Corporate Social Responsibility

Our commitment to a sustainable future for Africa

Lonrho believes that its investments and acquisitions in Africa encourage job creation and help to stimulate economic activity in those countries in which it operates. The Group endeavours to make a positive difference to the local communities in which its companies are based.

• Luba Freeport sponsors the local school which provides education for over 100 children. Domestic waste disposal services are also provided for the town of Luba. Students are employed on an annual basis providing valuable work experience.
• Fly540 recently paid for the construction of a kitchen block at the Imani Childrens Home in Kenya, which  greatly improves the quality of life of the children in the home. Fly540 also hosted Imani's Christmas Party, provides free flights to their branches and sponsors the further education of a number of children.
• Fly540 provided free flights to doctors involved in Operation Smile, sponsored the Children’s Christmas Party at the Terry Hope Centre, and has provided assistance in the form of flights or donations to eleven local community organisations.
• As part of Fly540’s ongoing commitment to preserving the environment, Fly540 has been involved in tree planting in both Mombasa and Nairobi as a contribution towards the drive to preserve the water catchment areas in Kenya. It has also supported and promoted the cleaning up of the beach, and was involved in tree planting, in Bujumbura, Burundi.
• Hotel Cardoso funded the repainting of the local secondary school buildings. The hotel has also undertaken the landscaping of the park adjacent to the Hotel, Zona de Jogos, which has been funded by the Hotel, along with an amphitheatre for use by schoolchildren and the public. The park provides a good safe venue for children at the adjacent school to use during breaks and after school hours. A café was opened in March 2009 employing 23 additional staff.
• Hotel Cardoso donated furniture, bed linen and towels to local charities following the refurbishment undertaken at the Hotel.
• Hotel Cardoso provided an in-house clinic for 178 staff members and their immediate families, with a full time nurse and a qualified doctor who visits the clinic twice daily.
  
• Kwikbuild has donated two care centres for underprivileged pre-school children in Cape Town.
• Kwikbuild made a cash donation towards essential equipment for a medical facility in Khayalitshe in Cape Town and a number of smaller donations to local community organisations to assist them with building facilities.

Lonrho recognises that employment is key to the growth of Africa and currently employs over 2,500 people throughout the Group. All employees are treated equally and with respect, and the Company encourages internal and external training of staff where appropriate to develop requisite knowledge and skills.

Kwikbuild is creating employment for subcontractors to erect the buildings that they manufacture. The necessary training is provided and quality checks are carried out on their work in the field. This is recognised as a transfer of skills by the South African Government and contributes towards the company’s Black Economic Empowerment status.

Lonrho aims to protect the environment and has an office recycling policy whereby waste paper is recycled where possible. Company stationary and business cards are produced using recycled stock and Annual and Interim Reports are printed on ‘9 lives 55’ stock, which is produced with 55% recycled fibre together with 45% FSC certified virgin fibre from well managed forests.

To maximise the benefit to the communities in which Lonrho operates, the Group will continue to develop its corporate and social responsibility programme over the coming year. A Committee of the Board of Lonrho Plc has recently been established.