REPORT ON PROFIT, PEOPLE AND PLANET. HOW DOES THE SOUTH AFRICAN SUGAR INDUSTRY REACT?

By  G.W. MAHER
South African Sugarcane Research Institute
Geoff.maher@sugar.org.za


Abstract

THE ISSCT Executive Committee has initiated a study to assist affiliates to deal with the
increasing calls for sustainable production systems.
Sustainability refers to the triple bottom line or the people, planet and profit
philosophy. Most of the ISSCT’s endeavours ofrecent history have been directed at
improving the profit component of that philosophy in both field and factory. The people and
planet have not enjoyed as much attention.
The Executive Committee decided to appoint a Task Force to report on sustainability
and this report provides the results of the study in the South African sugar industry.
Field and factory activities, which identified the Industry’s actions in respect of the
stewardship of both people and the planet, were established after dialogue with both the
miller and grower fraternities in South Africa.
Views on the successes and shortcomings are highlighted and research needs
identified. In the context of the profit component, a report on the macro economics of issues
such as total production, total revenue earned, grower’s total income and total numbers of
employees is given.


KEYWORDS: Sustainability, Protection,
Environment, Social, Research.


www.issct.org

Plenary        Proc. Int. Soc. Sugar Cane Technol., Vol. 27, 2010
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