Sustainability Governance

Sustainable development initiatives and responsible operations are two important factors for managing a successful company.  At Sappi, sustainability governance permeates our corporate structure, involving every segment of our business and all operating functions. Our sustainability governance is made up of six committees that each create strategy, set goals and monitor progress across different aspects of managing our business in accordance with our holistic view of sustainability.  

Our approach to sustainability is framed in terms of Prosperity, People and Planet — referred to internally as the 3Ps — and is set out in our Sustainability Charter. This in turn is underpinned by the Code of Ethics and our group value statement: “At Sappi we do business with Integrity and Courage, making Smart decisions which we execute with Speed. Our values are underpinned by an unrelenting focus on and commitment to safety.”

Social, Ethics, Transformation and Sustainability Committee

The Social, Ethics, Transformation and Sustainability (SETS) Committee comprises four independent non-executive directors, a non-executive director and the CEO. Other executive and group management committee members attend SETS Committee meetings by invitation. Its mandate is to oversee the group's sustainability strategies, ethics management, good corporate citizenship, labour and employment as well as its contribution to social and economic development and, with regards to the group's South African subsidiaries, the strategic business priority of transformation.

Regional sustainability councils (RCs) operate in Europe, North America and South Africa and provide strategic and operational support to the SETS Committee in dealing with day-to-day sustainability issues and helping to develop and entrench related initiatives in the business. The SETS Committee is chaired by Mohammed Valli Moosa.

Group Sustainability Council

The Sappi Group Sustainability Council is chaired by Graeme Wild, Group Head Investor Relations and Sustainability, and meets quarterly to share best practices, exchange information on emerging issues, and to report progress against goals and key initiatives. The group council coordinates reviews of policies as directed by the SETS Committee. Members also review regional information for various disclosure mechanisms; including the CDP’s climate change program and forests program and the Group Sustainability Report.

Sustainability Council

The European Sustainability consists of a multidisciplinary team comprising representatives from our Sappi Europe's Mills Environmental Platform and Sarah Price, Sustainability Manager Europe.

Sarah Price also represents the European region on Sappi's global Sustainability Council, which meets regularly to share best practices and maintain the global charter.

Sustainability Ambassadors

The Sappi Europe Sustainability Ambassadors, our "Green Ambassadors" help to entrench an holistic approach to the 3P's throughout Europe. Their role is to communicate information internally about sustainability related topics and keep their colleagues up to speed on industry developments that can be of interest to our customers.

Mill Environmental Managers

Sappi Europe's Environmental Managers are based in our mills throughout Europe and follow environmental legislation at national and European level. They manage our certifications and permits, and are also responsible for managing environmental activities and training.