IHS Holding Limited (NYSE: IHS) (“IHS Towers”) group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has published its 2023 Sustainability Report.
The report covers sustainability activities from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023, and is the second report prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative Standards and maps the company’s sustainability initiatives to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. IHS’ approach to sustainability is guided by the UN Global Compact, to which it has been a signatory since 2020.
The 2023 Sustainability Report demonstrates IHS’ continued commitment to its stakeholders including, but not limited to, its employees, communities, suppliers, customers, and investors. The communications infrastructure it provides is vital to enabling mobile connectivity, and through the company’s four-pillar sustainability strategy, it seeks to further support long-term value creation.
Sam Darwish, Chairman & CEO, IHS Towers, commented, “Since 2017, we have invested more than $29 million in community-focused initiatives as part of our comprehensive sustainability program. We are proud to help bring millions of people the power of mobile connectivity, promoting economic growth, social development, and access to critical public services.”
He continued, “As we entered the second year of Project Green, the current phase of our Carbon Reduction Roadmap, we directed considerable effort towards reducing our environmental footprint. This included a reduction of Scope 1 and Scope 2 kilowatt-hour emissions intensity by approximately 6% compared with 2022. Looking back on 2023, we are pleased with our progress and continue to reflect, refine, and enhance our sustainability strategy today for the benefit of all stakeholders.”
2023 Sustainability Report Highlights
As of December 31, 2023, we reported the following environmental, social and governance (ESG) related progress:
Environment
- Continued to execute on our Carbon Reduction Roadmap
– Reduced our Scope 1 and Scope 2 kilowatt-hour emissions intensity by approximately 6% compared with 2022, with an 11% approximate reduction in emissions intensity since 2021. - Powered 48% of our sites with hybrid power systems that combine diesel generators with solar and/or battery systems.
- Maintained responsible management of our waste streams, including:
– 20,044 batteries recycled or reused.
– 75% approximate reduction in hazardous lead-acid waste in Brazil.
– 25,640 kilograms of iron from dismantled towers recycled in Côte d’Ivoire. - Supported local biodiversity and reforestation projects by planting almost 30,000 trees across Brazil, Cameroon and Rwanda.
Social
- Spent $7 million on community-focused sustainability initiatives.
- Reduced our Road Traffic Accident Frequency (RTAF) rate by 7% and reported zero fatalities.
- Increased female representation with females comprising 27% of employees and 28% of managers across the Group.
- Strengthened our supplier due diligence to include screening new suppliers for environmental and social criteria.
- Continued our commitment to education through several initiatives:
– Expanded our UNICEF Giga partnership to Brazil, to help Giga map and connect more schools to the internet.
– Advanced our Frontline Workers Initiative, which is currently supporting 50 students via scholarships to top-tier local and international universities.
– Announced a partnership with the Limitless Space Institute to help teachers in Brazil and Nigeria pursue new opportunities in space education.
– Provided 400 schools in Nigeria with free internet connectivity and donated 200 mini tablets in partnership with UNICEF Nigeria.
Governance
- Achieved ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management System certification[1]; in addition, IHS Nigeria is ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System certified.
- Received an updated ESG Risk Rating from Morningstar Sustainalytics. As of April 2024, our ESG Risk Rating places us in the top 16% of all companies assessed by Morningstar Sustainalytics in the Telecommunication Services Industry[2].
For more information, please visit www.ihstowers.com/sustainability
