Andrew Millson

Important ruling on greenwashing. Companies must walk the talk to comply with good ESG practice. Performative gestures are insufficient. #corporateaccountability #esg

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South Africa does not have a sustainability ambition problem. We have an education, accountability and implementation problem. 1. Policies are written. Targets are set. Corporate sustainability reports grow thicker every year. Yet on the ground, sustainability remains inaccessible to the very people expected to live it out daily. The result is visible and deeply unequal. Dirty townships. Polluted rural areas. Waste piled where people live. If sustainability education is not prioritised and enforced, these conditions will persist regardless of how progressive our policies appear on paper. Literacy Is Not the Issue. Access, Relevance and Power Are. Millions of South Africans have never been practically taught: • How to separate waste at source • Why waste separation matters • What happens to waste after it leaves the household 2. The system assumes knowledge that was never shared, then blames communities for the consequences. The lack of sustainability education does not disappear into abstraction. It shows up physically. Waste Separation Exposes the Gap Between Policy and Reality Despite regulations and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks, household waste separation remains extremely low. As a result, only 10–16% of South Africa’s waste is recycled, while landfills; (often near marginalised communities) continue to expand. 3. Manufacturing companies are central to the Problem and the Solution. Large manufacturing corporations, particularly in food, FMCG and packaging, shape household behaviour every single day. Yet sustainability messaging remains largely inaccessible to the average South African. Packaging often: • Uses technical, legal or symbolic language • Assumes prior sustainability knowledge • Fails to clearly explain disposal or separation steps This must change. Packaging is one of the most powerful education tools in the country. If sustainability is not understood at the point of use, it will never be practised at the point of disposal. Companies must: • Use plain, relatable language on packaging • Clearly explain how to dispose, separate or return materials & design packaging that supports separation at source • Accept that packaging is a public education platform, not just a marketing asset 4. Sustainability education cannot remain voluntary, symbolic or fragmented. It must be: • Embedded into policy implementation • Linked to corporate accountability, not just reporting • Delivered in local languages and lived realities • Designed to prevent environmental harm in the places people live We cannot continue to design sustainability for boardrooms while townships and rural communities absorb the waste. Until sustainability is understood by the ordinary citizen, it will remain an elite conversation with unequal consequences. And that is not sustainable. 🇿🇦🌱

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This has been one of the most detailed pieces of work I’ve been involved in on the clothing and textiles sector. What stands out is that localisation is no longer just a policy ambition — the commercial case is there. Retailers are signalling real appetite to source more locally where price, quality and responsiveness align. The study shows that up to 81 million additional garments per year could be sourced locally by 2030. That translates into nearly R8 billion in additional manufacturing output and the potential to support up to 34,000 jobs — not abstract numbers, but livelihoods in communities where clothing manufacturing still matters deeply. We also heard clearly that the constraints are practical, not mysterious: scale, productivity, skills in production management and industrial engineering, and upstream capabilities in areas like washing and finishing. These are fixable — but only if retailers, manufacturers, labour, financiers and policymakers move in step. For me, the key takeaway is this: the opportunity is real, but coordination is the unlock. Proud of the LSF team and our partners for bringing evidence to a conversation that often runs on assumption. Report link below 👇

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At first glance, South Africa’s social infrastructure challenges appear to be about funding. The headline issue is all too familiar: too little money, too many needs. According to the recently released Sustainability at a Crossroad 2025 report, developed by GlobeScan, ERM, and Volans, over half of sustainability experts rate national governments and institutional investors as poor in terms of their contributions to sustainable development By Lloyd Wallace, Technical Director and Expertise Lead, Infrastructure Advisory, Zutari https://lnkd.in/dH4CCaV7

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Ownership is the primary driver of mobility within the circular economy. Through ReCha, we’ve seen Recycling Champions like Keenan represent this shift. After transitioning from informal work, Keenan utilized the program to pivot into a leadership role, launching Lala’s Recycling as a structured, growth-oriented venture. This formalization allowed his operations to scale rapidly, diverting over 50,000 pounds of waste from landfills and creating new employment opportunities in Cape Town. This case study confirms that localized, venture-led infrastructure is the most effective way to scale environmental solutions in underserved markets. Read the full feature by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation: https://lnkd.in/dJksYZfN #RLabs #MakingHOPEContagious #ReCha #CircularEconomy #GreenEconomy #RecyclingWaste

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🚱 Poor Governance in South Africa’s Water Boards: Structural Failures and Water Security Risks South Africa’s water boards are under immense pressure, not just from demand, but from systemic governance failures. Municipal debt, weak oversight, and political-administrative instability are converging into a perfect storm, threatening both financial stability and water security. In this piece, I unpack why the crisis persists and why reform efforts repeatedly stall. ✅ Core governance failure: Municipal financial mismanagement and weak accountability mechanisms are eroding institutional integrity. ✅ Infrastructure and operational risk: Aging infrastructure combined with technical losses and neglect jeopardize service delivery. ✅ Circular debt trap: Delayed payments, budget misalignment, and mismanagement create a self-reinforcing cycle of debt and inefficiency. ✅ Case in point: Free State & Vaal Central water boards illustrate how weak oversight and political interference exacerbate financial collapse risks. ✅ Systemic insight: This is not merely a funding problem; it is a governance problem. Without structural reform, the water security of millions remains at risk. ✅ Why this matters: Water boards are critical for municipal service delivery, industrial support, and public health. Poor governance here has cascading effects across the economy. 💡 Strategic takeaway: Evidence-based reforms, strengthened accountability, and professionalized administration are non-negotiable. The crisis is a structural governance failure, not just a financial one. 👉 How can South Africa realistically break the circular debt cycle in water boards before it’s too late? AWSISA come, read the document and come to defend your members #WaterGovernance #SouthAfrica #MunicipalFinance #RiskManagement #InstitutionalPerformance #ForensicGovernance #PublicSectorReform #InfrastructureCrisis #WaterSecurity #FinancialGovernance #PolicyReform #OperationalRisk #CircularDebt #GovernanceFailure #InstitutionalResilience

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Did you know there is a nexus between Water and Energy?  Policies that limit the maximum flow rate of appliances such as faucets and showerheads without comprising users experience can dramatically reduce domestic hot water demand, thereby reducing the energy required for, and subsequent CO2 emissions of, water heating.

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For SCE, “sustainable growth” isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a core philosophy with two main focus points. First, it’s about doing things “right, do it green, do it in a manner in which you can save energy and be globally compliant from a carbon footprint”. This is particularly relevant in Southern Africa, where planning around the availability of water and power is crucial.  The company focuses on reusing and repurposing resources, such as using grey water and recovering lost energy from systems like compressors and heat rejection plants. “The fundamental truth is our energy cost is only going to become more expensive as we go forward,” Andersen says. He believes that “reusing what we have and having a less or smaller footprint of energy consumption is really important”. The second focus of sustainable growth is ensuring a solution is viable for a client’s long-term business vision. SCE gets involved from the very beginning, asking clients about their five- and ten-year plans to ensure that any project undertaken aligns with their future goals.  This approach ensures that every action taken and every project completed becomes a “sustainable growth path for their business as well”. John states that their work matches a client’s “vision and your planning going forward”. Read all about it!.... click below to read the full article #watersustainability #power #engineering #sustainability

#circulareconomy #leavenonebehind Today is #Day2 of the IFAT Africa Expo and I am honoured to join a distinguished panel at the Water Institute of Southern Africa Masterclass at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand. Under the theme "From Waste to Worth: Circular Economy Solutions for Water and Resource Resilience", the session aims to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time — #waterinsecurity. South Africa is a water-scarce country, receiving an average annual rainfall of only 470 mm, compared to the global average of 814 mm. Although we continuously experience flash floods, flooding exacerbates water insecurity as it contaminates freshwater sources, overwhelms treatment systems, and damages ecosystems that regulate water flow. More alarming is the fact that 98% of our country’s available water supply is already allocated, with demand projected to exceed supply by 17% by 2030. This reality underscores the urgent need for systemic, circular approaches that integrate water reuse, regenerative land management, and inclusive innovation. Today’s panel discussion on “Unlocking a Circular Future” will be facilitated by @Zoe Norton and I will be engaging alongside André Laas (SFG Tec), Tadiwanashe Dune (Pr.Sci.Nat, M.S.c Environmental Science), Thomas Bongani Hart, Sandile Mondli Mtolo and Bart Hellings. Our aim is to explore opportunities to scale circular economy solutions from mine water treatment to youth-led clean energy systems and nature-based solutions. Water stewardship is no longer the domain of specialists alone — it is a shared civic duty. A water-secure, climate-resilient South Africa depends on #collectiveaction, #knowledgesharing, and #inclusivegovernance. #WISA #IFATAfrica2025 #WaterSecurity

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Biodiversity protection is not only about conserving nature, it’s about securing a healthier and more sustainable future for generations to come. South Africa is taking meaningful steps toward a more sustainable and biodiversity conscious future. Please go read up on the NBSAP CONSULTATIVE Conference published on the DFFE website: https://lnkd.in/ddRGECQf. Gondwana Environmental Solutions and ERO Africa pride themselves on offering feasible solutions for achieving the aims of campaigns like these. #Biodivercity #DFFE #ClimateChange #AirQualitySpecialist #GondwanaEnvironmentalSolutions #EnvironmentalConsultant #Compliance #Mining #EROAfrica

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"I pay R800/month for mobile data. My competitor in Sandton pays R450 for fiber that's 10X faster." - Soweto entrepreneur, 2025 BLEC Report. 78.3% of entrepreneurs say resources aren't equitably distributed. Here's why. Geography is destiny. Still. Swipe through to learn why. #SouthAfrica #Entrepreneurship #InfrastructureGap #TownshipEconomy

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We’ve been working on ARCLIGHT Strategic Insights, bringing together practitioner-led perspectives on African geopolitics, infrastructure and economic dynamics. This article by Dr Anthony Turton looks at South Africa’s water challenges through an economic lens, and the implications for investment and growth. For anyone operating in or thinking about South Africa: https://lnkd.in/djmz5ajB Interested to hear how others are thinking about this.

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There’s been speculation in recent weeks about whether South Africa might pause the carbon tax. Some reports refer to a proposal being discussed, but nothing has been confirmed. The 2026 Budget is clearer: carbon tax continues into Phase 2, alongside changes that will affect tax exposure, compliance planning and offset use. Here is a short summary of the key updates and what they mean for business. Happy to chat if you want help working out offset eligibility and likely tax savings.

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South Africa's waste crisis demands urgent action. With major cities facing less than five years of remaining landfill capacity, the transformation of our waste management sector is no longer optional. The IWMSA - Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa has identified four critical trends reshaping the industry in 2026, each demonstrating that commercial success and environmental solutions are not mutually exclusive: 🟢 Technology-Driven Solutions: Smart waste bins with sensors and AI-powered robotics are optimising collection routes and efficiency across municipalities. Whilst this trend is still in its infancy, the use of AI and robotics is set to irrevocably change the waste management landscape. 🟢 Extended Producer Responsibility: Nearly 68,000 tonnes of e-waste has already been diverted from South African landfills through EPR schemes. 🟢 Circular Economy Focus: The shift from "take-make-dispose" models to circular systems is accelerating, with Southern Africa positioning itself as a regional leader. 🟢 Right-to-Repair Legislation: New laws requiring manufacturers to provide repair access are extending product lifespans and reducing electronic waste at the source. These trends reinforce what we've seen through our Green Create investment with Norfund: waste-to-value initiatives create measurable environmental benefits whilst delivering essential infrastructure services. The convergence of policy support, technological innovation, and circular economy principles is making sustainable waste management increasingly bankable. The commercial opportunity lies in backing businesses that turn waste challenges into value creation. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dykMhVnj #InfraImpact #CircularEconomy #WasteManagement #SustainableInfrastructure #ImpactInvesting #WasteToValue

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Nature and Circularity Week 2025 🌱 Last week, our Managing Executive, Catherine Morris, attended Nature and Circularity Week 2025 at the Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch - a fantastic gathering of innovators, policymakers, and community leaders exploring how to create a more circular and nature-connected future. It was an inspiring space to learn, share, and connect around ideas that help move South Africa towards greener, more regenerative ways of operating. At GREEN HOME, we’re committed to ensuring compostable food packaging - from serviettes and wooden cutlery to paper cups - makes its way into the Green Waste stream to be composted by composters, where it belongs. Around 40% of the waste going to SA's landfill is organic. While only a fraction of this is compostable food packaging, we're determined to join with others to divert green waste from landfill. We’re proud to support and help lead the movement to close the loop on waste. 🌱 #GREENHOME #Circularity #Closetheloop

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