ESG in Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Industry

ESG or Environmental Social and Governance is broadly used when referencing issues around Sustainable Tobacco Production. What does it mean to be sustainable? Sustainability is commonly defined as using natural resources in a manner that the next generation will use and derive the same benefit. More simply, leave natural resources as you found them or…

Sustainability in the tobacco industry hinges on using resources responsibly for future generations. This means leaving natural resources in the same or better condition than we found them. Whilst the most pressing and visible environmental issue for the tobacco industry is that of sustainable curing fuel and deforestation, there are many other national and tobacco…

The “Social” pillar of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) focuses on human rights, equity, and fairness within the tobacco supply chain. This article examines how these principles apply to the relationships between farmers, farm workers, contracting merchants, tobacco merchants, processed leaf exporters, and the wider communities involved in tobacco production and trade from seed to…

The final article in our TLEAZ series on ESG focuses on Governance (G), which involves creating a management structure to support sustainability, supply chain due diligence, and traceability. The Environmental (E) and Social (S) goals of any organisation cannot be achieved without a strong Governance structure. Governance is also one of the eight themes of…

In June 2024, TLEAZ welcomed Francis Yeatman, CEO of OASIS Agri from KwaZulu Natal, to share his knowledge on the vital importance of soil health with our agronomy teams. This insightful presentation was followed by practical field visits to both a small-scale farm and a commercial farm, where our teams gained firsthand experience discussing soil…