CEO of Sappi Southern Africa, Graeme Wild,
As Sappi moves from being a traditional paper producer to a diversified, renewable woodfibre business, it continues to make its mark on the global stage – ranking as one of the World’s Best Employers and Top Companies for Women.
ESG Global recently asked Graeme Wild, CEO of Sappi Southern Africa, three clever questions about leaving a legacy, operational use of renewable resources and creating a sustainable women leadership pipeline at the global woodfibre company.
What are some of the renewable resources that Sappi uses within its everyday operations?
At Sappi, renewable resources are the foundation of our business. Our primary raw material is woodfibre, sourced from responsibly managed and certified forests that are continuously regenerated. Every part of the tree is used — from cellulose for paper and textiles, to lignin and hemicellulose for bio-based chemicals and energy. In addition, we generate renewable bioenergy from process residues like black liquor and bark, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Black liquor, a by-product of the pulping process, plays a vital role in Sappi’s circular manufacturing system — it contains dissolved organic materials from wood, which are recovered and burned in recovery boilers to generate renewable energy and retrieve valuable chemicals, thereby reducing waste, lowering fossil fuel consumption, and improving overall energy efficiency in the mill.
As Sappi approaches its 90th anniversary in 2026, we are overseeing a transition from a traditional paper organisation to a diversified woodfibre business. On a personal level, what is the one specific legacy – related to people and planet – that you would like to establish?
As Sappi nears its 90th anniversary, we see our transformation as an opportunity to redefine what industrial sustainability looks like in practice. The legacy we’d like to leave is one where Sappi exists to build a thriving world by unlocking the power of renewable resources to benefit people, communities, and the planet. We want Sappi to be remembered not only for what we produce, but for how we uplift lives — through education, skills, and enterprise development, together with climate-smart innovation that safeguards our natural resources for generations to come.
Being ranked as one of the World’s Top Companies for Women by Forbes magazine in 2025 is noteworthy, how does Sappi plan to sustain the women leadership pipeline across the organisation?
This recognition is something we’re very proud of – not because it’s an award, but because it reflects the kind of culture we strive for at Sappi every day. Sustaining a strong pipeline of female leadership is not a once-off initiative; it’s about providing the right environment for people to grow and succeed. For me, it’s about creating an environment where every woman at Sappi feels she has the opportunity and the support to lead boldly – because when that happens, the entire organisation becomes stronger.
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