BAT Kenya has reported steady progress in the company’s sustainability priorities, in their recently published 2023 Sustainability Report.
According to the report, the Company surpassed set targets in gender mainstreaming, reporting 47% representation of women in senior leadership roles, against a 45% target by 2025. In the same vein, women across various job grades registered an increase in base salaries.
As part of efforts to combat climate change and drive excellence in environmental management, BAT Kenya saw a 54% reduction in its scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2023, seven years ahead of its 2030 target to reduce these emissions by 50% (Vs 2020 baseline). This is on the back of an accelerated decarbonisation strategy, including a KShs 145 million investment in solar energy between 2021 and 2022, bringing current onsite generated electricity to 1,400-Kilowatt peak (KwP). The Company also achieved a 62.5% reduction in water withdrawn, surpassing its target of a 35% reduction by 2025 (vs 2017 baseline).
BAT Kenya’s sustainability efforts are also spread across its value chain, with a key focus on enhancing the livelihoods of its contracted tobacco farmers and driving sustainable agriculture. The report highlights the roll out of a KShs 10 million Rural Women Development Programme (RuwDep)following a successful pilot in 2022. RuwDep aims to empower over 1,600 women farmersin the Company’s tobacco supply chain, and the spouses of the Company’s contracted male farmers.
With an aim to improve the incomes of their contracted farmers, in 2023, the Company increased the use of hybrid tobacco seeds, which have a higher level of drought resistance and facilitate increased yields for farmers. Other initiatives were also rolled out to drive food security through growing of alternative subsistence crops.
BAT Kenya Managing Director, Crispin Achola said “In the context of a rapidly changing world, it is important that our stakeholders have a view of BAT Kenya’s contribution to sustainability. We remain focused on the transformation of our business, underpinned by our purpose to create A Better TomorrowÔ by Building a Smokeless World.
“The achievement of multiple sustainability targets ahead of set timelines is testament to our commitment to create shared value for our stakeholders. I am especially proud of our performance in the areas of diversity, inclusion and equity, socio-economic development and climate change.
“Looking ahead, we will continue to accelerate BAT Kenya’s sustainability performance, in collaboration with all stakeholders.”
