BAT Kenya on course to meet its climate change targets

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By Isaac OGANGA

BAT Kenya is targeting renewable energy alternatives as part of the global BAT Group’s sustainability plans.

Through a regulatory notice, BAT Kenya recently announced that it will make an application to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) for a licence to generate electric power through a captive solar installation with a capacity of 1,400kWp. Further, BAT Kenya last week received its third energy compliance certificate issued by EPRA.

BAT Kenya was the first in Kenya to receive this certification back in 2015 and is currently one of only eight organisations with the certification.

BAT Kenya’s energy management action aligns with the BAT Group’s recent publication of its Low-Carbon Transition Plan, which details actions that the Company will take to reach its climate targets.

This includes halving absolute emissions across its value chain by 2030, from a 2020 baseline, and to be net zero across its value chain by 2050 at the latest[i].

Crispin Achola, BAT Kenya’s Managing Director said:

“We are proud to take this latest step in our sustainability journey. Our solar project in Kenya responds to the growing need to transition to cleaner energy and help respond to the threat of climate change.

“By outlining the measures we will take to live up to our Net Zero targets through our Low-Carbon Transition Plan, the BAT Group is demonstrating continuing commitment to building A Better Tomorrow^TM. We know that minimising impacts across our operations and value chain is the right thing to do, as well as making sound business sense. That is why we have set stretching science-based climate-related targets and continue to embed sustainability across our business.”

Globally, the BAT Group has been consistently recognised for performance in sustainability and was named as a 2022 Climate Leader by the Financial Times, for successfully lowering its emissions intensity, and received the highest gold class in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2022.

The Company was also featured in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for the 20^th consecutive year in 2021 and was the only tobacco company named on the DJSI’s World Index that same year.

Locally, BAT Kenya has been recognised on numerous occasions for its leading role in energy management. In 2016 and 2021, the Company received the Overall Energy Management Award at the Kenya Association of Manufacturers Energy Management Awards.