Group TD Esme Gombault mulling AI to manage climate change risk

Waste – and its management – is a key topic in South Africa. Proposed amendments to the National Waste Information regulations were recently published, while the private sector has called for a public-private partnerships to tackle the waste management crisis.

ESG Global asked group technical director Esme Gombault, who is responsible for ESG reporting at EnviroServ, three clever questions about using AI in waste management, meeting environmental standards across diverse industries and her most memorable project in 2025.

How are you currently – or plan to in future – using AI within your sustainability portfolio?
AI is still in its early stages at EnviroServ, and we are exploring its potential to optimise our processes. As we gather reliable data and evidence of its effectiveness, we will take informed steps toward broader implementation. One area of focus is climate change as it is a very real risk for our waste management facilities and to better understand and prepare for extreme weather conditions we are leveraging AI.

EnviroServ works across a number of different industries, including automotive; metallurgical and chemical. Which industries are on the front foot when it comes to meeting stringent environmental standards?
Our customers with international ties definitely have more onerous ESG requirements but our locally-listed companies are definitely stepping up their requirements to align with international requirements. We have seen customers across various industries setting stringent environmental targets for themselves. Furthermore, these industries face strict legal and environmental compliance requirements that they must adhere to. Their operating licenses and permits hold them accountable for a number of conditions, including environment and social requirements.

What is your personal most memorable project thus far in 2025?

2025 has been a year of many exciting ESG achievements.

On the Environmental front:

• National Environment Management Authority Uganda- a government agency mandated by law to coordinate, monitor, regulate and supervise environment management in Uganda held the second edition of the National Environment Sustainability awards on 27 June 2025. EnviroServ Uganda was honoured with the Best Waste Management Facility award— a prestigious event recognising excellence in environmental stewardship and sustainable development.
• GHG reduction and climate adaption projects: EnviroServ is actively contributing to energy decarbonisation by enhancing the sustainability of its waste management facilities. By extensive temporary capping of completed slope, we have reduced exposed surface areas, minimising the risk of odours released and reducing the amount of contaminated stormwater and leachate generated. We have seen the benefits of this project at both our Shongweni and Holfontein Waste Management Facilities. GHG reduction feasibility studies have been completed on our Shongweni and Vissershok waste management facilities. We are very excited that we have received board approval to proceed with the biogas extraction and flaring project at the Vissershok facility. At our Chloorkop Waste Management Facility, we have increased the extraction and flaring of landfill gas by 30% contributing to further reduction of our Scope 1 emissions.
• Nature: We continue to renature land across our operations. We have continued our efforts to train both internal and external stakeholders on recycling, recovery and re-use to contribute to zero waste to landfill thus conserving resources and reducing environmental impacts.

On the Social front, we continue to upskill our employees and ensure that they thrive in the workplace. We have policies that protect our employees and prioritise safety, health and environment. Our ten lifesaving rules are part of our DNA and reinforced. Corporate social responsibility is critical to us. We partner with communities around our facilities to raise awareness about waste management and implement programmes that ensure their well-being. Some of our policies, including recruitment policies, prioritise people from communities near our operations.

On the Governance front, various board committees are in place at EnviroServ to ensure transparency, as well as fair and ethical business practices. This year, ethics policies were updated and communicated to all relevant stakeholders. All staff are presently undergoing mandatory ethics training.