Home | ESG |Environment
We acknowledge the impact of our business operations on the environment and the importance of using natural resources responsibly.
In 2023, the focus on monitoring and reporting was elevated;
this improved overall disclosures across the Group.
| Energy consumption | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grid electricity | 54 941 | 48 083 | 59 408 | 59 523 | 65 035 | ||
| Solar | 3 095 | 2 543 | 1 105 | 1 190 | 891 | ||
| Diesel | 2 389 | 2 076 | 1 297 | 1 221 | 1 396 | ||
| Total energy consumption | 60 425 | 52 703 | 61 810 | 61 934 | 67 322 |
The Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronics Segments have the highest energy consumption due to their energy-intensive manufacturing operations. In 2023, the Group’s grid electricity usage increased by 14% to 54 941 MWh (2022: 48 083 MWh). This was driven mainly by increased production at Zamefa and African Cables.
Reunert manages loadshedding through the use of generators and solar energy. Onsite back-up energy from diesel generators increased by 15% to 2 389 MWh (2022: 2 076 MWh) due to more frequent and higher stages of loadshedding. Our solar PV energy output increased by 22% to 3 095 MWh (2022: 2 543 MWh).
| Water consumption | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal supply | 227 406 | 227 604 | 234 510 | 234 510 | 203 261 | ||
| Borehole withdrawal1 | 1 179 | 1 179 | 46 115 | ||||
| Rainwater harvesting | 3 | 52 | 112 | 112 | 27 689 | ||
| Water recycled | 50 796 | 58 314 | 46 094 | 46 094 | 58 714 | ||
| Total water consumption | 278 205 | 285 969 | 281 895 | 281 895 | 335 779 |
| 1 | Borehole water was measured by CBi-Energy: Telecoms Cables in prior years. |
The Group acknowledges the need to protect scarce water resources. The Group’s manufacturing processes are not water-intensive. Electrical Engineering recycles and reuses water during manufacturing. In 2023, total water consumption decreased by 3% to 278 205 kilolitres (2022: 285 969 kilolitres). Electrical Engineering recycled 50 034 kilolitres of water (2022: 58 314 kilolitres).
The Group is in the process of developing a framework to reduce waste to landfill which will be centred around four key pillars: reduce, reuse, recycle and repair. Our process starts with identifying the waste materials generated through our operations and then deciding on the viable interventions to reduce all waste streams.
The Group monitors waste generated through production to identify opportunities for reduction. Reunert has been tracking waste generated across the different business functions over the past reporting periods. Waste generation data gaps have been identified and focused action plans will be developed to improve reporting. The summary below reflects waste volumes generated across the Group:
| Waste (tons) | 2023 | 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Based on available data | ||||
| Waste to landfill1 | 166 314 | 435 266 | ||
| Recycled waste | 29 963 | 163 840 | ||
| Hazardous waste | 7 567 | 32 | ||
| Total | 278 205 | 285 969 |
| 1 | Waste to landfill waste was reduced by 62% in 2023. |
Adapting to changing economic context and energy transition
Reunert upholds strict requirements for environmental management compliance. The Group’s transformative offerings include renewable energy and smart energy management solutions.
Reunert makes annual submissions to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) – see disclosure report on our website1.
Driver:
CDP provides a standardised reporting framework that allows Reunert to compare performance across the Group and identify areas for improvement.
Increased revenues generated from renewable energy products from less than 1% in 2017 to 8% in 2023.
Driver:
Eskom and municipalities’ energy costs accelerating above inflation Reunert’s strong focus on clean energy as the best option to decarbonisation
Reunert’s business units are supported to obtain ISO 14001 verification to improve their environmental performance through resource efficiency and waste reduction.
Driver:
Maintain environmental performance, reduce waste and pollution and facilitate recycling Reunert’s ISO 14001 certified facilities:
Set targets using the TCFD approach and other relevant guidance frameworks.
Governance – current status: Board oversight in place.
Next action: Consider performance metrics to be measured at Board level.
Strategy – current status: Reunert recognises the risk presented by climate change.
Next action: Define climate-specific risks that are relevant to each business entity.
Risk management – current status: Risk management framework in place.
Next action: Standardise the assessment of risk across the different business units.
Metrics and targets – current status: GHG disclosure metrics in place.
Next step: Use GHG data to inform decision-making and actions towards combating climate change.
Reunert has considered the risks and opportunities associated with climate change, and these are incorporated into the Sustainability Strategy. Our approach to climate change risks is based on conducting material assessment (identify risks and opportunities), managing risks, monitoring impacts and reporting.
Identify risks and opportunities
Determine risk response
Track and monitor risks and impacts
Progress towards mitigating risks
The Group’s primary climate-related risks are summarised as follows:
Operational boundaries
Stationary fuel
combustion
4 086 tCO2e (2022: 4 477)
Mobile
combustion
3 716 tCO2e (2022: 3 595)
Reunert electricity (owned sites)
Upstream leased
assets
5 170 tCO2e (2022: 6 915)
Business travel
1 646 tCO2e (2022: 1 530)
Employee commute
10 255 tCO2e (2022: 9 703)
Purchased goods
and services
180 080 tCO2e (2022: 139 708)
Waste
147 tCO2e (2022: 277)
Total carbon footprint 238 788 CO2e (2022: 203 380)
3 Percentage of total carbon footprint
Responding to climate change through renewable energy generation
Renewable energy is an important initiative to reduce Scope 2 emissions. Reunert has a 297 kW peak solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Reunert Park in Midrand, a 429 kW peak solar PV system at Fuchs Electronics and a 1,1 MW peak system at CBi-Electric: Low Voltage.
Reunert’s climate-related opportunities
Reunert is well-positioned to benefit from the worldwide drive towards a low-carbon future. The Group is capitalising on market opportunities including energy efficiency and optimisation, renewable energy and electrification to improve access to greener forms of energy.
Several of Reunert’s business units are well-placed to develop strategies to maximise these opportunities within electricity management and the digitisation of electrical monitoring. These include optimising energy through digitised control and monitoring and specialised Internet of Things Circuit Breaker products.
Green solutions
Reunert has a local market leadership position in solar energy generation and storage through its business units and joint venture.
Terra Firma Solutions engineers and constructs solar plants for customers and builds in its own plants to generate solar electricity for customers, and Blue Nova Energy supplies battery storage energy solutions. Read more about these business units on Renewable Energy. The Circuit Breaker Cluster develops products that are used in green technology environments. These are well-suited to energy management applications due to their leading technology and small size. Read more on Circuit Breakers.