Navigate our Website

Social Environment

For purposes of the social environment, the Senwes Group focuses on:

• Corporate Social Investments (CSI), development through various projects with Thobo Trust;
• Sponsorships and donations;
• Health and safety (SHEQ);
• Sound consumer and marketing practices and relationships.

as well as the overall wellness of all the stakeholders of the Senwes Group and individuals as contemplated in the Bill of Rights in terms of the right to life, equality and human dignity.

Public health and safety matters are covered under the SHEQ policy.

Strategic Corporate Social Investment

Senwes’ strategy emphasizes forward-looking, integrated and strategic interventions, based on a well-researched understanding of current and anticipated future problems, designing long-term solutions thereto. It seeks to:

• Corporate Social Investments (CSI), development through various projects with Thobo Trust;
• Leverage the resources, potential and opportunities of communities, to ensure that they can take ownership and responsibility for their development;
• Work in partnership with the community, government, non-governmental organisations and other businesses in a consultative manner; and
• Support emerging farmer development.

Thobo Trust ("the Trust")

Thobo Trust is an independent Trust that was founded by the Senwes Group in 2014, to facilitate the corporate social investments of the Senwes Group to ensure effective and sustainable development of rural communities, throughout the Senwes Group’s area of operation. The client base of the Senwes Group operates in these areas hence to ensure the sustainability of these areas, the Trust was mandated to focus on the area of operation of the Senwes Group.

The purpose of the Trust is to contribute to the development and sustainability of rural communities through education, food security, sport and infrastructure. The Trust also serves the purpose of contributing to the Senwes Group’s BBBEE status and credentials to ensure compliance with the BBBEE provisions as contemplated in the BBBEE Act and the AgriBEE Sector Code.

During the year under review, the Trust was involved with the following initiatives:

Successful launch of Morabaraba Game

At the end of 2022, Thobo Trust, the CSI arm of the Senwes Group, identified an opportunity with Tjaart Kotze from the farm Ratzegaaiskraal to establish a sustainable vegetable garden and to provide resources for the game “Morabaraba” at schools in the area.

28 Apr 2023

Senwes Spinners | Exciting new national developments

In 2022, seventeen years after the inception of the Senwes Spinners Farm School Programme, the programme is donning a brand new jacket, expanding its focus and is being rolled-out on a national level.

9 Mar 2022

Senwes Spinners | Playing towards a better tomorrow

Senwes teamed up with Cricket South Africa (CSA), the Free State Cricket Union, Perfect Bounce and Thobo Trust to install cricket nets and a mobile kitchen at the Itokisetseng Combined Farm School in the Wesselsbron area. The school is in close proximity to Senwes’ Losdoorns silo.

28 June 2022

Kinderglimlagte en hoop vir Kersfees

The #SenwesChristmasTree22 celebration, in collaboration with Thobo Trust, took place over two days this year, and on 9 and 10 November the site of Senwes' head office in Klerksdorp was transformed into a play-until-you-drop oasis.

15 Nov 2022

The annual Senwes Christmas party was a huge success and everyone agrees: Christmas is a time of hope, goodwill and togetherness. Thank you to every sponsor who contributed to the success of this project.

Sponsorships and donations

Summarised sponsorship policy

Senwes only supports initiatives that align with its core values, policies and objectives with a specific focus on the agricultural sector and industries in which Senwes operates. Senwes do not support events or activities that are exclusionary on the basis of race, religion, gender or disability and strive to promote the principles of equity, access, participation, rights and accessibility for all groups in the community. Senwes only consider initiatives that are credible and relevant and demonstrate legislative compliance whilst encouraging partnership and cooperation.

The Senwes Group automatically contributes a percentage of its profits to registered farmers’ associations, whose members are AgriRewards members, based on the business conducted by these members with participating companies in the Senwes Group.

This cash benefit is funded by the Senwes Group and is in addition to current benefits allocated to AgriRewards members. AgriRewards+ provides a structured manner to channel donations to communities with the farmers’ association as the conduit.

Emerging farmer development

After successfully approving the merger between the Senwes and the Suidwes Group in 2020, Senwes was required to extend material financial assistance to black farmers. Agri Credit Solutions (Pty) Limited (“ACS”) is the credit arm of Senwes and provides these loans and other support. In terms of this condition, ACS extends production loans to black farmers to the value of at least R20 million per season and on a cumulative basis up to R60 million in aggregate.

ACS is accordingly committed to providing production loans for, but not limited to, grain and cattle farming to qualifying black farmers in terms of, and subject to, the group’s credit policy and accompanying qualifying criteria.

For the year under review, ACS has assisted eleven developing farmers with production loans and term loans. These farmers planted maize, soybean and sunflower and credit lines of R 36,7 million have been established. In aggregate, the emerging farmers have taken up 81% of the credit to the value of R29,8 million.

ACS also provide continuous agricultural support and mentoring to these farmers during the entire season with mentorship programmes. Information sessions are also being conducted regularly to update farmers on trends and developments in the grain industry.

Road infrastructure maintenance

Geelmasjiene maak paaie gelyk vir Senwes produsente

Vir ons as individue is dit onmoontlik om self die toerusting aan te skaf om die paaie te skraap en om die rede het ons groot waardering vir die werk wat gedoen word. Ons kan nou met ʼn geruste hart silo toe ry en dit is my wens dat dié projek selfs nog meer plekke sal bereik en nog meer produsente sal baat.

22 Mar 2022

Senwes maak paaie gelyk vir produsente

‘n Effektiewe padinfrastruktuur dien as ’n lewensaar vir boerderygemeenskappe, maar in ’n tyd wat gekenmerk word deur swak padtoestande en ’n algemene verval van infrastruktuur, is dit egter ‘n struikelblok wat ekonomiese aktiwiteite en vooruitgang ernstig knou.

06 Oct 2022

Sound consumer and marketing practices and relationships

Senwes deals with customers and consumers fairly, equitably and transparently as contemplated in the Senwes Code of Ethics.

The Senwes Group is a participant of the Consumer Goods and Services Ombudsman and subscribes to the prevailing consumer protection legislation.

Furthermore, in terms of consumer protection, Certisure (Insurance), Senwes (share trading), Senwes (JSE Safex) and Hedge Fund (grain trading) are registered and licenced at the appropriate regulatorily authorities, being the JSE (SAFEX), National Credit Regulator and Financial Services Conduct Authority.

Senwes is also FAIS licenced (authorised financial advisory and intermediary), including codes of good practice and treating customers fairly.

FAIS Key Individuals and representatives must comply with FCSA board notices which oblige completing appropriate and prescribed maintenance of relevant qualifications (CPD Hours). An external compliance officer, Moonstone Compliance also assists Certisure with its compliance obligations.

The Senwes Group launched a loyalty scheme known as AgriRewards in 2016. AgriRewards has been successful in attracting and retaining customers of the Group.

The protection of personal information as contemplated in the Protection of Personal Information Act no 4 of 2013 (POPIA) is critical for the Senwes Group and awareness and training to ensure that the information from clients, customers, as well as other stakeholders, are protected, is provided continuously. Senwes also implemented various actions in order to ensure compliance with the act which was communicated on the one-year anniversary of POPIA.

Economic environment

For purposes of the economic environment, the Senwes Group focuses on:

• Economic development;
• Prevention of fraud and corruption;
• B-BBEE;
• Ethics and Transparent Governance and Practices.

Economic development

The Senwes Group actively supports economic development through emerging farmers’ support and CSI.

The Senwes Group operates across seven of the nine provinces and pays on average R330 million tax per annum as well as paying salaries and providing skills training (direct employment costs).

Prevention of fraud and corruption

The Senwes Group has a zero-tolerance stance when it comes to fraud and corruption. The board and management of Senwes are aware of the threat of commercial crime for the organisation and wish to send an unequivocal message to all employees, shareholders, clients and suppliers regarding Senwes’ point of view in this regard.

An official Senwes Whistle Blowing Policy has been implemented to prevent and combat any form of crime or irregular activities. The policy is regularly reviewed.

Different methods are used to detect fraud that includes among others internal audits, exception reports and a Whistle Blow Hotline. The Whistle Blow Hotline is managed by an external service provider to ensure independence and to give a Whistle Blower the necessary boldness to report irregularities.

The methodology followed when irregularities are reported is as follows:

• The investigation of the alleged offence;
• Internal disciplinary investigations if applicable;
• Recovery of losses;
• Implementation of internal controls to mitigate risks; and
• Reporting of incidents to prosecuting authorities, if applicable.

During the year 2023, one hundred and one (101) incidents of unethical behaviour or suspected fraud and corruption were reported or identified. Twelve (12) of these incidents were reported on the Whistle Blow Hotline.

The Senwes Group is vigilant in terms of corrupt practices. Accordingly, the provisions of Section 34 of the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 ("PRECCA") are strictly adhered to.

Section 34 requires all people in positions of authority in both the public and the private sector to report certain corrupt offences to the police if they have a reasonable suspicion that a corrupt act has taken place. A failure to act in circumstances where there is a legal duty on a person to act positively will constitute a crime. This includes the failure to report fraud where there is a reasonable suspicion that fraud has occurred. The elements of the offence under s 34(1) are:

• A person who holds a position of authority;
• Who knows or ought to reasonably have known that any person has committed an offence as stipulated in Chapter, Part 1 to 4 or Section 20 to 21 of PRECCA or the offence of theft, fraud, extortion, forgery or uttering a forged document concerning the amount of R100 000 or more.

Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE)

Thobo Trust serves the purpose of contributing to the Senwes Group’s BBBEE status and credentials to ensure compliance with the BBBEE provisions as contemplated in the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, no. 53 of 2003 and the Agri BEE Sector Code (2017) issued in terms of the B-BBEE Act.

Senwes Limited is compliant with the BBB EE Agri Sector Code in most respects but for the requirement of management and control. The management and control requirement had been complied with until Senwes’ B-BBEE partner, the Bafokeng Consortium, exited its investment in Senwes. The Senwes board of directors adopted a strategy to ensure compliance at level 5 after April 2024.

Ethics and Transparent Governance and Practices

The Senwes Group is committed to ethically conducting business and seeks to promote ethical behaviour in all our dealings.

In this regard, the Group has a policy of zero tolerance for unethical conduct irrespective of the size or impact of the consequences of the unethical behaviour on the business.

Zero tolerance means that unethical conduct will not be tolerated, and therefore all reported or identified alleged unethical conduct should be formally investigated, and appropriate corrective or disciplinary action taken. Failure to investigate and take action is in itself unethical conduct.

The Compliance and Ethics governance structures of the Senwes Group had been combined in 2022 to streamline them and avoid unnecessary duplication. The designated compliance officers have also been appointed as “Ethics Officers” in terms of a written appointment.

The following policies are in place to support the management of ethics and to ensure an honest culture:

• Ethics Code of Conduct;
• Declaration of Conflicts Policy (including the Gifts Policy); and
• Whistleblowing Policy.

Focused communication and actions are taken regularly to increase awareness of the policies and their requirements.

Managers across the board are expected to make it easy for their employees to communicate openly and freely on matters regarding ethics.

All employees and directors are expected to pledge their commitment to the companies’ values and ethical behaviour and to report incidences of unethical conduct, to ensure that the two-pronged strategy of promoting ethical behaviour, whilst combating unethical behaviour, is successfully implemented.

All reported incidents will be investigated and should sufficient information be provided; appropriate corrective action will be taken.

Senwes values – The foundation of our Code of Ethics

Integrity

We always do the right things for the right reasons and act ethically.

Business Orientation

All our actions are oriented towards meeting the needs and solving the problems of our customers, and all our stakeholders professionally.

Self-motivation

We are self-motivated in the pursuit of the company’s vision, as well as the realisation of our career aspirations.

Innovation

We strive to be creative, imaginative, and resourceful in seeking solutions to business challenges and meeting customer needs.

Loyalty

We are always loyal to Senwes and act in the best interest of the company while taking into consideration the interest of all its stakeholders.

Accountability

We are responsible and accountable for our actions and committed to providing complete, truthful, accurate, and timely information to all our stakeholders.

Ethics initiatives:

Ethics Playbook

The Ethics Playbook, launched in June 2022, has been updated and the revised version below:

The findings of the group-wide Culture Survey launched during the year under review, indicated that throughout the Senwes Group the values of “honesty” and “integrity” is consistently part of both the current and the desired culture.

Regular Ethics awareness campaigns are conducted through the Senwes Group.

July 2022 awareness campaign and competition

July 2022 was Ethics month at Senwes and an ethics campaign was launched to create awareness regarding the Senwes Ethics Code and ethical values. Key chains reflecting the company’s ethical values were distributed and staff were asked about their understanding of ethical values. Two competitions were held to promote Ethics month. The first competition, in the form of a lucky draw, saw the winners walking away with big prizes which included Hinterland Fuel gift vouchers valued at R 1 000 each, Hinterland gift vouchers of R 500 each and BruDer Coffee gift vouchers.

The second competition ended in August 2022 at which stage management announced the following 3 winners:

First place

Hinterland Vereeniging

Second place

Legal and Secretariat

Third place

Agri Credit Solutions (ACS)

February 2023 Rally - Race and Ethics

Recently, staff members from the head office in Klerksdorp took part in a box cart rally, showcasing their creativity and teamwork. Read the full article.

Workplace

One of the key stakeholders of the Senwes Group is its employees. Equitable and fair labour practices as well as compliance with prevailing labour legislation and training prescriptions are key to the Senwes Group’s sustainability. Senwes has adopted over time sound remuneration philosophies and policies which are available in the Senwes Integrated Report for the year under review.

Employee value proposition

Senwes strives to be an employer of choice. In this regard, Senwes has developed an employee value proposition, which steers the group’s employee engagement and talent strategy towards the realisation of that vision. The purpose of our employee value proposition is to enable the organisation to attract prospective talent, improve employee engagement and performance, inculcate behaviour consistent with our values, develop an enabling and supportive work environment and retain talent.

• Creating great companies to work for;
• Providing challenging jobs and growth opportunities;
• Providing an enabling safe, healthy and supportive work environment (refer to SHEQ); and
• Providing employee recognition and market competitive rewards.

Talent development

Senwes Graduate Programme: fostering excellence and growth

At Senwes, we believe in investing in the future by nurturing and developing young talent. Our Graduate Programme bears testament to this commitment, as we provide a platform for 15 exceptional graduates, placed in various departments to embark on a transformative journey towards professional excellence.

The core objective of our Graduate Programme is to empower these individuals to become agents of positive change within their respective departments. To achieve this, each graduate is tasked with implementing an efficiency project tailored to their department's specific needs. By taking ownership of these projects, our graduates gain hands-on experience in driving innovation, streamlining processes-, and enhancing overall efficiency. We believe that these projects not only contribute to the growth of our organisation but also provide our graduates with invaluable insights into the intricacies of their chosen fields.

Furthermore, we recognise that true leadership extends beyond technical expertise. With this in mind, our Graduate Programme places a strong emphasis on personal and leadership development. Throughout the year, our graduates participate in a comprehensive programme designed to enhance their leadership skills, self-awareness, and ability to collaborate effectively within teams. This holistic approach ensures that our graduates are not only equipped with the technical skills required for their roles, but also possess the qualities of influential leaders who can inspire and drive change within the Senwes Group.

By providing our graduates with a well-rounded understanding of these critical areas, we prepare them to tackle challenges head-on, make informed decisions, and contribute to the sustainable growth of our company.

We are proud to provide a nurturing environment that supports the growth and development of our graduates. Through mentorship, ongoing training-, and exposure to various facets of Senwes, we create an ecosystem where these young talents can thrive and realise their full potential.

As we continue to invest in our Graduate Programme, we extend our gratitude to the mentors, leaders, and departments who actively contribute to the success of this initiative. Together, we are building a strong foundation for the future of Senwes, driven by a team of talented and visionary individuals who are committed to excellence and growth.

The success of our Graduate Programme bears testament to our dedication to nurturing talent and fostering a culture of continuous learning. We are excited to witness the impact these graduates will make as they embark on their professional journeys, equipped with the knowledge, skills, and experiences gained through this transformative programme.

Graduation Ceremony – Senwes Academy

The Senwes Academy celebrated its 12th graduation ceremony on 23 September 2022. 115 employees were recognised and rewarded for the completion of a formal learning programme or a qualification with national status.

32 learners completed a non-credit-bearing certificate and academic programme that aimed to enhance their management skills and knowledge. These programmes provided employees with specialised training in their respective fields, equipping them with the necessary expertise to excel in their roles.

• 7 employees from Grainlink completed their Grain Management Development programme
• 7 employees from Senwes Equipment completed their Management Development programme for Workshops managers
• 18 employees from Hinterland, Senwes Equipment and Senwes Grainlink completed the Advanced Management Programme

28 employees completed the Game Players Operational Leadership Programme which focused on the development of leadership skills and promoting effective teamwork among employees. This programme aimed to enhance operational efficiency and drive innovation within Senwes.

In addition to these commendable achievements, we also celebrated the receivers of national certificates during the graduation ceremony. Each of these certificates represents a significant milestone in the professional development of our employees, showcasing their dedication and expertise in their respective fields.

• 6 learners from Hinterland completed their AET Level 1 programme
• 26 learners from various silos completed their NQF3 Grain Handling Process qualification
• 5 learners from various silos completed their NQF6 Grain Handling Management qualification
• 16 apprentices completed their qualification as a tractor mechanics, one completed the fitter and turner qualification and one completed the boilermaker qualification

The Senwes Graduation Ceremony provided an opportunity for us to acknowledge and honour the hard work, commitment, and exceptional performance of our employees. By investing in their skills development, we not only empower them to reach their full potential, but also contribute to the sustainable growth and success of our company.

Revolutionising training with e-Learning: empowering our team for success

In line with Senwes’ vision to provide our employees with opportunities for growth and development, we have embraced the power of online training through the rolling out of computers at our business units and the implementation of our online platform, Stride. With this initiative we hope to transform the way we deliver training and open up a world of possibilities, especially to our employees at the branches and silos.

Through Stride, we offer a wide range of agri-related short courses designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of our employees. By making these resources readily available, we empower our team to expand their expertise, stay up-to-date with industry advancements, and ultimately contribute to the overall success of Senwes.

Additionally, recognising the importance of the retail aspect of our business, we have developed retail-related courses that are accessible to our employees without the need for costly and time-consuming travel. This initiative not only reduces our carbon footprint but also eliminates the barriers of distance and expense, allowing our team members to develop their retail skills conveniently and efficiently. With these courses, we equip our employees with the knowledge and tools required to provide exceptional service to our customers, fostering customer satisfaction and loyalty.

By embracing online learning, we prioritise sustainability by reducing the need for travel and paper-based resources. This shift not only minimises our environmental impact, but also optimises the use of technology to enhance our employees' learning experience. With the flexibility of online training, our team members can access courses at their own pace and convenience, fostering a culture of continuous learning that fits seamlessly into their busy schedules.

Empowering education: Senwes internal bursary scheme

We understand the transformative power of education and its ability to unlock new opportunities and drive personal and professional growth. In line with our commitment to invest in our employees, we are proud to have offered internal bursaries to support 50 of our employees in furthering their studies during the 2022/2023 financial year.

Our internal bursary scheme is designed to empower our employees to pursue their educational aspirations and expand their knowledge and skills, whether by enrolling in short courses to gain specialised knowledge or pursuing a full-fledged degree, we provide financial assistance and support to help individuals achieve their academic goals.

Skills development dashboard

The last column highlights changes in training indicators for the current year-to-date compared to the previous year-to-date.

Training figures show a decrease in overall attendance and costs due to many executive and management development programmes whihc were offered during the previous financial year, or which were completed at the beginning of the current financial year. Delegates have been nominated similar programmes and will be enrolled for the 2023/2024 financial year. High attendance rates may not necessarily mean high training costs as a large part of the training attendance consists of internal online training at no costs, such as harassment training by the employee relations team.

Training figures for the current year to date refelct a decrease in attendance and costs compared to the previous year, while the skills investment percentage for BBBEE/EE-candidates reflect an increase.

The skills investment % for the BBEEE/EE-candidates has shown an increase over the last few months which indicates that the measures that have been put in place such as exposing more BBBEE/EE-employees to training and appointing the “BEE” and “YES” learners, have had a positive impact thus far.

The following graph compares the distribution of training costs across the different training categories for the previous and current financial year-to-date:

Lastly, the WSP/ATR submissions for the 2022-2023 financial year have finalised and all reports for the various companies have been submitted to the relevant SETAs. The chart below indicates that 37% of skills expenditure captured for the year to date had been in the C-Band followed by 33% in the B-Band, 23% in the A-Band and 7% in the D-Band. Employees within the C-Band were mostly branch and silo managers.

Most of the of training costs fall within the Management and Supervisory Skills category, which reflects the Game Changers/Players Programmes and other Management Development Programmes such as the Advanced Management, Management Development, Project Management and Difficult Conversations programmes.

Employment Equity

Employment Equity forum meetings within the Senwes Group

The EEA2 and EEA-4-submissions for 11 companies are submitted annually to the Department of Labour. A total of 44 quarterly Employment Equity Forum meetings took place within the Senwes Group during the past financial year. Company policies and procedures were reviewed and where necessary, policies and procedures were reviewed.

Recent Department of Labour activities

A Department of Labour audit was conducted on Hinterland and Hinterland Fuels during April 2023. Documents were submitted to the Department of Labour as requested. Both companies were declared administratively compliant by the Department of Labour.

Senwes Group employee profile

Natural environment

The Senwes Group adopted a precautionary approach to environmental challenges and responsible environmental resource management.

As an intermediary service provider for both the primary agricultural sectors (commercial farming sector) as well as the processors of primary foodstuffs, the continued sustainability and uninterrupted service delivery remain key for the Group’s survival.

The continued interruptions and load shedding have impacted the Group and alternative arrangements for especially the intake of grain were made during the year under review.

Protection of the natural environment in terms of the use of hazardous materials to ensure food safety is top of mind for Senwes Grainlink.

Energy and Development

Our energy and environmental strategy is based the following three pillars:

• Affordability;
• Reliability and;
• Sustainability.

To achieve these focus areas, various technical initiatives are executed in line with our focus areas of metering, energy efficiency, process optimization and energy generation.

Understanding our footprint:

It is important to be aware of the Senwes footprint in order to understand how to manage and limit the impact on the environment. The foot-print for energy consumption for the financial year is reflect below. With the exeption of Grainlink the of the remainder of the portfolios energy usage is significantly lower due load-shedding.

Managing our Footprint:

The largest energy demand and consumption contributor portfolios are metered and managed to ensure awareness and to measure the outcome of any initiatives.The energy demand and consumption of the Silo Operations portfolio are reflected in the bar charts below.

Ensuring Business Continuity:

Continuous supply of electricity is vital for the operations of Senwes’. The standby generator portfolio is being expanded and optimised at critical sites to ensure business continuity. An additional 11 generators were purchased during the financial year for certain silo’s to improve the stability of electricity supply.

Furthermore, the effectiveness of the generators is ensured though maintenance programmes.

Given the unavoidable load-shedding and business interuption, Senwes cannot currently escape the unfortunate higher carbon-foot print caused by standby genrators.

However, where possible, solar is used as alternative and investigations are in process for the development and implementation of microgrid solutions.

Reducing our footprint:

Senwes has taken strides in reducing its environmental impact and has managed to implement initiatives within the group. Plans are in place to ensure that high energy consumption systems are phased out through a combination of design, maintenance and replacement strategies being implemented.

To reduce the energy footprint with regards to energy the following initiatives have been put in place:

• Monitoring and evaluating performance levels at Senwes business units, using check meters;
• Energy audits that include data collection and cost/benefit analyses;
• Power factor correction to reduce electricity demand (KVA) and improve capacity;
• Establishment of a monitoring and target-setting system and the provision of regular reports on costs and consumption;
• Implementation of Solar-PV infrastructure, deriving energy from natural and available resources which reduce the operating costs and produces little or no waste products such as carbon dioxide or other chemical pollutants;
• Maintaining equipment correctly and safely disposing of fluorescent lights;
• Increased awareness of energy issues among staff and using energy more efficiently;

Solar PV grid-tied 753kWp system was installed at the Senwes Head Office in Klerksdorp generating approximately 45% of the total energy requirement of the facility.

The performance of the system and corresponding environment impact to date are reflected below:

• Total energy consumption avoided : 6 017 MWh
• Total CO2 avoided : 5 823 ton
• Total water consumption avoided : 8 032 kL

Solar PV grid-tied 358kWp system was installed at the Senwes Head Office in Klerksdorp generating approximately 50% of the total energy requirement of the facility.

The performance of the system and corresponding environment impact to date are reflected below:

• Total energy consumption avoided : 2 234 MWh
• Total CO2 avoided : 2 138 ton
• Total water consumption avoided : 2 949 kL

SHEQ

Senwes acknowledges and understands that an organisation cannot be sustainable without promoting the safety, health, and welfare of its employees.

The safety, health and wellbeing of employees are of the highest importance. Without this, Senwes would not be able to achieve such successes as it has thus far.

Creating a workplace that fosters care and well-being-, is essential to the success of the company, the result being a positive and supporting safety culture that is nurtured within the Senwes Group.

A dedicated SHEQ-unit ensures that the company complies with all statutory requirements that govern the business. The safety management system is standardised to the ISO-standards. although not officially certified, it illustrates the international standard is incorporated at a fundamental level.

The SHEQ-division has launched a wellness initiative through which an on-site medical centre was established in collaboration with OHS Care to provide medical evaluation for personnel. This aims to ensure that personnel are looked after and kept healthy.

New projects launched by Senwes SHEQ-division are the reinvention of the current safety management system and the digitisation of the safety management system, with a view remain at the forefront of health and safety and the to ensure that latest technologies are implemented to ensure a safer work environment for personnel.

The SHEQ-division has developed a new strategy with the pillars outlined as below:

• Hazard identification & risk assessment improvement
• Shared responsibility assurance improvement programmes
• Mitigation of risk protocols;
• Reduction of incidents;
• Improved health of personnel;
• Empowering employees through upskilling and training programs;
• SHEQ-systems improvement;
• SHEQ-sfficiency improvement through communication campaigns
• Continuous risk reduction through change processes.

Quality management

Senwes’ Grainlink aims to manage the quality of grain in the silos as well as to identify any risks. Senwes undertakes weekly quality inspections collected via Quality APP.

CO2 levels are monitored daily to ensure that all risks for example insect infestation, temperature in bins and any irregularities that might appear that may influence the quality of the grain. Quality management of the grain is crucial, and priority is afforded thereto continuously according to Agricultural Products Standards Act no.119 of 1990 and prevalent JSE requirements for registered silos.

Focus areas remain:

• Cleaning and drying of gain;
• Aeration;
• Dust containment;
• Accurate measurement of grain held.

Senwes’ laboratory is part of the quality management department and ensures that samples are sent for regular testing. The laboratory also does inspections and assists Grainlink with service regarding the grading of grains.