BAT Kenya reports significant progress on 2023 sustainability efforts

British American Tobacco (BAT) Kenya has made impressive strides after it implemented sustainable initiatives in the last fiscal year.

The company’s recently published 2023 Sustainability Report highlights significant achievements across multiple areas, including emissions reduction, water stewardship, gender diversity, and farmer livelihoods.

One of the key highlights is a 54 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a milestone achieved seven years ahead of the company’s 2030 target.

This reduction was driven by BAT Kenya's accelerated decarbonization strategy, which included a Sh145 million investment in solar energy over the past two years.

“The company's current onsite generated electricity now reaches 1,400-Kilowatt peak (KwP), a testament to our commitment to environmental sustainability,” the report reads.

In addition to emissions reductions, BAT Kenya reported a remarkable 62.5 percent decrease in water withdrawal, far surpassing its target of a 35 percent reduction by 2025.

These achievements reflect the company's ongoing efforts to minimise its environmental footprint while contributing to global sustainability goals.

Gender diversity also took centre stage in BAT Kenya's 2023 performance.

The company surpassed its gender mainstreaming targets, with women now making up 47 percent of senior leadership roles, exceeding the 45 percent target set for 2025.

On employee remuneration, there was an increase in base salaries for women across various job grades, signalling progress toward gender pay equity.

BAT Kenya's sustainability efforts extend beyond its internal operations to include its entire value chain.

The company has placed a strong emphasis on sustainable agriculture, particularly in enhancing the livelihoods of its contracted tobacco farmers.

A notable initiative is the rollout of the Sh10 million Rural Women Development Programme (RuwDep), which aims to empower over 1,600 women farmers and the spouses of contracted male farmers within the company's tobacco supply chain. 

The programme, BAT says, follows a successful pilot in 2022 and is part of BAT Kenya's broader commitment to socio-economic development.

In 2023, BAT Kenya also increased the use of hybrid tobacco seeds, which are more drought-resistant and yield higher outputs, benefiting the company's contracted farmers. 

Other initiatives aimed at improving food security through the cultivation of alternative subsistence crops were also implemented, further supporting the livelihoods of the farmers involved.

BAT Kenya's Managing Director, Crispin Achola, said the company is keeping pace with the rapidly changing world.

“In the context of a rapidly changing world, it is important that our stakeholders have a view of BAT Kenya’s contribution to sustainability,” Achola said.

The company is focused on the transformation of its business, underpinned by its purpose to create “A Better Tomorrow by Building a Smokeless World”.

To remain on course, BAT Kenya promised the need for collaboration with stakeholders across various sectors.

BAT Kenya began operations in 1907.

It has been listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange since 1969 and remains a major contributor to Kenya’s economic growth.

The company has partnered with approximately 1,700 contracted farmers and it generates employment opportunities for over 80,000 Kenyans through various aspects of its tobacco farming, processing, and distribution operations.