56 Fostering Sustainable Ecosystems About the Report Leadership Messages About the Theme Corporate Overview Stakeholder Engagement and Materiality Assessment Our ESG priorities and Performance Water Stewardship Water is an essential resource for our operations where it supports our forest, agri-value chain, logistics and industrial operations. As a company that aims to promote Africa’s natural resources and create sustainable businesses, water stewardship is a crucial factor for us. We understand that providing access to clean water is necessary not only for our operations but also for our stakeholders and investor businesses. We aim to use water sustainably to meet our business commitments, strengthen supply chains, and ensure economic viability. Improving Water Utilization Our operations in Gabon, Togo, Benin, and Chad are in areas of low-water stress, according to the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas by the World Resources Institute (WRI). We are aware that the water requirements at our business operations compete with the water requirements of the local communities. Therefore, we use and manage shared water resources judiciously. Situations of conflict can negatively affect our Social License to Operate within the local community. For this reason, we have conducted thorough Environmental and Social Impact Assessments for our operations. These assessments equip us with mitigation measures for any risks that may disrupt access to water in the regions in which we operate. Our ESIAs, especially water impact assessments, are conducted based on National Environmental Laws, IFC performance standards and WHO Guidelines for drinking water quality . We are developing a water stewardship strategy that will include ambitious goals and targets to support SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for All. We understand that providing access to clean water is necessary not only for our operations but also for our stakeholders Water storage tanks in GDIZ, Benin
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