This Earth Day, we're reimagining Africa's construction industry as a collaborative, circular, and inclusive ecosystem that prioritizes both people and the planet. With Africa’s population projected to grow by 1.1 billion by 2050 — and 80% of future buildings yet to be constructed — the sector has a unique opportunity to shape sustainable urban development.
The foundation of sustainable construction is an understanding of what it means, why it matters, and an alignment on the way forward. As Africa faces rapid urban development parallel to accelerating climate-related incidents that exacerbate existing socio-economic challenges, it matters now more than ever to unite in action towards sustainable construction that meets local realities.
In the dynamic landscape of corporate operations, companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a cornerstone of sustainable business practices. Saint-Gobain, a global leader in light and sustainable construction,stands out for its unwavering commitment to corporate responsibility in the communities it operates in.
Saint-Gobain, global leaders in light weight and sustainable construction, continue their commitment to growth on the African continent with recent acquisitions in Kenya, Mauritius and the Ivory Coast. These come shortly after the announcement of Saint-Gobain’s new global strategic plan, Grow & Impact, increasing their business stronghold of industrial operations to 10 Sub-Saharan African countries.
The civil engineering and infrastructure markets have significant growth prospects, given rapid urbanisation and the poor access to drinking water suffered by a significant portion of the world population, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
Benoit Bazin, Chief Executive Officer of Saint-Gobain, commented: “In an unsettled geopolitical, energy and macroeconomic environment in 2022, the Group once again delivered record results. Over the last four years of its transformation, Saint-Gobain has outperformed, achieving a two-fold increase in its earnings per share, a structural improvement of 240 basis points in its operating margin, and a three-fold increase in its cash flow generation.
