Our target is to be the best company in the world, says Guinness Nigeria MD

Peter Ndegwa, managing director/CEO of Guinness Nigeria Plc, says the ambition of the company is to become the best performing and most respected organisation in the world.

Speaking on Wednesday when the company launched its sustainability report for 2016,  Ndegwa said the attainment of this goal would be futile if a commitment to society is not at the heart of the business.

Ndegwa said Guinness remains committed to helping Nigeria meet its sustainable development goals (SDGs) targets, particularly in the areas of providing access to water and sanitation.

“The sustainability report we are here to launch today is one of the ways we measure our progress against the sustainability and responsibility targets we have set for our organisation,” he said.

“The report also serves as an expression of our continuing commitment to embedding sustainability into our daily interactions and operations.”

Ndegwa said at least 130 million Nigerians did not have access to adequate sanitation, while about 57 million others lack access to safe water.

He added that currently, about 700 million people did not have access to safe drinking water and 2.4 billion people lacked a toilet.

He also said in the world, the gap between the haves and the have-nots was widening at an alarming rate, quoting a recent OXFAM report as noting that eight of the world’s billionaires currently own same wealth as half the world.

Also, David Croft, the global sustainable development director, Diageo Plc said: “Overall we are proud of the progress made.

“Guinness Nigeria’s Sustainable Development strategy which aligns with Diageo’s global strategy is underpinned by three main pillars: leadership in alcohol in society, building thriving communities and reducing environmental impact.

“Delivering on these goals is an integral part of our long term business strategy and our commitment to making a real difference in communities where we operate.”

Ijeoma Nwankwo of the First Bank Sustainability Centre, Lagos Business School, said that sustainability addressed environmental and health issues that man lived with.

Nwankwo said that the report was a critical self-reflection by Guinness and urged other business to work on waste and effluents for a sustainable environment.

Presenting the report, an 87 paged document, Osita Aban, the sustainable development and AIS manager in Guinness, said it covered “our performance in the reporting year July to June, 2016, and focuses on material issues critical to the sustainability of Guinness’ business”.

“It captures the strategy the company will be leveraging to achieve the Sustainable Development goals it has set out to attain,” he said.

“Every year, we set ourselves stretching targets that will guide us as we work to reduce our negative impact on the environment.

“We also strive to increase our positive social impact by delivering transformational social investments in communities where we operate. This report captures our achievements in the 2016 financial year.”