Building a Sustainable Future: Bata Africa’s Commitment to Resilience

As industries worldwide navigate increasing environmental and social challenges, resilience is key. Stanton Ameeth, Regional Head of Sustainability for Africa, shares insights into the company’s commitment to sustainability and the initiatives shaping its future.

How did you become Regional Head of Sustainability for Africa?

My path to this role was unexpected yet deeply rewarding. With my background in Risk Management, Internal Audit, and Health and Safety, I built a strong foundation in operational excellence and responsible business.

Recognising the growing importance of sustainability, Bata offered me the opportunity to take on this role, allowing me to merge my expertise with my passion for responsible business. Today, I am proud to contribute to Bata’s sustainability journey across Africa.

Tell us more about your department’s structure and responsibilities.

We operate as One Team on a regional and global level, ensuring sustainability is part of everything we do from how we run our factories to how we sell our shoes. We empower our teams to drive meaningful changes aligned with our broader objectives.

Our work is structured around four key pillars: Safety@Bata, Social Responsability, Climate Resilience, and Product Sustainability.

Collaboration is at the heart of our strategy. When one team discovers an effective solution, we share and scale it across our operations, ensuring continuous improvement and impact.

What are the benefits of prioritising Sustainability?

For Bata, sustainability is about smart leadership and building a lasting company that honours Tomas Bata’s legacy. It's not just about compliance, it’s about finding innovative ways to strengthen our operations, making Bata more resilient while staying true to our core values.

By going beyond regulations, we enhance efficiency, reduce costs, streamline processes, strengthen relationships, and reinforce our commitment to environmental stewardship. This approach benefits our teams, the environment, and the communities where we operate.

We are not just adapting to change; we are ensuring Bata thrives for generations to come.

How does Bata Africa approach sustainability?

Our strategy is straightforward: do what’s right for our people, our planet, and our business. We focus on three key areas:

• Our People: Prioritizing safe workplaces, fair labour practices, and fostering an inclusive culture. We train employees on behaviour-based safety and encourage open communication.
• Our Planet: Reducing our environmental footprint by transitioning to greener energy sources such as briquettes, solar, and steam. We also integrate eco-friendly materials, including biodegradable and recycled components, into our products.
• Our Business: We are building a strong, local future. 'Africa for Africa' isn't just talk; it's how we grow by manufacturing and buying locally, supporting our communities.

What progress has your team made across Bata’s African operations?

We’ve made significant strides in several areas, including:

• Workplace Safety: We upgraded 57 rotary machines in four African in-house manufactures and are expanding safety measures across all areas, including distribution and retail, prioritizing the well-being of every team member.
• Worker-Led Safety Teams: In Zimbabwe, we trained and certified 10 factory workers in occupational health and safety management, creating a dedicated safety team that supports machine safeguarding. We aim to replicate this across other African operations.
• Training Programs: We launched a ‘Train the Trainer’ program in Kenya focused on practical safety topics such as slips, trips, falls, and pedestrian safety. Plans are underway to expand this initiative to additional markets.

• Regional Health & Safety Committee: To reinforce our safety culture, this committee will champion safety excellence, applying best practices from our Global Committee to achieve measurable impact.
• Energy Efficiency: We deployed energy sensors in Zimbabwe and Kenya for efficiency and proactive maintenance, minimizing downtime and energy waste. In the second phase of this rollout, we will expand this program to other African operations.

• Data-Driven Sustainability: We are implementing energy consumption tracking and reporting systems across distribution centers and warehouses, setting clear sustainability targets for our regional operations.

What are your team’s priorities for 2025?

Our focus for 2025 is safety. The well-being of our employees is not just one team’s responsibility, it’s everyone’s responsibility.

We foster a culture where employees actively report potential hazards, no matter how small. Minor oversights can lead to major incidents, and by encouraging proactive reporting, we can prevent accidents before they occur. Whether it’s a spill, broken equipment, or unsafe behaviour, speaking up and taking action will help keep our workplaces safe for everyone.

At Bata, sustainability means making our operations more responsible and resilient. By implementing practical and impactful initiatives, we are not just adapting to change. We are shaping the future of sustainable business across all our global operations.