The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport: South Africa (CILTSA), a leading international organisation for industry professionals, is thrilled to announce an outstanding roster of distinguished speakers for its highly anticipated ESG (Environment ׀ Social ׀ Governance) conference. Taking place on Thursday 20 July at the DP World Wanderers Stadium in Illovo (Johannesburg), this premier gathering will bring together renowned experts, thought leaders, business professionals and visionaries committed to ESG. The theme of this year’s conference is “ESG: Options, solutions and innovations”.

The one-day, interactive event will feature a mix of engaging panel discussions and presentations.

South Africa’s Energy Crisis and ESG: Options and considerations for the logistics, transport and  supply chain industries

Load-shedding has several implications for the transport sector, including public transport disruptions, traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution. “Load-shedding also impacts on all three  pillars of ESG,” explains Elvin Harris CMILT, President of CILTSA.

“From an Environmental perspective, load-shedding indirectly contributes to environmental degradation. Increased use of private vehicles due to disrupted public transport can result in higher greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Additionally, if load-shedding leads to the increased use of diesel generators, it further contributes to carbon emissions and air pollution.

“The Social Impact is also significant: it impacts particularly on vulnerable populations. Power     outages disrupt daily routines, impact healthcare facilities, hinder access to education, and affect businesses, thereby affecting livelihoods and quality of life.

“In terms of the Governance pillar, load-shedding reflects governance challenges within the energy sector, such as inadequate infrastructure, mismanagement, and insufficient investment in power generation capacity.”

The panel will explore the various choices and factors to consider for logistics, transport and supply chain companies. The esteemed panel includes:

§  Chule Qalase – Senior Manager: Sustainability and CSI: Isuzu.

§  Kiren Maharaj – Trenex and Chairperson of the SA National Energy Association

§  Henry Gilfillan – Practice Leader:  Africa International Advisors

Lauren Rota – Vice President: Environment, Social and Governance at Imperial Logistics, will facilitate this session.

Green/Sustainable Finance: How financial institutions are assisting logistics companies to achieve their Green objectives

As financial institutions are increasingly recognising the importance of ESG factors in transport, logistics and supply chain, they are taking steps to assist companies in achieving their ESG objectives. A number of them have increased their service offerings to support logistics companies in their ESG efforts. These include sustainable financing, ESG advisory services, ESG data and analytics, collaboration and partnerships, ESG risk management and investor engagement.

The panel line-up for this session is:

§  Bernard Vilakazi – Sector Specialist: Transport and Logistics: ABSA

§  Dr. Lwandle Mqadi - Responsible Business, ESG & Sustainability Impact: Office of the Chief Operations Officer. Industrial Development Corporation

§  Kuda Mukova – Head of Impact ׀ ESG ׀ Sustainability: Norsad Capital

§  Mbali Makhathini - ESG Advisory: Nedbank CIB

§  Tyson Sibanda - Manager – Economic Policy: Business Unity South Africa

Safety, Compliance and Certifications for ESG is also a key consideration for companies and a focal point of the conference. This subject will be tackled by Henry Smith, Sales Director for Fleet  (Africa) at MiX Telematics and Oliver Naidoo – Managing Director of JC Auditors.

Julie Rosa, an Associate Director at PwC, will give and over of the trends in the ESG sector.

Co-founder and CEO of electric vehicle and technology company Everlectrics, Ndia Magadagela, will discuss the case for electronic mobility in South African fleets. 

CILTSA’s ESG Conference is sponsored by MiX Telematics, Isuzu Motors South Africa, ISB Optimus , DP World Wanderers Stadium and Tendai Mhlanga Photography (Pty) Ltd.

The cost for members of CILTSA, the Road Freight Association (RFA), the SA Express Parcel Association (SAEPA),  the SA Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF),  the African Women in Supply Chain Association (AWISCA, Tshwane Women in Transport (TWIT) and the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) to attend is R1 000. The non-member rate is R1 250.