Uganda Breweries Limited has received the Award in Private Sector Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Champion of the Year 2023 at the Annual Private Sector Award Gala organized by PSFU Uganda. The award recognized Uganda Breweries ESG program that has continually promoted and improved the welfare of the communities it which it works in.
The Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) an apex body for the private sector in Uganda, organized its annual Private Sector Development Awards which brought together private sector captains of industry, heads of mission, development partners, and government of Uganda agencies. These awards recognize the outstanding contributions of individuals, business associations, community groups, cooperatives, private companies, and government agencies to the growth and development of the private sector in Uganda.
Speaking at the Award ceremony, Mr. Stephen Asiimwe, Chief Executive Officer, stated that these awards are meant to recognize and celebrate the individuals and organizations in the private that are working tirelessly to support and grow businesses of all sizes. “I commend the various companies that have received awards today and encourage all of you to continue your work which is yielding positive results all over the country,” he added.
The 2023 Private Sector Development Awards were presented in the following categories; Business Association of the Year and Private Sector Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Champion of the Year.
Under Community Development Champion; Woman Organization of the Year, Youth Organization of the Year, and lastly, Private Sector Media Personality of the Year.
UBL’s Approach to Environment Sustainability is divided into three areas; preserve water for life, accelerate to low carbon, and become sustainable by design. Under Preserve Water for Life, by 2030 every drink UBL makes will use 30% less water than today and by 2026 the organization intends to replenish more water than it uses in all water-stressed areas. UBL’s efforts in Environmental efforts are enshrined in the ‘Pioneer Grain to Glass Sustainability’ in which the organization commits to preserving natural resources to tackle climate change to create a more sustainable world. UBL has set a bold target to reach net zero carbon across its operations. With their biomass plant in place, they have reduced half the carbon in their operations already and will remove the rest by switching to renewable energy everywhere they operate.
On forest cover restoration, in 2019 UBL launched the “Running Out Of Trees” – ROOTs tree-planting campaign by rallying other corporate bodies, government bodies, and the public to raise awareness about the adverse impact of tree-cutting activities on the environment. Together with the Ministry of Water and Environment, UBL set out on an ambitious target to plant 40 million Trees a Year for the following 5 years.
Under Governance, UBL foundation of its business and its Society 2030: Spirit of Progress; 10-year ESG action plan includes embedding the company’s commitment to business integrity and respect for human rights into the way they work. UBL creates fair and inclusive communities in areas where it does its business. They promote the inclusion of underrepresented groups, including women, young people, and persons with disabilities. Currently, four out of eight UBL executives are women, at the most senior level, women make up 44% of the board. As a consumer-driven business, Uganda Breweries takes time to study the market and understand consumer needs and wants as well as how best to satisfy them. They have invested in innovating and renovating their brands to stay at par with dynamic consumer trends.