Annika Surmeier’s Post

In Africa's large and varied regions, #CorporateSocialResponsibility (CSR) emerges as a transformative force, bridging the gap between business success and societal well-being. From bustling marketplaces to remote villages, businesses are embracing #CSR initiatives tailored to address local needs, championing education, healthcare, infrastructure, and environmental sustainability. This symbiotic relationship between corporate entities and communities underscores the continent's resilience and adaptability, reflecting a commitment to #inclusivegrowth and #sustainabledevelopment. As #Africa navigates its trajectory toward prosperity, the strategic alignment of CSR with the United Nations' #SustainableDevelopmentGoals (SDGs) promises a brighter future, where businesses become integral partners in shaping resilient and vibrant societies. Our latest piece expands on the role CSR plays in shaping Africa's sustainable future. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ghZk8mqg 👉🏽 Like, repost, read, comment, and share your thoughts with us. ✍🏾: Adetoro Adetayo 🔍: Tomi Abe 🎨: Tomi Abe #Susinsight #SusinsightArticle #AdvancingSustainability #HarnessingKnowledgeForImpact #AdvancingSustainabilityinAfrica

South Africa’s Sustainable Development Report 2024: Key findings and reflections In upcoming posts, we will discuss South Africa's position, as outlined in the report. The Sustainable Development Report 2024 provides a comprehensive look at South Africa’s performance on the SDGs. Ranked #115 globally with a score of 63.44, South Africa holds 8th position among African countries. This highlights both areas of progress and significant challenges ahead. In 2023, South Africa was ranked 110th, indicating a decrease in its global ranking. Findings for South Africa: 1. Stagnation: Overall, progress on the SDGs has been stagnant since 2020. Key areas such as hunger (SDG 2), health (SDG 3), sustainable cities (SDG 11), and life on land (SDG 15) are particularly off-track. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these issues, impacting life expectancy and other health-related metrics. 2. Positive trends: There are encouraging signs in infrastructure and innovation (SDG 9), although the progress remains uneven. South Africa is making strides in certain goals, but sustained and accelerated efforts are needed to maintain these gains. 3. Financial challenges: Access to affordable long-term capital is a major barrier. Reforming the global financial architecture is essential to enable large-scale investments needed for sustainable development. Innovative financing solutions and global cooperation are critical to overcoming these challenges. 💬 Join the Conversation: - What steps can we take to overcome these challenges? - Which local initiatives have you seen making a real impact on sustainable development? - How can we foster greater collaboration for SDG achievement? Your insights and experiences are invaluable. Let’s discuss and work together to create a sustainable future for South Africa! #SustainableDevelopment #SDGs #SouthAfrica #SDR2024 #Innovation #Infrastructure #GlobalGoals #Sustainability #FutureForward

🌳 Accelerate a Greener Future for Africa: Partner with Go Green Africa 🌳 Partnering with Go Green Africa means more than just supporting green projects; it positions your organisation at the forefront of impact investment, where your contributions directly foster socio-economic growth. It’s about creating jobs, building communities, and ensuring a greener, more prosperous future for the next generation. 🌿 Why Partner? - Be part of Africa’s green economy transformation - Demonstrate leadership in ESG and sustainability - Drive long-term growth through impact-focused investments - Align with the global shift toward responsible business practices Last week at the Economist Impact’s Sustainability Week Africa, Iain Banner (Co-founder & chair, GGA) and his fellow panellists emphasised the need for adaptive, sustainable green economy solutions tailored to each country’s socio-economic and political landscape. They highlighted that solutions must reflect local realities—for example, what works in Kenya might not suit South Africa, and vice versa. Looking ahead, Iain spoke about Africa’s potential to lead with innovative off-grid solutions, with the continent positioned to learn from global grid challenges and leapfrog forward. He also touched on driving global capital to African green economy initiatives through the Africa's Green Economy Summit, empowering change across the continent. Join us and ensure your organisation leaves a positive legacy for the future. Email us at hello@gogreenafrica.com or visit our website for more details: https://lnkd.in/ekmWMcz7 💪 #CorporateClimateAction #Sustainability #ImpactInvestment #GreenEconomy #COP29 #ESG #Africa #Decarbonisation #GoGreenAfrica #GGA Economist Impact events

Call for Papers: Africa Sustainability Magazine by The AR Initiative We're excited to announce the launch of the African Sustainability Magazine (ASM) by The AR Initiative, a sustainability and impact advisory firm based in Nigeria. This first-of-its-kind quarterly publication will spotlight Africa's sustainable development landscape, featuring insights from leaders, experts, and innovators shaping the continent's future. Launching in December, ASM will engage readers in critical conversations about sustainable finance, clean technologies, regulations, and industry trends, amplifying diverse voices in sustainability across Africa. Call for Submissions Students and alumni of The Geneva Graduate Institute are invited to contribute articles on: 1️⃣ Geopolitical priorities shaping ESG/sustainability in Africa 2️⃣ Sustainable finance and innovation in Africa Submission Deadline: 1 November 2024 Send to: comms@arinitiative.org Be part of the movement to shape Africa's sustainable future! 🌱 #Sustainability #Africa #Impact #SustainableDevelopment #ARInitiative #AfricanSustainabilityMagazine #Innovation #Finance #ESG

⏰ Only one day to the EU-Zambia Business Forum 2024! This three-day event will be dedicated to 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬, and will take place in Kitwe, Zambia, between 10-12 April. 🟢 On April 11, 13:30-15:30 CAT, CSR Europe’s Executive Director, Stefan Crets, will take part in the 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐄𝐒𝐆 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐚. The session will feature high-level speakers such as: ◽ Douty Chibamba, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Green Economy and Environment.  ◽ Estelle Levin-Nally CDir Dip IoD, CEO and Founder, Levin Sources Ltd.  ◽ Philipp Schmidt-Thomé, International Operations Director Geological Survey of Finland – GTK. 🟢 Moreover, between 15:30 and 17:00, Stefan Crets will participate to the side event: 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐒𝐆 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, presenting the business case of Drive Sustainability and the methodology developed to foster responsible #sourcing and #duediligence practices in the battery value chain in South Africa. Focusing on the challenges related to local sustainability networks, his talk will tackle the following questions: ✔️ Who will have access to the materials?   ✔️ Where are they processed?   ✔️ What is the return for the countries from which they are sourced? Read more 👉 https://shorturl.at/fnqt5     #EUZBF #engaged4change #eugreendeal #sustainability #greentransition #supplychainsustainability

Just wrapped up an insightful session on identifying and engaging key stakeholders in sustainability led by Esther Chibueyin Fagbo hosted by Nigeria Youth SDGs Network supported by Auswärtiges Amt (Federal Foreign Office) Germany A stakeholder refers to any individual or group that has an interest in or is affected by sustainability initiatives. This includes governments, the private sector, civil societies, and local and international communities. Each of these groups has a unique role to play: ✅Government: Policy formulation, regulation, and funding. ✅Private sector: Innovation, investment, and sustainable business practices. ✅Civil societies: Advocacy, community mobilization, and public awareness. ✅Local and international communities: On-the-ground implementation and driving local action. We also discussed the importance of stakeholder mapping to identify those with varying levels of influence and interest: ✅High influence, high interest: Key partners to drive change. ✅High influence, low interest: Need engagement to increase commitment. ✅Low influence, high interest: Potential grassroots supporters. ✅Low influence, low interest: Awareness-raising is crucial here. By understanding these dynamics, we can foster collaboration that addresses diverse interests while driving collective action toward sustainability. Together, we are building a future that works for all! #ClimateActionForStrongerNaija #Sustainability #StakeholderEngagement #CollaborateForChange

The Sustainability Drive As a sustainable development advocate, I am committed to contributing my quota to ensuring that the goals are achieved through volunteering and participating in projects that champion and promote the sustainability cause. As a member of the Reactivate Africa Foundations network, I had the opportunity to join the second edition of the SDG connect webinar series. The theme Sustainable Development In Action: Goals And Roles For Economic, Social And Environmental Impact covered various strategies to achieve simple impact across the sectors. For me, the webinar was very insightful as we were reminded of the roles we need to play as individuals inorder to achieve the goals. The speakers Alfred Ndorbele , George Kennedy and Racheal Nwachukwu spoke excellently doing great justice to the topic as they explored various strategies for simple impact across the environmental,economic and social sectors. Here are my top takeaways: - To build an inclusive society where our simple impacts can have great effect, social inclusion is key in all processes and at all levels. - The need for collaboration to achieve the goals remain paramount and everyone has a role to play as no contribution is too small. - Our drive should come from within, if we depend on external forces before we can act, we may never fully achieve the goal of sustainability. I applaud Mr Willie Akpan for his commitment to building this positive-minded and solution focused community driving Africa to its desired sustainable future. You are doing a great work!! Let me know in the comments what goals you are particularly interested in and what about it drives you.😉 #Sustainability #Development #Changemakers #Socialinnovation

Spotlight on Deniz Erkus, CFA International Consultant for UNDP, CIO Sustainability at HealthSum. Deniz sheds light on a pressing issue facing #carbonmarkets in East Africa: the gap between Africa's significant ecological contributions, especially via the Congo Basin, and its minimal representation in global carbon trading. Despite Africa contributing to 11% of the world's carbon credits, merely 2% of carbon trading originates from the continent, indicating a stark imbalance in reaping the benefits of the carbon market. Drawing from her experience, Deniz recounts her involvement in the 'carbon sequestration of ocean assets' project, where nature-based assets from the ocean are utilized to reduce and absorb carbon emissions. Utilizing a design thinking approach, Deniz and her team proposed the establishment of sustainable carbon markets characterized by ethical offset practices and fair pricing in trades. This project offered valuable insights into the creation and enhancement of carbon markets, emphasizing the importance of companies not merely seeking offsets but committing to long-term carbon emission reduction initiatives. Looking ahead, Deniz Erkus advocates for African countries to forge a collaborative carbon trade market. She envisions African nations coming together to establish their market, characterized by fair pricing and mutual benefit, independent of the dominant markets in Europe and North America. #EastAfricaCarbonMarketsForum #EACMF2024

The recently released 2024 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Indicator report paints a promising picture for #Morocco's progress in industry, #innovation, and infrastructure. Compiled by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the Bertelsmann Foundation, and released last week, the report identifies Morocco as a frontrunner in Africa when it comes to achieving SDG 9.

🌍 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 🌍 As the demand for sustainable solutions accelerates, partnerships are essential for creating impactful, lasting change. In a recent article by the African Centre for a Green Economy, the role of collaboration in driving a just green transition was highlighted as crucial for unlocking Africa’s full potential in sustainable development. Read more here: The Importance of Partnerships for Green Enterprises in Accelerating a Just Transition 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 #GoGreenAfrica? - 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐞 your impact with a growing network of sustainability-driven organisations - 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧 your goals with global and African green economy strategies - 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 local solutions that reflect regional socio-economic realities - 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 corporate leadership in ESG, driving decarbonisation and green finance across the continent - 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞 for increasing global regulation on sustainability standards By partnering with Go Green Africa, you’re not just joining an organisation—you’re contributing to a movement committed to a sustainable, just, and resilient future for Africa. 🌱 📧 Get in touch at hello@gogreenafrica.com and join us on this transformative green journey. #GoGreenAfrica #GreenEconomy #Sustainability #ImpactInvestment #Africa #ESG #Partnerships #ClimateAction