Safaricom, KCB, MP Shah recognised in Dubai for environmental friendliness
Safaricom, Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB), and MP Shah Hospital have been recognised in the Africa Business Leaders Coalition Voluntary Climate Report, unveiled during a panel discussion on the pivotal role of the African private sector in facilitating a just transition for the continent.
The report indicates that the three companies have taken measurable climate action to ensure a more sustainable future in Africa.
Safaricom, for instance, is reported to have achieved a 5.9 per cent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions in this financial year, credited to the modernisation of energy equipment and a relentless transition to renewable energy. The company marked a significant milestone by transitioning 1,432 sites to renewable and hybrid energy sources, with a notable 13 per cent of solar-powered sites yet to incorporate other fuelling methods.
In terms of energy consumption, the report indicates that the telco reduced fuel usage consumption by 11.9 per cent in FY23 due to the aggressive transition to solar power in its sites and reduced fuel usage by its fleet, which was due to enhanced levels of maintenance and efficiency in its fleet vehicles.
Regarding clean energy usage, the findings indicate that Safaricom deployed solar energy and explored energy as a service to stabilise the remote cluster and improve service availability through a mini-grid connecting four sites.
On the other hand, KCB reduced resource consumption in 2022 by five per cent. This was through electricity consumption, where retrofitting the lighting systems to have 52 per cent of their branches using LED lighting.
Regarding water consumption, the report indicates that the company has had constant monitoring of leakages and retrofitting of fixtures, while in fuel consumption, it adopted teleconferencing to reduce transport fuel consumption and carbon footprint.
The bank also made strides in sustainable financing by increasing the green lending portfolio by 12.3 per cent for Kenya and determining Rwanda’s baseline at 16 per cent.
For MP Shah Hospital, other than the use of renewable energy through solar water heating for the hospital wards, solar parking lights, motion sensors for lights in washrooms and kitchens as well as conversion of fluorescent bulbs to LED, the company made the list for its involvement in waste recycling initiatives. Regionally, among others, Ecobank was recognised for its transnational incorporated initiatives in the Green Climate Fund Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Agriculture.
Speaking at the event, Ecobank CEO Jeremy Awori said that financing will play a critical role in ensuring that Africa transitions justly, insisting that there has to be collaboration between the public and private sector and the regulators.
Ms Jane Lumumba, the Africa Delivery Lead with the High-Level Climate Champions, said data is essential in policy making and choosing how to plan, insisting that to ensure that in all this, people from the grassroots level also have to be involved.
The Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC) is the first-ever private sector-led Coalition committed to advancing sustainable growth, prosperity and development across the continent by bringing the perspectives of African CEOs and chairpersons into the global conversation.
Since signing the Climate Statement last year at COP27, ABLC members have taken measurable climate action to ensure a more sustainable future in Africa. There has been a significant increase in ABLC members who are setting renewable energy targets and actively developing resilience plans. Moreover, the number of members that have already developed or are in the process of developing Just Transition plans has risen rapidly.