Sappi

  • Sector: Forest Products
  • Headquarters: South Africa

Review summary

Sappi submitted its 2024 Group Sustainability Report and 2024 Annual Integrated Report to the It’s Now for Nature campaign and met all the review criteria.

  • Sappi conducted a double materiality assessment to identify nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks and opportunities across the value chain.
  • The key material topics are: sustainable forestry, climate change, water stewardship, resource efficiency and minimizing waste, and biodiversity.
  • In its Annual Report, Sappi articulates how its material topics impact the business and on people, society and the environment.

  • Sappi has set SMART targets for renewable energy, climate change, waste, water and biodiversity with a deadline of 2025.
  • For example:
    • Reduce specific process water use by 23% by 2025 with 2019 as a baseline.
    • Enhance biodiversity in Important Conservation Areas (ICAs) on their plantations by 10% by 2025 with 2019 as a baseline.

  • Sappi has policies in place for all key material issues, including: Water Stewardship, Environment, Woodfibre Procurement, and Climate Change.
  • Sappi has invested in projects to help achieve its water target. For example, it redesigned its water management system – repositioning valves, installing flow meters and updating distributed control systems. This project led to water reduction savings.
  • Sappi has identified actions for Biodiversity across the Mitigation Hierarchy. For example, Sappi has assessed the baseline of biodiversity on their plantations and is implementing management plans to prioritize safeguarding protected and the most important vegetation types.

  • The Executive Management Committee has approved the nature strategy of Sappi.
  • The Executive Management Committee (EXCO), chaired by the Group CEO, is accountable for delivering the sustainability strategy and ensuring business objectives align with sustainability goals.
  • The committee is responsible for ensuring that capital allocation is aligned with business and sustainability objectives and prioritized appropriately to ensure timely delivery against public commitments.
  • The EXCO regularly reviews progress against sustainability and climate commitments and targets.