Contact info
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Call:
+230 263 1491
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Write:
info@southsuez.com
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Visit:
Ground Floor, MCBQ iQ Royal Road, Pointe aux Canonniers, Grand Bay, Mauritius
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Our Philosophy
South Suez recognises the importance of sustainable investing and is committed to promoting sound ESG management practices within its portfolio. Thoughtful and well-implemented ESG management can enhance profitability and create significant value for investors and stakeholders.
We have therefore developed a comprehensive policy on responsible investing that addresses identification, analysis and management of potential ESG risks and opportunities, both before investment and post-investment. Additionally, the appropriate disclosure of all ESG considerations is required by the underlying funds in which South Suez invests.
Our ESG Fund Rating
We have integrated an ESG Management System into our bespoke Risk Operating System. This allows us to adopt a methodological approach to manage environmental & social risks and impacts in a structured way on an ongoing basis. An ESG rating is assigned to all the funds within our portfolio. The scorecard is based on the following criteria:
1
PORTFOLIO CONSTITUENTS
Are the fund managers’ investments deemed risky from an ESG perspective?
2
LPA PROVISION
Do the fund formation documents contain provisions for ESG reporting, and has the fund manager complied with those provisions?
3
ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
Are the funds’ portfolio companies performing well so that they can sustain employment and pay taxes?
4
RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT PRINCIPLES
Does the fund subscribe to sustainability principles such as the UNPRI, IFC standards, etc.?
5
RESOURCES
Does the fund manager have sufficient resources (staff, ESG system) to execute its ESG policy?
6
CHARITY
Does the fund manager have a charitable programme, which makes donations regularly?
Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals
We work to the fulfilment of the various SDGs set up by the United National General Assembly, but focus on four pillars, through deliberate investment decisions and building targeted support systems. Explore below how we are helping employment and anti-poverty, enabling access to finance, promoting gender diversity, and improving the state of Renewable Energy in Africa.
Employment Growth
Financial Inclusion
Gender Equality & Diversity
Renewable Energy & Climate Change
Employment Growth
There is a strong correlation between private equity investments and increasing job creation across Africa, as identified by the African Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (AVCA) in their paper “Africa Sustainability Study: Job Creation” (April 2016). South Suez has invested over $900m over the last decade to grow businesses in Africa and this has lead to:
132,964
60,708
+60,149
+31,874
+45%
+53%
Financial Inclusion
Sound, inclusive and sustainable financial markets are essential to building shared prosperity and eradicating poverty. With the acceleration in digital transformation of Africa post COVID, the level of financial inclusion is increasingly driven by digital financial services. This represents an opportunity to invest across a large universe of financial infrastructure such as payments, credit & savings, insurance and service providers, resulting from strong secular growth drivers and innovation.
1M CUSTOMERS ON 10 COUNTRIES
Gender Equality & DIversity
Women are under-represented in senior roles in Private Equity and Venture Capital globally, but more so in Emerging markets. South Suez is committed to supporting gender diversity both internally and through its investments. Over 50% of all staff at South Suez are women, and South Suez has committed to 2X funds*
Mobilised over $4Bn of commitments to support projects that empower women.
Supporters include CDC Group (UK), DEG (Germany), DFC (US), FinDev Canada and many private sector investors.
*2X is the DFI led initiative to mobilise capital to support projects that empower women. Supporters include CDC, DEG, DFC and FinDev amongst others
Renewable Energy & Climate Change
South Suez invests in climate change mitigation and adaptation opportunities to support the goal of a low-carbon, climate-resilient sustainable future for Africa. This is done through the focus on 2 goals:
1. Accelerate an energy transition that is consistent with the attainment of the SGDs and the Paris Agreement, through investing in:
Designs, distributes, and finances solar home energy with an under-served population
Solar home solutions to off-grid rural communities that lacked any grid infrastructure
Leading African commercial and industrial solar supplier
2. Minimize Africa’s vulnerability to climate change effects predicted to have a disproportionate impact on the continent, through investing in:
Leading provider of irrigation systems and water solutions in Morocco
Develops and breeds high yielding, drought resistant proprietary hybrid seeds of corn, sorghum and squash
SIGNATORY OF UNPRI
The Principles for Responsible Investment reflects the increasing relevance of environmental, social and corporate governance issues to investment practices. South Suez will only invest with fund managers that have ESG policies that are in line with the key standards set by the UNPRI.
In signing the Principles, we as investors publicly commit to adopt and implement them, where consistent with our fiduciary responsibilities. We also evaluate the effectiveness and improve the content of the Principles over time. Aiming to improve our ability to meet commitments to beneficiaries as well as better align our investment activities with the broader interests of society.
IFC SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK
South Suez requires fund managers to comply at a minimum with the legal regulatory requirements in the jurisdictions in which they operate and to work towards relevant international best practice standards. This includes the IFC’s Sustainability Framework which has become a benchmark for environmental and social risk management amongst our fund managers.
We use this framework to classify our portfolio companies into different ESG risk categories; Category A being business activities with potential significant adverse environmental or social risks and/or impacts that are diverse, irreversible, or unprecedented. This category is closely monitored through their ESG reports
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
These 17 goals include areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected - often key to success on one will involve tackling issues more common assocaited with another. Our ESG report demonstrates how our portfolio companies are contributing towards fulfilling the SDGs.
Paris Agreement
South Suez supports the Paris Agreement and its overarching goal to combat climate change and its impacts. We recognize the critical importance of global cooperation to limit the planet's temperature rise and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As stewards of sustainability and responsible business practices, we are committed to aligning our strategies, operations, and initiatives with the Agreement's objectives.