Gender Minister Betty Amongi congratulates UBL Managing Director, Andrew Kilonzo upon the launch of the Sustainability Report 2024.
The government, through the Ministry of Gender, Labor, and Social Development, has commended Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) for prioritizing matters of sustainability.
This was after the UBL launched its Sustainability Report 2024 in Kampala on Tuesday.
The Minister of Gender, Labor, and Social Development, Betty Amongi, presided over the report launch as chief gest. The report was launched under the theme Championing inclusion and diversity.
“I am happy that you have prioritized environmental protection. The launch of this report has underpinned the importance of gender inclusivity, reduction of green gases, and sustainability in the private sector. Pick a leaf from UBL. It’s important that we don’t leave the 51% (women) behind, including in positions of decision-making,” said Amongi.
Under this arrangement, the UBL has ensured the participation of women in its value chain, ensured jobs for the vulnerable communities, involved persons with disabilities, and embraced gender inclusivity, among other areas.
Amongi said the above are key.
“I am happy that the corporate world has embraced gender inclusivity,” added Amongi.
According to Amongi, what UBL is doing is “helping us achieve Vision 2040.”
“My ministry and the government will support you,” Amongi added. She appealed to other private sector players to incorporate sustainability in their operations.
UBL reported impacts across Environmental, Social and Governance areas of Sustainability. In social, they promote inclusion, diversity, and moderation, reaching millions with messages through their brands, while campaigns like “Wrong Side of the Road” highlight the dangers of drinking and driving. Environmentally, they have halved water use in beer production, constructed boreholes and sanitation facilities across Uganda, and launched a biomass facility that has cut emissions by over 90%. On governance, they uphold business integrity through initiatives like Code of Business Conduct training, a whistleblower platform, a Dignity at Work policy, and their Zero Harm program, ensuring a safe and respectful workplace. These actions reflect their holistic commitment to sustainable and ethical business practices, benefiting all stakeholders.
According to UBL Managing Director, ANdrew Kilonzo, “The report is a commitment to our proclaimation under our pragramme called Spirit of Progress, which speaks to ESG (environmental, social, and governance).”
Other than just saying that we are committed to that, Kilonzo added that “we come every year and say what we have actually done in this area of ESG. We are part of the community, and we want to show that we are investing in all the areas and this year focusing on inclusion and diversity.”
Kilonzo added: Uganda’s population is 50-50 (men and women). Therefore, our business internally and even the ones we work with from our supplier perspective should also be 50-50. We are not yet there, but we are on the journey.
In the financial year 2023/2024, the UBL paid Shs 500 billion in taxes, and the brewery supported 34, 000 farmers with Shs 8 billion. On top of the above, the UBL has cut its carbon emissions by 92% after it invested Shs 42 billion in a biomass plant.
