MTN Group is committed to enabling the benefits of a modern connected life for everyone in our markets. Our 2022 Sustainability Report (SR) spells out our work in the year to create shared value, with ESG at the core.
In a year fraught with challenges, we remained focused onensuring that we create value for our stakeholders through responsible environmental, social, governance and economic value-added practices and solutions. The challenges included the protracted effects of the pandemic and the first war in Europe in 80 years, accelerating inflation, supply chain disruptions and the escalating climate crisis.
Reflecting on the increasing global focus on sustainability, Nompilo Morafo, MTN Group Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Officer said, “Organisations are now expected from than ever before to operate responsibly, with integrity, and with a focus on the wellbeing of our communities and planet.
“By combining our core connectivity and mobility strengths with emerging technologies such as 5G, AI, cloud computing and machine learning, we are laying the groundwork for a thriving digital economy and helping to solve many of the challenges facing our customers and communities today.”
Among key ESG metrics on which we made improvements in 2022 are the Group’s reduction of GHG emissions in the year (approximately 13.9%^ compared to an annual target of 3.5% in pursuit of reaching Net Zero emissions by 2040); MTN’scontribution to sustainable societies through increasing broadband coverage (to 88% of the population from 83% in 2021); and our performance score on governance, freedom of expression and privacy according to Ranking Digital Rights (the most improved company in the index for the second year in a row).
In a case study, we spell out MTN South Africa’s work to reduce GHG emissions, our energy footprint and our reliance on the national grid through a major solar project to make our 14thAvenue head office a completely green one.
We also detail our economic contribution to society (approximately R149 billion from R115 billion in 2021); discuss our circular economy efforts and those to use natural resources responsibly; our work to accelerate digital and financial inclusion; initiatives to foster a more diverse society (including increasing the representation of women at MTN to 40%); and projects to safeguard our people and customers and further embed ethical and responsible business practices.
Driven to ensure a diverse and inclusive workforce in 2022 for the second year running, we performed a gender pay gap assessment across 18 markets. We focused our efforts to determine the reasons for the gender pay gap, and established plans to reduce this over the short and medium term.
In case studies from eSwatini, Rwanda and South Africa we discuss efforts to make MTN’s products and services more accessible to people living with disabilities, and in particular to develop products and services to meet the communication needs of the visually and hearing-impaired community.
With a focus on growth, we outline how we are enabling local economies, empowering local enterprises and unlocking local ownership across our markets. We refer to our tax contribution;our network infrastructure investment; and our localisation and enterprise development initiatives, including providing digital skills training to more than 1 250 SMEs.
A case study on Rwanda shows MTN’s MoMo platform integration to enable the collection of various government services, taxes and fees, and the disbursement of local government payments to vulnerable people, as well as the payment of university student bursaries and teacher salaries through MoMo.
As we strive to be the partner of choice to our nation-state hosts, communities, suppliers and other stakeholders, every year we monitor how our stakeholders view us. In 2022, our Reputation Index Survey showed a score of 79.6%, compared to our 75% target.
“All these efforts – including our work to cut GHG emissions, strengthen data privacy and security, minimise the gender pay gap and uphold digital human rights are reflected in the continued improvement in the ESG ratings accorded to MTN by key raters and rankers,” says Morafo.
We invite all our stakeholders to read our 2022 Sustainability Report as we continue to position MTN at the centre of Africa’s transformation to improve people’s quality of life and to be economically empowering and environmentally sustainable.
In particular, we draw stakeholders’ attention to numerous case studies on a wide range of topics from Cameroon, eSwatini,Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia.