Dangote Cement Collaborates on Environmental Sustainability with UNEP and NESREA
Dangote Cement Plc has partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to enhance environmental sustainability and minimise carbon emissions.
The business has also collaborated with the Lagos Business School Sustainability Centre and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) as part of plans to commemorate World Environment Day (WED) 2022 across its 14 production facilities in Nigeria and Africa.
The Environment Week initiative of Dangote Cement encourages African nations and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to invest in carbon avoidance and offsetting projects.
On the occasion of the recently held WED, Dangote Cement engaged specialists to enhance the capacity of employees, local communities, and other stakeholders regarding biodiversity conservation and gradual reclamation of mining sites.
The business also established a biodiversity garden as an example at one of its mines in Nigeria.
Mr. Michel Puchercos, Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, expressed support for government efforts by contributing to climate solutions that would cut Nigeria's carbon emissions at the meeting.
About 560 participants from the manufacturing and extractive industries, academia, government agencies, international agencies, civil society (NGOs), the media, and environmental enthusiasts participated in the meeting.
Dr. Igazeuma Okoroba, head of sustainability at Dangote Cement Plc, stated that the organisation is collaborating with civil society and business players to complement government initiatives.
She said: “The WED commemoration allows us to create awareness on sustainability initiatives to conserve the earth and maintain the values of biodiversity.”
According to Okoroba, the projects are intended to instil a sustainability mindset throughout the company's value chain and investigate ways to protect the ecosystem in the communities in which it operates.
Okoroba also announced the publication of the 2021 Sustainability Report for Dangote Cement, which complied with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Standard.
Tukur Lawal, head of the environment and social performance at Dangote Cement Plc, stated that the initiative's purpose was to make mining sites suitable for present and future land usage.
Specific objectives, according to him, include raising awareness among mining personnel and educating mining stakeholders on the identification and evaluation of species, flora, and fauna.
Lawal said: “The company is ready to engage with stakeholders to conserve biodiversity, mitigate carbon emissions and make the environment safer.”
Speakers at the forum stated that the industry should prioritise sustainable land management. In addition, they agreed that firms whose activities impact soil and biodiversity should restore the soil by funding recycling, assuring green development, and supporting the natural habitat, while developers should integrate biodiversity into pre-and post-construction.
Virtually speaking, one of the participants, Igazeuma, advised the others to learn from Dangote Cement's linkage with UN Sustainable Development Goals to Corporate Social Responsibility programming.
An impact report released at the end of the forum advocated that biodiversity loss should be mitigated through collaboration with government environmental agencies, local communities, NGOs and educational institutions.
Participants also called for greater awareness for the public to understand the species of plants and animals that should not be consumed to avert extinction.
Source: The Guardian
