WSP was named Transformational Partnership and Sustainability M&A of the Year at the Environment Analyst’s Sustainability Consulting Awards Ceremony 2022. Verdantix Green Quadrant: ESG & Sustainability Report 2022 recognised WSP as one of the top four global market-leading providers in Digital Environment, Health & Safety Technology Implementations Service Market. And, most recently, the company was named Top Environmental and Sustainability Consulting Firm in Environment Analyst’s Top 100 Environmental & Sustainability Consultancy Firms for 2022.
“International recognition like this is meaningful to us, as we have long incorporated ESG principles into everything we do in Africa across our areas of expertise in Property and Buildings, Transport and Infrastructure, Environment, Energy and Resources,” says Sean Doel, WSP Operations Director: Earth & Environment in Africa.
Adds Verushka Singh, Principal Associate: Climate Change, WSP in Africa: “While concerns around the environment and climate change have been making headlines around the world, and Governance aspects like compliance and ethics are vitally important in Africa, the Social aspects are now becoming increasingly important to our clients as well.”
WSP offers a formidable depth of technical expertise and experience around these social aspects, particularly as this is an area in which dialogue has been largely missing until recently. With International drivers such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and net-zero commitments by governments and multinationals to combat climate change gaining traction, organisations looking for opportunities in Africa are increasingly incorporating ESG principles and targets in their projects.
Mining – as one of Africa’s largest industries and contributors to GDP – has long been under scrutiny from an ESG point of view. WSP has worked with several mining clients on the continent to understand climate change risks, and the opportunities that exist to meet a growing expectation – from investors, lenders, insurers, and communities of interest – to demonstrate how climate change-related risks are being managed.
“But these expectations are no longer limited to climate change risk, nor to mining,” says Doel. “To provide a framework for thinking about industrial development on the continent through an ESG lens, we have created a unique “scorecard” designed to capture contributions to ESG KPIs for clients.”
The familiar “E” KPIs include carbon reduction, water conservation, biodiversity enhancement, and land rehabilitation, while Governance KPIs such as disclosure, enterprise risk, compliance and ethics are also universal. “What makes WSP’s approach unique is the depth of Social KPIs we include, from Health & Safety to Diversity & Inclusion, Human Rights, Indigenous groups and community impact.”
WSP in Africa plays a role in helping clients in mining and a widening array of other industries find opportunities to incorporate Social KPIs in their projects, even when the project is not specifically intended to impact the local community.
“One example is a new refinery in Nigeria,” says Singh, “where we were asked to assess and report on the project’s greenhouse gas emissions and advise on mitigation options and alternatives. In addition, there is opportunity here to look at social and governance aspects of the project too. We aim to work with clients from conceptualisation stage, allowing new entrants to industry in Africa to consider ESG before they even break ground on a project.”
WSP is so committed to ESG principles that these form part of the company’s client engagement process. “We take into account the client’s journey to date as well as their ESG goals when we’re deciding whether or not to take on a project. It is an honour to then work with clients to establish the optimum roadmap and implementation plan to achieve their sustainability and ESG objectives. It is an exciting and challenging space to be working in and we are proud of the contribution we can make in supporting the green transition of mining and industrial sectors,” concludes Doel.
WSP in Africa is hiring! To find out more about available opportunities, check out the Careers page on our website or look out for updates on our LinkedIn page, @WSPinAfrica.
