Southern Africa

Talking to Tyrone Hawkes, Sappi Southern Africa’s Vice President for Strategy and Business Development about Ngodwana Energy, a 25 MW biomass energy plant at Ngodwana Mill in which Sappi Southern Africa holds a 30% stake. The plant, which came on stream in March 2022, uses biomass recovered from surrounding plantations and screened waste material from the mill production process.

Before the Sappi team stepped in, the recovery furnaces were prone to scale build-up at our Ngodwana Mill in South Africa. With their innovation and ingenuity, our mill is now more eco-effective.

Climate change has exacerbated the potential for forest fires. At Sappi, we practise sustainable forestry with fire risk management systems in place to ensure forestlands remain forested in South Africa and everywhere we operate.

We talk to Wynand De Swardt about our transition to solar-powered heating at our Ngodwana nursery in South Africa.

SMEs are a vital engine of the economy, creating jobs and enabling inclusive growth. Promoting their development is just one of the ways we’re contributing to a thriving, more sustainable world.

Supporting the health and wellbeing of Sappi people and the communities where we operate is a top priority for our company.

The Covid-19 pandemic did have some silver linings. For the apprentices at our Skills Centres, it inspired the creation of a new business to supply reusable cloth masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) in South Africa.

We empower people at Sappi Skills Centres to succeed in jobs and enterprises of tomorrow, not just today.

“History will judge us by the difference we make in the everyday lives of children” said Nelson Mandela in a speech at the United Nations in 2002. Decades on at Sappi we continue to make that difference through our ongoing investment Early Childhood Development (ECD).

Creating shared value with peanut farmers empowered by Sappi.