MTN Group is committed to enabling the benefits of a modern connected life for everyone in the markets. The 2022 Sustainability Report (SR) spells out the work in the year to create shared value, with ESG at the core.
In a year fraught with challenges, MTN remained focused on ensuring that they create value for stakeholders through responsible environmental, social, governance and economic value-added practices and solutions.
The challenges included the protracted effects of the pandemic and the first war in Europe in 80 years, accelerating inflation, supply chain disruptions and the escalating climate crisis.
Reflecting on the increasing global focus on sustainability, Nompilo Morafo, MTN Group Chief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Officer said,
“Organisations are now expected from than ever before to operate responsibly, with integrity, and with a focus on the wellbeing of our communities and planet. By combining our core connectivity and mobility strengths with emerging technologies such as 5G, AI, cloud computing and machine learning, we are laying the groundwork for a thriving digital economy and helping to solve many of the challenges facing our customers and communities today.”
Among key ESG metrics on which MTN made improvements in 2022 are the Group’s reduction of GHG emissions in the year (approximately 13.9%^ compared to an annual target of 3.5% in pursuit of reaching Net Zero emissions by 2040); MTN’s contribution to sustainable societies through increasing broadband coverage (to 88% of the population from 83% in 2021); and performance score on governance, freedom of expression and privacy according to Ranking Digital Rights (the most improved company in the index for the second year in a row).
A case study on Rwanda shows MTN’s MoMo platform integration to enable the collection of various government services, taxes and fees, and the disbursement of local government payments to vulnerable people, as well as the payment of university student bursaries and teacher salaries through MoMo.
“All these efforts – including our work to cut GHG emissions, strengthen data privacy and security, minimise the gender pay gap and uphold digital human rights are reflected in the continued improvement in the ESG ratings accorded to MTN by key raters and rankers,”
says Morafo.