CSO Sanjeev Raghubir sees award as a milestone and motivating reminder

The Shoprite Group was recently recognised for its purpose-led innovation and impact, job creation, digital transformation, and bold sustainability agenda aligned with Africa’s development goals.

ESG Global asked Sanjeev Raghubir, chief sustainability officer (CSO) at the Shoprite Group, three clever questions about measuring sustainability strategies, the Group’s ambitious sustainability initiatives – and how it feels to win an award.

What does Shoprite receiving the inaugural Brands Africa Grand Prix: Sustainability Award mean to you personally?

Receiving this award is incredibly meaningful to me, both personally and professionally. While sustainability has always been an integral part of the Shoprite Group’s values, it became a strategic focus nearly seven years ago with the appointment of a dedicated Sustainability manager – a role I was proud to take on in February 2019.

Since then, I’ve had the privilege of helping to shape and drive the Group’s sustainability journey. This award is a powerful recognition of the collective effort, collaboration and commitment across the business to embed sustainability into the way we operate – not as a box-ticking exercise, but as a reflection of who we are.

It’s very rewarding to see our work delivering real impact – improving outcomes for the communities we serve, protecting the planet and also strengthening the Group’s long-term resilience. This award is both a milestone and a motivating reminder – of how far we have come and how much more we can still achieve together.

How do you measure the effectiveness of the sustainability strategy across the company’s extensive operational footprint?

We measure the success of the Shoprite Group’s sustainability efforts by setting clear goals and tracking our progress using real, measurable data.

Some of our key targets include reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, improving energy and water efficiency, reducing food waste and increasing both recycling and our use of renewable energy. We monitor various indicators, such as how much we’ve reduced our carbon footprint, how much renewable energy we generate and use, how much water we save in our operations and how many tons of surplus food we’ve been able to rescue and donate to communities in need.

We also work closely with suppliers to ensure they follow ethical and responsible practices, and we assess how our efforts support people – whether through job creation, enterprise supplier development or community upliftment. To stay accountable, we align with globally recognised sustainability standards and frameworks like GRI, IFRS S1 and S2 and CDP.

At the end of the day, it is about embedding sustainability into our everyday operations – from our Shoprite, Checkers and Usave supermarkets to our supply chain – and the positive impact we create for communities and the environment. The scale of our business gives us a unique opportunity to lead by example, and our ongoing commitment to setting and meeting these targets helps us do just that.

What are the primary strategic challenges or potential trade-offs in expanding the Group’s ambitious sustainability initiatives (e.g., increased renewable energy investment, broader social programmes) while simultaneously maintaining affordability and accessibility of essential goods and services for the customer base across the continent?

One of the biggest strategic challenges we face is balancing long-term environmental and social goals with our core mission: keeping essential goods affordable and accessible to millions of customers across the African continent.

The Group recognises that climate change will directly and indirectly impact our business and the communities in which we operate. Supporting the UNFCCC goal of limiting global temperature rise to below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, our climate strategy includes reducing our GHG emissions. We do this by using more renewable electricity from 96 roof top solar PV systems and “wheeling”. Wheeling is a challenge due to the unavailability of renewable electricity in South Africa and the lack of a nationally applicable wheeling framework.

Scale is another challenge. With operations in multiple countries – each with its own infrastructure, regulatory environment and energy mix – rolling out sustainability initiatives consistently and effectively is complex. What works in one region may not be viable or affordable in another.

Ultimately, it’s about being strategic and responsible – phasing in initiatives where they’ll have the most impact, leveraging innovation and constantly looking for solutions that benefit both our communities and the planet. Our goal is to lead responsibly, without compromising on the value and affordability our customers rely on.