68 Fostering Sustainable Ecosystems Message from CEO Corporate Overview Corporate Governance and Business Ethics About the Report In some cases, we allocate about 5% of concession areas exclusively for community use. In 2024, we secured approval for the SFMPs of Mvoung and Kouyé forests managed by GSEZ and launched four new SFMPs for Lolo, Mabota, Etambo, and Touro, expected to be approved in 2025 along with Leyou. We also obtained approval for the revised SFMPs of JBG Onoyé-Mingoué and Gongué and plan to revise SNBG Lopé’s SFMP in 2025 to meet updated standards. Pillar 3: Certifications and Partnerships for Responsible Supply Chain management As part of our commitment to responsible supply chains, we have formed successful partnerships and obtained certifications across our agriculture value chains, timber and meat processing units. We’ve partnered with the Rainforest Alliance to develop sustainability frameworks and help set new standards for responsible business across Africa. To advance our sustainability efforts, we work with global leaders like Rainforest Alliance, Proforest, Ecocert, and Bureau Veritas to promote international certification and compliance. Many partners support our certification and compliance efforts, helping us stay competitive in the global market. These include AFIS (data collection), Proforest (EUDR compliance), FoodChain (Proterra certification), Ecocert (organic certification), Okala (data analysis), and Bureau Veritas (RA cashew certification in Benin). Traceability is key to extending our sustainability efforts beyond factory gates. To strengthen it, we launched Arise Farmer Information System (AFIS) last year—a digital platformmanaged by agriculture experts. The platform has onboarded over 45,000 Arise-farmers and enables real-time crop monitoring across Benin and Togo. We use the data from these initiatives to drive supply chain improvements and evaluate responsible measures applied at each stage. We leverage technology across our initiatives, while ensuring data is kept secure to respect farmer and supplier privacy. These efforts reinforce our broader sustainability goals across the supply chain. In Gabon, sustainable forest management is a prerequisite for all timber harvesting activities. Before any operation, we develop a Sustainable Forest Management Plan (SFMP) in compliance with national regulations. Based on field data—including tree inventories, biodiversity assessments, and socio-economic studies—the SFMP defines production zones, community-use areas, and conservation zones covering at least 10% of the concession. It also outlines measures such as minimum cutting diameters, rotation periods of at least 20 years, annual harvest limits, and identifies non-exploitable or protected species. Complementary studies such as Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) and High Conservation Value (HCV) assessments or Ecologically Important Forest Areas (AFEI) studies are conducted. We ensure full engagement with local authorities and communities to obtain free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), particularly when concessions overlap with customary land (finages).
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