Social responsibility

Our social responsibility theme encompasses strengthening our transformation strategy, supporting community initiatives, promoting workplace diversity, equity and inclusion, and upholding high standards of health and safety.

HCS

Human capital strength

D&I

Diversity and inclusion

H&S

Health and safety

Community investment

" We promote practices that develop a highly engaged, committed and capable workforce. "

We aim to achieve the following:


Understanding overall employee satisfaction	Measuring the general satisfaction levels among employees across different departments and locations. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of overall employee morale and engagement.
Identifying key drivers of employee satisfaction	Determining the factors that significantly influence employee satisfaction, such as work environment, leadership, compensation, and career development. Isolating areas that contribute to high satisfaction and those that need improvement.
Evaluate communication and management effectiveness	Assessing how effectively management communicates with employees and how well leadership is perceived in terms of support and guidance. Identifying strengths and weaknesses in communication and leadership practices.
Understanding employee needs and expectations	Gathering insights into employee needs and expectations regarding benefits, work-life balance, professional growth, and other aspects of their work experience. Aligning organisational practices with employee needs to enhance satisfaction and retention.
Monitoring changes over time	Tracking changes in employee satisfaction over time to gauge the effectiveness of previous initiatives and adjustments. Measuring progress and identifying trends in employee satisfaction.
Promote a culture of continuous improvement	Fostering a culture where feedback is actively sought and acted upon, encouraging continuous improvement in the workplace. Creating an environment where employees feel their opinions are valued and used to drive positive changes.

Performance and focus areas for 2025

Read more about our people initiatives and achievements in our human capital report here.

" We aim to create a diverse and inclusive workplace where employees feel valued and respected. "

Our approach focuses on enhancing diversity across all levels of the organisation and implementing inclusive practices that support a culture of equity and belonging. By monitoring our diversity and inclusion ratios and taking proactive measures, we aim to build a workforce that reflects diverse perspectives and experiences.

We aim to achieve the following:


Increased diversity representation	Achieve a higher representation of diverse groups within our workforce, including gender, race, ethnicity and other key demographic factors, to better reflect the communities we serve.
Enhanced inclusion practices	Implement and continually improve inclusive practices that ensure all employees feel welcome and supported, fostering a more equitable and respectful work environment.
Improved diversity, inclusion and equity metrics	Track and analyse diversity and inclusion metrics, such as the ratio of diverse employees to total employees, to measure progress and identify areas for further improvement.
Expanded recruitment strategies	Develop and execute recruitment strategies that attract a diverse pool of candidates, including partnerships with diverse professional organisations and targeted outreach efforts.
Effective training and education	Provide comprehensive training on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to all employees, including leadership, to raise awareness and promote inclusive behaviours and practices.
Supportive workplace culture	Cultivate a workplace culture that embraces and celebrates diversity, encourages open dialogue, and provides support for all employees to thrive.
Fair and equitable opportunities	Ensure that all employees have equal access to career development opportunities, promotions, and rewards, promoting fairness and reducing disparities.
Leadership commitment	Demonstrate visible commitment from leadership to diversity and inclusion goals, including setting measurable targets, regularly communicating progress, and holding leaders accountable for results.

Performance and focus areas for 2025

This year, we focused on the following:

Gender equality and women empowerment.
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable employment and decent work for all./li>

SDG target	KPIs	Performance in 2025	KPIs for 2026
5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.	Increase the amount of female representation at: Junior management (50%) Middle management (48%) Senior management (36%)	Not Achieved We achieved a 48.4% female representation rate at the junior management level. We are working to overcome the historic gender imbalances in the talent pipeline. In 2025, there were not enough vacancies to create new opportunities for women, and internal promotions for the year came from male-dominated departments.	50% female junior management representation
		Achieved We achieved a 48.5% female representation rate at the middle management level.	50% female middle management representation
		Achieved We achieved a 37% female representation rate at the senior management level.	40% female senior management representation
	Ensure 49% of female employees participate in development programmes that assist them to grow, perform, and be recognised and promoted: 45%	Achieved 49% of our female employees participated in development programmes.	50%
8.5 By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.	Promote the hiring and promotion of disabled people within our Group at large: 3% of the workforce	Achieved 4.41% of our workforce are disabled people.	3%
	Increase the absorption of unemployed people trained into our workforce, where possible, and linked to business requirements: 50% absorption rate	Achieved Our YES Programme achieved an 87.86% absorption rate.	55%
	Equal work for equal pay exercise to ensure all women are being remunerated equally: Target of less than 3% of employees impacted.	Achieved We completed our annual equal pay exercise and found that women were being remunerated equally. We made upward adjustments to the salaries of 11 female employees. Read more here.	Target of less than 3% of employees impacted

Looking forward to 2026

In 2026, we will prioritise the following:

Inclusive culture for growth where all employees feel seen, heard and valued.
Women and gender equity at all management levels.
Youth empowerment through the various programmes we offer, such as YES and learnerships.

" Famous Brands maintains the highest standards of health and safety across our operations to protect our employees, consumers and other stakeholders. "

We aim to achieve the following:


Reduced workplace incidents	Achieve a measurable reduction in workplace accidents and injuries through proactive safety measures, risk assessments and incident prevention strategies.
Compliance with regulations	Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations and standards.
Enhanced safety training	Provide comprehensive and ongoing health and safety training for all employees, including managers, to promote awareness, develop essential skills, and ensure compliance with safety practices.
Effective risk management	Implement robust risk management processes, including regular safety audits and hazard assessments, to identify and mitigate potential safety risks.
Improved emergency preparedness	Develop and maintain effective emergency response plans, conduct regular drills, and ensure employees are well-prepared to handle emergency situations.
Transparent reporting and communication	Foster an environment where health and safety concerns are openly reported and addressed, ensuring transparent communication and prompt resolution of issues.
Engaged and informed workforce	Engage employees in health and safety initiatives and encourage their active participation in maintaining a safe work environment.
Continuous improvement	Regularly review and update health and safety policies and practices based on feedback, incident analysis, and best practices to drive continuous improvement.

Performance and focus areas for 2025

We prioritised the following activities and actions to improve our health and safety performance:

We monitored our leading indicators for health and safety to identify trends and potential issues.
We introduced an enhanced safety monitoring programme across all ammonia plants.
We implemented stringent measures to curb minor cuts and injuries.
We introduced awareness campaigns and defensive rider training to reduce the unacceptable incidence of motorcycle accidents in Botswana.
Improved our health and safety performance at our Mauritius Company-owned restaurants.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PERFORMANCE FOR 2025

Zero major incidents or fatalities.

100% reduction in year-on-year reportable injuries (2024: 1).

Zero workplace reportable illnesses and diseases.

254 lost work days (2024: 484).

71 first aid incidents (2024: 73).

27 medical treatment incidents (2024: 29).

Nine of our Supply Chain sites achieved a NOSA 5-Star grading and five sites maintained 4-Star grading .

67 lost time injuries (2024: 71).

0.76 lost time incident rate (LTIR) (2024: 0.74).

Occupational health and safety

Famous Brands complies with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA), a legally enforceable act managed by the Department of Employment and Labour. The act, first enacted in 1993, aims to ensure the health and safety of individuals at work, including those who work with machinery and equipment. Famous Brands designates senior managers to manage health and safety responsibilities in each facility in accordance with section 16(2) of the OHSA. The management representatives assume statutory health and safety responsibilities, which they accept in writing.

We use an independent consultancy to verify that the work environments across our operations are safe, suitable and hygienic. This consultancy ensures that employees have the correct protective clothing and receive safety training. Management reviews feedback on suggested improvement areas based on the audit results.

We provide induction programmes for new employees and contractors, including health and safety education. The training we provide for employees includes firefighting and first aid. Should an incident occur, it is recorded and reviewed by the OHS Risk Specialist. The OHSA Committees across all business units meet regularly.

Our health and safety achievements over five years

Injury and illness reduction

Reduced lost-time incidents through improved safety incidents observation and hazard reporting.
Reduced LTIR rate by 44% since 2022.
Zero fatalities for five consecutive years.

Training and awareness

Trained employees in the safe handling of hazardous materials.
Conducted regular refresher training for forklift, reach trucks, powered pallet jacks and order picker operators.
Conducted regular employee occupational health and safety (OHS) awareness and standard operating procedure (SOP) training programmes.

Safety programme and initiatives

Implemented a comprehensive OHS management system, including an incident reporting and investigation process.
Developed 11 leading indicators that are tracked monthly.
Implemented a safety incident observation reporting system to identify and address hazards, to reinforce safe behaviours and foster culture of awareness.
Implemented a permit-to-work system for high-risk activities.
Conducted regular emergency response drills.

Employee participation and engagement

Established a monthly Sites Safety Health and Environment (SHE) Committee to promote employee participation.
Established monthly meetings with all employees and contractors to discuss health and safety issues.

Compliance and certification

Conducted external annual OHS management system audits.
Conducted an internal bi-annual inspection on ammonia plants.
Conducted SANS 10147 ammonia plant compliance assessment.
MHI five-yearly risk assessment reviewed.
Conducted bi-annual independent fire inspections and certifications on sites with sprinkler systems.
Conducted regular risk assessments and implemented mitigation measures.

Innovation and technology

Installed and implemented a drive-cam tool to monitor driver behaviours while en route.

" Famous Brands is committed to leveraging our brands’ strengths to drive meaningful community investment. "

Our approach integrates our brand values and identity into our community engagement strategies, focusing on initiatives that resonate with our brand’s mission and enhance our connection with local communities. We aim to make a positive impact while reinforcing our positioning as a responsible corporate citizen.

We aim to achieve the following:


Brand alignment and impact	Ensure that community investment initiatives align with and amplify our brands’ values and mission, creating a cohesive narrative that strengthens our presence and influence within the community.
Strategic partnerships with community organisations	Forge partnerships with local organisations and non-profits that align with our brands’ focus areas, maximising the impact of our investments and enhancing community engagement.
Enhanced brand loyalty and reputation	Build stronger brand loyalty and a positive reputation by demonstrating our commitment to community welfare and aligning our actions with our brand’s values.
Sustainable and long-term impact	Ensure that our community investments yield sustainable and long-term benefits, thereby contributing to the ongoing development and resilience of the communities we serve.

Performance and focus areas for 2025

We spent R19.3 million on our CSI initiatives across our focus areas of health, education, environment, sport and social development.

SDG target	KPIs	Performance in 2025	KPIs for 2026
2.1 By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.	Percentage of total CSI spend to promote social development in communities: 10%	Achieved We spent 14.5% of our CSI spend on promoting social development in communities.	10%
2.2 By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under five years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons.	Percentage of total CSI spend to promote a better environment, better education and sport to support communities: 55%	Achieved We spent 61.5% of our CSI spend to promote a better environment, better education and sport to support communities.	55%
3.8 Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential healthcare services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.	Allocate 24% of CSI spend to promote access to quality healthcare services, medicines and vaccines.	Not Achieved We spent 24% of our CSI spend on improving access to healthcare services. The reason for this underspend was a purposeful shift of redirecting 6% toward environmental care, education and sport to support our broader community well-being.	31.2%

Read more about our CSI activities in our CSI report here.

Looking forward to 2026

In 2026, we will prioritise the following:

Community development initiatives.
Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages.

Integrated Annual Report

Social responsibility