SAPPI Southern Africa has been awarded the Trialogue Strategic CSI Award in recognition of its 40-year-old flagship Khulisa Enterprise Supplier Development programme. The prestigious accolade is awarded annually to the programme that exemplifies best practice in strategic corporate social investment (CSI) in South Africa.
What makes the award even more significant for Sappi is the fact that it was awarded to the company during the 40th anniversary year of the Khulisa programme; which started out as a small CSI outreach programme and has grown into an integral, thriving division in its supply chain. The Sappi Khulisa programme today assists more than 4,000 forestry growers to establish meaningful livelihoods by gaining access to the important forestry value chain in South Africa.
Strategic CSI is defined as CSI that has positive developmental impact, as well as a significantly positive impact on the business, beyond reputational impact and it is this creation of shared value; the business of ‘doing good while doing business’; that has earned Sappi the award. It is not the first time that the programme has been recognised for its excellence; it won the inaugural Absa Supplier Development Award in 2018 as well as earning a Silver Loerie in the Shared Value category in 2021.
“This award acknowledges our belief that businesses and communities can thrive together and is a testament to the power of collaboration, where the interests of both business and society are harmonised for mutual benefit. The Khulisa programme is a jewel in Sappi’s crown. As we celebrate its ruby anniversary this year it makes us appreciate the shared value it has created for us as a company, and for the thousands of Khulisa participants that have been part of this success story over the years. My congratulations go to the Khulisa team who work tirelessly at building these strategic relationships with our suppliers,” commented Alex Thiel, chief executive officer of Sappi Southern Africa.
The award is organised by Trialogue, a corporate responsibility consultancy with more than two decades of industry research and experience, supports better business through its thought leadership, academy, social impact advisory, integrated thinking and ESG advisory, monitoring and evaluation, and corporate reporting services.
About Sappi Khulisa
First known as Project Grow and starting with only three beneficiaries in the Zululand area in northern KwaZulu-Natal, the project has grown from strength to strength and today provides support to more than 4,000 growers through the services of a permanent Sappi staff complement of 27 employees experienced in responsible forestry management. The maturity of the programme can be witnessed by the hundreds of success stories from participants in the programme, many of whom have been suppliers to Sappi over several generations.
Stretching from the far north of the KwaZulu-Natal province to the far south and into Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape, today the total area managed is over 37,000 ha. Since 1995 a grand total of 4,908,850 tons of timber to the value of R3.03 billion has been purchased from Khulisa growers.
In addition to providing a market for these growers the value chain extends to a further 871 small, medium and micro enterprises that are involved in silviculture, harvesting, loading and short and long-haul activities supporting the programme,
The Sappi Khulisa Enterprise Supplier Development programme enhances the security of fibre supply to Sappi, whilst also creating shared value by uplifting rural communities through equipping them to become sustainable participants in the forestry value chain. With steady timber supply threatened by land redistribution projects, an ageing grower population, crops with a long growing cycle and poverty levels leading to early harvesting and low crop yields, it has become essential for growers to understand the benefits of participating as self-sufficient suppliers to Sappi.
Sappi Khulisa is designed to take the growers to new levels and provides training and mentoring, needed to equip growers with skills to manage their farms productively. Training is offered to all value chain participants, including land reform beneficiaries and covers all aspects of forestry, including core operational skills as well as safety, legal compliance and business management. Since establishing the Khulisa Ulwazi training centres in 2015 a total number of 5,857 individuals have received training in various aspects of sustainable forestry practices.
