Firm reaffirms commitment to environmental protection

The British American Tobacco in West and Central Africa (BAT) has launched a sustainability show corner at the firms’ state-of-the-art factory in Ibadan. The project is evidence of stellar results from its investments in sustainability and an affirmation of the company’s commitment to the environment.

The sustainability corner exhibits several end products obtained from the recycling of waste generated at the Ibadan factory. Some of these include tissue paper, local farm equipment, organic manure, egg crates, throw pillows, among others. Located within the factory’s reception, the Sustainability Show Corner is quite a beautiful space and serves as a reminder and motivation to employees and factory visitors, of the possibilities and value inherent in sustainability practice.

Speaking at the launch, the external affairs director for BAT west and central Africa
Odiri Erewa-Meggison said: “the Sustainability Show Corner is an expression of our commitment to a sustainable planet and shows how the company is powering forward and evolving a closed circular economy by recycling all classes of waste generated in the Ibadan factory into local usable products.”

According to the operations director, Waseem Hayat, the exhibition of the materials will help to tell the story of how the firm is creating a sustainable production ecosystem as part of its contribution to building a better tomorrow by putting sustainability at the centre of operations.

The company began partnering with local organisations in 2019 to implement the recycling of waste materials such as paper and plastics. The end products on display at the sustainability corner show that beyond repurposing waste material, the initiative is also creating new capacities among implementation partners and employees in the local community.

British American Tobacco (BAT) announced its evolved global strategy early in the year by reducing the health impact of business and providing adult consumers with a wide range of less risky products.

A crucial component of the evolved strategy was the expansion of the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities. This involves accelerating previous targets at addressing climate change and maintaining excellence in environmental management, delivering a positive social impact, and ensuring robust corporate governance at the centre of its activities.