Dangote Industries Limited, Cement, Other Subsidiaries Prepare for Sustainability Week

Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) and its subsidiaries are preparing big for the sustainability week, which starts effectively from today and ends on Friday, October 27, 2023.

The theme for the year 2023 is Sustainable Production and Consumption – The Dangote Way.

According to a statement, the week was designed to be a week-long event to create an opportunity for DIL and its subsidiaries’ employees to volunteer their skills and competencies for community impact initiatives, using time that is paid for by the organisation.

“While the mother company, DIL, will have an online Sustainability Conference for all staff, where various representatives of the business units will present innovative opportunities for Sustainable Production and Consumption in their line of business to a panel of executives who will evaluate the opportunities for adoption.

“Other subsidiaries also have a series of events that have been lined up in line with the Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals designed to serve as a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.

“The week will start on Monday with volunteer mobilisation across the various business locations in Nigeria and Pan Africa.

“Dangote Cement will host a Sustainable Living Fair and Exhibition on Tuesday, in Ikoyi, Lagos. Notable stakeholders have been invited to attend the Fair, which will be declared open by the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive of Dangote Cement, Mr. Arvind Pathak,” it stated.

Furthermore, “NASCON also on Tuesday will donate whiteboards to schools in its host community, while Dangote Fertilizer Limited (DFL), will roof six classrooms in the Magbonsegun community as it supplies roofing sheets, asbestos, and timber.

“It will however be done in collaboration with the school’s PTA, and community leaders. Health materials will also be donated by NASCON to Ijoko Health Care Center and Ajegunle Health Care Center.

“In the same vein, Dangote Petroleum Refinery, from October 23rd to November 2nd, will organise an elderly care program for its host community. The program includes Health talks and medical screening for malaria, infectious diseases, dementia, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, vitamin deficiency, BMI, and eye problems.

“Elders, who are 65 years and above are the target of this programme and close to 1,000 of such elders have been booked to attend the event.”

On its part, GDNL also for the week has programmed an educational initiative, which would involve three schools in their host community, with a focus on educating the students on the essence of sustainability and climate change challenges, and donation of computers, markerboards and sanitary pads to schools in their community.

Dangote Packaging Limited (DPL) would be training the women and in its host community on how to make insecticides locally, thereby helping to combat malaria, which is the number one ailment in the area. The trained women will also be empowered with startup kit.

The DIL recently shone as its subsidiaries clinched several awards at the just concluded Sustainability, Entrepreneurship and Responsibility Awards (SERAs).

Dangote Cement Plc won four major awards, including: The Best Company in Sustainability Reporting, Best Company in Stakeholder Engagement, and Overall, Winner – Africa (First Runner Up).  Another Dangote subsidiary, Dangote Sugar Refinery (DSR), which was participating in the SERAS for the first time, won the award of Best Company in Poverty Eradication.

Group Chief, Corporate Communications Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Anthony Chiejina, had in reacting to the company’s outstanding performance at this year’s SERAS said: “DIL’s approach is focused on mainstreaming sustainable practices and building this into the very fabric of the organisation.”