The world in which we operate

The Group’s entrepreneurial spirit is evidenced by growth. This is achieved by exploring new opportunities and taking calculated risks. Risk and opportunity are two ends of the same spectrum. To proactively respond to change and achieve growth, there is a strategic need to explore new opportunities and directions, while managing attendant risks.

In our highly diversified business environment, our key material issues are sometimes difficult to consistently define as our businesses span a wide spectrum of industries and geographies. Bidvest’s decentralised structure forms the basis of the Group’s business continuity plan. This decentralised risk management approach provides an effective, robust and integrated risk model. Another fundamental risk management mechanism is Bidvest’s diversified business model, making entrepreneurial managers accountable for all aspects of performance and delivery. The following strategic issues have been identified as having a significant impact on the long-term sustainability of our business.

People   MATERIAL ISSUES KPI TARGETS GENERAL

Our human and intellectual capital is our people’s competencies, their experience and business knowledge.
  Safety
arrow Fatalities
arrow Safety in the workplace for employees
arrow Employee financial health
Ensure applicable compliance is achieved within our various industries over a five-year period
Indicator to be updated so tracking of compliance can be achieved beginning 2015
Tough economic conditions can be devastating. Bidvest endeavours to have adequate support systems such as counselling in place
Although we track injury rate, the definition varies across geographies, for example Mauritius includes Insect bites. Reporting this indicator therefore would not be material from a Group perspective.
Grey QUICK LINK: Operational reviews
http://www.bidvest.com/ar/bidvest_ar2014/ops-overview.php
Skills and retain talent
arrow Training
Continued investment in training
Career pathing
Graduate programmes
Update indicator to allow reporting on training spend per person
Due to diverse nature of the Group each division and company will have their own targets in place.
Grey QUICK LINK: Operational reviews
http://www.bidvest.com/ar/bidvest_ar2014/ops-overview.php
Health and wellness
arrow HIV/Aids reporting
Improve reporting on this indicator set from the divisions over the next two years
Offer education to the divisions on HIV/Aids via sustainability champions
Applicable to Bidvest South Africa
Labour relations
arrow Wage-related issue
arrow Strikes and strike days
arrow Unionisation
arrow B-BBEE
Indicators to be updated to track the effect of days lost due to absenteeism, strike action and injuries on the bottom line.
Ensure ongoing communications with unions and our businesses
Management aims to grow talented individuals with a B-BBEE emphasis
Better reporting of the numbers via online data collation tool
Due to diverse nature of Group each division and company will have their own targets in place.
EE only applicable to Bidvest South Africa. See operational reviews.
 
Grey QUICK LINK: Operational reviews
http://www.bidvest.com/ar/bidvest_ar2014/ops-overview.php

Above-inflation wage increases place pressure on competitiveness and margins.

  Community investment
arrow CSI spend
Report by type of CSI involvement Due to diverse nature of Group each division and company will have their own targets in place.
Grey QUICK LINK: Operational reviews
http://www.bidvest.com/ar/bidvest_ar2014/ops-overview.php
 
GROUP PERSPECTIVE 2012 2013 2014
PEOPLE NUMBERS 105 103 106 371 143 828
International 15 992 16 731 18 093
Southern Africa 89 111 89 640 125 735
Male 60 587 60 959 85 713
Female 44 516 45 412 58 115
SAFETY      
Lost-day rate 14 18 16
Number of fatalities (during work or as a result of work) 5 2 3
SKILLS      
Training – Total costs (excluding learnerships and bursaries to employees) (R’m) 154,0 170,2 206,7
HEALTH AND WELLNESS      
Number of employees participating in HIV/Aids training and awareness campaigns 20 709 48 516 78 309
LABOUR      
Unionised employees as percentage of total eligible employees 34,1 32,0 32,2
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT      
Community CSI spend (R’m) (including bursaries) 65,2 112,2 106,1

“Sustainability is how we view the Bidvest business mindset. It is all about creating value in the short, medium and long term. Value not only for our investors, the providers of capital, but value for all our stakeholders and importantly our 143 828 strong Proudly Bidvest family.”

Brian Joffe, Group chief executive

Performance   MATERIAL ISSUES GENERAL

Our financial capital
 
arrow Financial controls
Financial controls including pursuing efficiencies, cost savings and responsible asset management remains a critical focus area.
 
arrow Exchange rate volatility
Remains a challenge for many of our businesses with overseas suppliers and principals.
Product   MATERIAL ISSUES KPI TARGETS GENERAL

Our social and relationship capital goes to brand reputation and working together with our customers and suppliers to find value adding solutions.
 
arrow Minimise product impact
arrow Ensure food safety
arrow Ensure supply chain integrity
arrow Technology
arrow Supplier and customer communication
Subscribe to regulatory requirements within various industries
Ensure technology is kept updated
Ongoing stakeholder engagement

 

 

 

Indicator set to be updated according to the various industries for 2015 reporting
Group policy to be updated
Stakeholder engagement is ongoing and regular feedback from sustainability champions to be tracked
Fostering positive long-term relationships with key suppliers and customers
Companies will have their own policies.
Due to diverse nature of the Group each division and company will have its own targets in place

Grey QUICK LINK: Operational reviews
http://www.bidvest.com/ar/bidvest_ar2014/ops-overview.php

Grey QUICK LINK: Stakeholder table
http://www.bidvest.com/ar/bidvest_ar2014/stakeholder.php

Technology is an enabler of business initiatives to strategically align business and IT.

Globally legislative requirements create an increasingly complex business environment.

 
arrow Data is not available from a Group perspective, but something that each company/division deals with individually.
arrow 2015 will see new indicators being implemented on our sustainability data collection tool to enable additional Group reporting.
Planet   MATERIAL ISSUES KPI TARGETS GENERAL

Defining our natural capital we strive to minimise our environmental impact.
  Ensure the future of our planet Minimise impact of rising costs of fuel and electricity
arrow Fuel usage
arrow Electricity usage
arrow Water usage
arrow Waste monitoring
arrow Paper usage
Continued monitoring and reporting on energy and fuel usage
Changes to indicators for 2015 made according to new regulations and divisional feedback
Evaluate the implications of the UN global compact
Subscribe to CDP water and climate change in relevant industry sectors
Subscribe to GRI : G4
Due to major acquisitions by Bidvest, GHG increased
Due to diverse nature of the Group each division and company will have its own targets in place

Grey QUICK LINK: Comparative sustainability data
http://www.bidvest.com/ar/bidvest_ar2014/sus-com-data.php

Although water usage across the Group is low, it is continually monitored.

 
TOTAL CARBON 2012 2013 2014
GHG emissions (tonnes of CO2) 725 828 697 653** 795 133*
COMPARISON OF EMISSIONS INTENSITY PER PERSON AND BY REVENUE Unit 2012 2013 2014
         
Full-time employees FTE 105 103 106 371 143 828
Million rand revenue R’m 137 235,0 156 533,2 187 776,0
Fuel use including diesel; petrol; coal and gas (carbon) (Scope 1) tCO2 397 674,0 383 033,9 427 084,0
Fuel use per person including diesel; petrol; coal and gas (Scope 1) tCO2/FTE 3,6 3,6 3,0
Fuel use per revenue including diesel; petrol; coal and gas (carbon) tCO2/R’m 2,9 2,4 2,3
Energy use in GJ GJ 1 367 407,4 1 332 488,2 1 598 976,0
Energy use in carbon (Scope 2) tCO2 309 031,0 291 374,3 340 172,0
Energy use per person (carbon) tCO2/FTE 2,9 2,7 2,4
Energy use per revenue (carbon) tCO2/R’m 2,3 1,9 1,8
WATER USAGE 2012 2013 2014
Total water usage (megalitres) 2 929,3 2 849,8 3 712,1
    * Total GHG excludes out-of-scope emissions
**Restated
    QUICK LINK: Bidvest greenhouse gas inventory
http://overendstudio.com/online_reports/bidvest_ar2014/pdf/greenhouse-carbon-footprint.pdf
       

Global Footprint

    View enlarged image
       
    QUICK LINK: Bidvest greenhouse gas inventory
http://overendstudio.com/online_reports/bidvest_ar2014/pdf/greenhouse-carbon-footprint.pdf
Registered office South Africa
Bidvest House
18 Crescent Drive
Melrose Arch
Melrose
Johannesburg
2196
South Africa
 
Website: www.bidvest.com
Telephone: +27 (11) 772 8700
Email: info@bidvest.com

 
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