ADDITIONAL SUSTAINABILITY INFORMATION
About this report

‘Our main thrust is to embed sustainability within the DNA of the entire business so every company will bring these values to its business dealings’

Sustainability at Bidvest, its purpose, scope and boundaries

“Sustainability at Bidvest offers employees a fresh way of thinking that inspires them and enables a new generation of entrepreneurs to create business value that integrates evolving financial, social and environmental needs and expectations.”

Return on funds employed is our business imperative, but long-term sustainability depends on our reputation with all stakeholders. Customers must experience top service and quality; employees have to be inspired by an innovative, safe and healthy work environment. Government must see real progress towards broad-based black economic empowerment. Most importantly, we must address climate change by reducing carbon emissions and environmental impacts.

Environmental challenge creates opportunity. Sustainability initiatives will help us work more efficiently, save energy and husband resources while a responsibly managed supply chain will help us secure market share.

Bidvest succeeds because every company operates autonomously within an entrepreneurial environment. Innovation, free of stifling bureaucracy finds smart solutions to customer demands and operational challenges. The main thrust of sustainable business at Bidvest is to develop the same autonomous, entrepreneurial drive in support of sustainability values.

The South African starting point for sustainability reporting is the 2002 King ll Report on Corporate Governance which encourages companies to pursue ethical operating and good governance in financial, social and environmental matters. With the advent of King III, further progress will be made by integrating sustainability within the core business.

Bidvest’s approach is informed by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). Using the tables of disclosures provided by the GRI G3, Bidvest self-declares this report at GRI Application Level B+.

This is our sixth year of reporting on sustainable business issues. For the second year running we have integrated sustainability reporting with the annual report. It is important to note that sustainability information is integrated throughout the annual report. The supplementary web-based information is provided for an enhanced view of sustainability at Bidvest and to provide ease of navigation. This must be read together with the annual report.

The Bidvest website contains all the information necessary to understand Bidvest’s response to issues driving long-term business success. As our systems are still at an early stage of development, the information is qualified by various constraints, including completeness, accuracy and timing. These qualifications are noted where the specific information is published.

This report is in two main parts, the Group report and divisional reports. At Group level, Bidvest is concerned primarily with social, environmental and Group sustainability issues, including the management of sustainability, transformation, the quest for talent, HIV/Aids and environmental challenges. Divisional reports cover sustainability issues relevant to each division. Reporting covers the entire Group. Where boundary and scope are compromised by incomplete performance figures, this is noted. Similar notes are appended, when necessary, to the restatement of information and measurement methods.

Questions about the report should be directed to:
Bidvest communications
+27 (11) 772 8700
jack@bidvest.co.za

Table of material issues


  Group-wide material issues      
  Material issue   Description and sub-issues   Link ref  
  Strategic impacts of climate change  

The consequences of climate change will increasingly affect our activities. Economies, industries and businesses face growing uncertainty. Whole sectors could be transformed. Some will grow, some shrink and some nascent industries will boom. Climate change is a strategic business issue. Increasing attention will be given to improving the resilience of our businesses, enabling them to cope better and quicker with change. We need to become climate change opportunity-spotters skilled at deriving advantage from new developments that may emerge with startling rapidity.

    read more  
  Stakeholder engagement   Achieving the benefits of a unified approach to sustainability within a multifaceted, decentralised environment
  • securing direction and leadership
  • making effective use of the sustainability data collation tool
  • identifying and meaningful reporting of Group material sustainability issues
  • engaging across the Group to advance sustainability

    read more  
  Corporate governance  
  • risk and crisis management
  • conduct, corruption and bribery

    read more  
  Environmental risks and opportunities   Environmental risks and opportunities
  • responding to climate change
  • taking action to minimise risks
  • exploiting business opportunities

   read more  
  Broad-based black economic empowerment in South Africa   Ongoing transformation of South African operations
  • submitting employment equity plans to the Department of Labour
  • attracting, developing and retaining black managers to achieve more meaningful employment equity
  • improving Bidvest’s alignment to the objectives of preferential procurement through supplier registration

   read more  
  Employee development   Finding and retaining world-class talent in a highly competitive market    read more  
  Health, safety and HIV/Aids   Setting up more effective programmes for managing HIV/Aids in the workplace    read more