Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region is proud to have participated in the hashtag#SEACon2025 ESG Africa Conference, held on 15 October, under the theme “Adapt, Innovate, Succeed – Sustainability in Changing Times.” Nicole Roos, Nestlè ESAR Managing Director, joined the CEO Opening Panel to share how Nestlé is navigating uncertainty with purpose. She highlighted our commitment to Creating Shared Value, with examples from regenerative agriculture and youth empowerment 🦾, and reflected on the role of leadership in driving innovation and inclusion. In the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) breakout session, Technical Director Louis Van Wyk presented our packaging sustainability journey ♻️ . He shared Nestlé’s roadmap to reduce environmental impact and the role of innovation and collaboration in advancing our goals. We are proud of the teams behind this work and grateful for the opportunity to engage with peers on the future of responsible business in Africa, as we continue our Good Food, Good Life journey!

This week, the Sustainability & ESG Africa Conference (SEACon) held in Johannesburg brought together leaders and innovators from across the continent. Our SA CEO Phuthi M. participated in two panel discussions focused on awakening Africa’s potential and leading through uncertainty. Both conversations echoed a shared truth: leadership builds the digital and energy foundations that unlock potential, jobs, and markets - driving inclusive growth across the continent. 🌍 A huge congratulations to Innocent Mandili, a student innovator from Malawi University of Science and Technology, for winning the 2025 ESG Student Innovation Competition, sponsored by our Naspers-Prosus Sustainability team and presented by Ronell Govender, Global Sustainability Business Partner. 🏆 The grand prize of R40,000 recognises their Thermo El Stove converts heat from eco-friendly briquettes into 10 watts of power-enough to charge LED lights and small electronics in off-grid homes. 🏡 We remain committed to supporting the next generation of sustainability leaders in Africa, and unlocking its full potential.

Attending the 2025 Sustainability and ESG Africa conference 2025 over the past 2 days sparked many new connections and strategic conversations with like minded Industry leaders. Some of my key takeaways: * The youth has significant potential to lead our future of our planet. * Sustainability professionals of all industries and backgrounds have the same common goals. * Every company is making progress towards decarbonisation of their businesses and thinking about climate resilience. * The landscape for Sustainability business and employment opportunities is set to continue to grow. * Whether an organisation is a profit company, NPO, Government or community association, every organisation plays a key role in our actions towards a better future This conference has convinced my belief in a better future for our World. As humanity, we have the power to shape our trajectory of our future. It is in our hands!

What an extraordinary experience! A heartfelt thank you to you, Hannelie, and the entire ESG Africa Conference team for delivering a truly world-class event. Your passion, care, and authenticity shone through every moment of the conference. The sense of community, the depth of engagement, and the collaborative spirit you created made this so much more than just another event. It also served as a platform for transformation, connection, inspiration and commitment. I left SEACon 2025 energised, affirmed, and reminded of the powerful role we all play in shaping a more sustainable, inclusive and impactful future. To be surrounded by such dedicated minds and warm hearts was a privilege. You have all set a new benchmark for ESG engagement in Africa, and I, for one, cannot wait to see what magic you co-create in 2026!

Walking into the ESG Africa Conference 2025 felt like entering the engine room of Africa’s sustainability transformation. This year’s theme “Adapt. Innovate. Succeed – Driving Sustainability in Changing Times” came alive through ideas that were bold, practical, and deeply relevant. Discussions on green procurement and responsible sourcing stood out for me, with different industries sharing how they are rethinking supply chains to make sustainability measurable, not theoretical. Key themes included digitising intelligently, making ESG reporting work for Africa, driving water innovation, navigating the AI paradox, and strengthening resilience through an African lens. If there is one insight I am carrying forward, it is that in changing times, ESG leadership demands that we continue to love learning. To adapt, innovate, and succeed with purpose.

This week, my reflection was shaped at the Sustainability and ESG Africa Conference. Together with Anthea Hurling, Raksha Sunderlall, Tshimangadzo Ramathaga Masombuka, Pr Eng, and Nomvula Zondi, we walked into rooms filled with brilliant minds, experts in strategy, sustainability, risk, and resilience, to name just a few. I walked out reminded that this work is deeply human. 💡 Because strategy without people is just a plan, sustainability without foresight is reaction, and resilience without culture is performance without roots. We spoke about future fitness, the art of preparing today for what tomorrow will demand. We were challenged to build not just strategies, but cultures of resilience. To integrate risk, sustainability, and strategy as one heartbeat. To be influencers — not observers — of the change we want to see. What stayed with me most? That 80% of strategies fail because of wrong assumptions, not because of a lack of intention. That leadership sponsorship is not a nice-to-have; it is the bridge between vision and execution. That change begins with people, through collaboration, shared language, and human-centric strategy. And above all, that sometimes, to build resilient communities, we must listen with our eyes first, to see what people are not saying, but showing. WIND moves us. WATER teaches us flow. SILENCE reminds us to see. Where these three meet, RESILIENCE grows. 🌱

🙏 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 After two full sessions yesterday, I’m ending the week with gratitude. ✨ Gratitude for the opportunity to share ideas. 💬 Gratitude for the conversations that challenged how I think. 🤝 Gratitude for the people: the organisers, the attendees, and everyone who took time to listen, engage, and connect. What I’m reminded of each time I speak is this: Learning doesn’t only happen in presentations. It happens in the exchanges that follow: the questions, the insights, the stories. 💡 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮. It’s the 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 who make the ideas come alive. Thanks to both CFO South Africa and ESG Africa Conference for the opportunities

As I leave the ESG Africa Conference, I feel deeply energized by the conversations shaping the future of sustainability across our continent. The event was a powerful reminder that sustainable transformation in Africa is not just a vision, it’s happening now, through the collective commitment of businesses, communities, and change-makers. Two key takeaways resonated strongly with me: 1) Sustainability strategy must go beyond the “pie in the sky.” It should focus on tangible, real-life objectives that enhance and streamline operations while contributing meaningfully to the Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet, and Profit). 2) People must remain at the centre of every sustainability journey. In forestry and beyond, when people are empowered, trained, and included, sustainability becomes both practical and powerful. As someone working at the intersection of forestry, certification, and sustainable development, this reaffirmed the importance of ensuring that our strategies not only protect ecosystems but also uplift livelihoods and strengthen the businesses that depend on them.

Today marked day 1 of the Sustainability and ESG Africa Conference and Expo by ESG Africa Conference . An informative and practical gathering of leaders, innovators, and change-makers committed to shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future for Africa. One of my favourite quotes is “If I have seen further than those who’ve gone before me, it’s because I’ve stood on the shoulders of giants,” and that’s what the ESG Africa Conference reminded me of, the path paved by those before, and the active role the youth can play in building on that to create sustainable futures. It also highlighted the importance of agility and continuous learning. Phuthi M. spoke on a topic close to my heart during the “leading through uncertainty” session that I believe every young person, myself included, should embrace regardless of our individual industries. Which is the importance of continuous learning and self-awareness. 1. Continuous learning plays an important role in our ability to adapt and show up confidently in different spaces. Maintaining a strong desire and hunger to keep learning is a guaranteed recipe for continued growth and success. 2. Trying to model someone else can have an impact on our own personality. In trying to model a certain type of professional, it also has an impact on who we are, how we see the world and our own value. Therefore, when this happens the task is to then go back, reflect, rethink and to actually reclaim our individual personality. Feeling sufficiently comfortable to be ourselves as professionals and achieving all the things we know we can achieve. We always talk about life purpose but never that no two individuals will have the same life purpose. So it’s important that we retain our authenticity and find our own voice, especially in times of uncertainty when there is a tendency to fall back on what you know. While we’re on this topic my bestie University of the Witwatersrand is still welcoming applications for individuals seeking to further their studies with the Wits School of Governance until the 31st of October. Please head over to their website for more information regarding