the unique international platform and 2-day conference focusing on unlocking capital for new solar project development in Africa.

13th - 14th

Network of Global Future Councils and the Annual Meeting for Shaping the Future Dubai, UAE https://www.weforum.org

Composed of the world’s leading experts, with a mandate to explore systemic change in key areas such as energy, mobility, and infrastructure, this meeting reflects on the impact of technological breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and other areas related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

15th

Intersolar Summit Iran Tehran, Iran

Your gateway to the Iranian solar market. Covering the Iranian solar market and policy updates along with a holistic view of how to successfully initiate solar projects.

Ecosystem Services Partnership Africa Conference Nairobi, Kenya

The theme is ‘Ecosystem Services for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa’. Focussing on Africa’s contribution towards evidence on best practices for the management and restoration of ecosystem services for decision making, particularly towards sustainable development goals.

http://www.intersolarglobal.com

21st - 25th

http://www.espconference.org/africa2016

27th - 29th

ESCWA Conference Cairo, Egypt https://www.unescwa.org

38 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

ESCWA Conference on Competitive Sustainability Opportunities and Challenges for Arab States in the Next Decade. The UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) organizes this sustainable development conference annually.

NOV

2016

ADVERTISERS INDEX A African Mechanical and Superlift Ltd. (AMSL) Amiran Kenya C Cable Corporation Ltd.

Greenlife Crop Protection Africa Ltd. P22 P07

P31

F Focus Freight International

P18

G Gauff Consultants (U) Ltd.

P32

P05

I Inhlanzeko Project Management Services (IPMS)

P14

K Karachiwalla (Nairobi) Ltd. Kibao Investments Co. Ltd.

P07 P32

M Mulstar Technical Services Ltd.

P31

Q QBX Consulting Services (Pty) Ltd.

P23

R Richards Bay Crane Hire

P13

S Saro Agro Industrial Ltd. Sasol Base Chemicals Schauenburg MAB GmbH Syngenta East Africa Ltd.

P27 P13 P18 P07

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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