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Tag: Sustainability goals

  • Redington and Vertiv Join Forces to Drive Technology Adoption and Support IT Deployments Across Africa

    Redington and Vertiv Join Forces to Drive Technology Adoption and Support IT Deployments Across Africa

    Redington, the leading technology aggregator and innovation powerhouse across emerging markets, today announced a strategic distribution partnership with Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions. This collaboration aims to empower channel partners across Africa to leverage the transformative potential of Vertiv’s technology and expand its reseller network.

    The partnership leverages Redington’s established presence and expertise in emerging markets, particularly in data centre transformation and artificial intelligence (AI), alongside Vertiv’s industry-leading[1] power and cooling technology, resources, and over 50 years of experience in critical infrastructure services. This powerful combination will unlock new opportunities for Vertiv to extend its reach within the regional channel market. The distributor’s comprehensive reach across Africa, coupled with its strong in-house services team, will provide additional value to Vertiv’s local channel partners and end users.

    The partnership encompasses Vertiv’s entire Integrated Solutions portfolio and IT channel product stack, spanning Africa. This comprehensive offering enables Redington to deliver a complete suite of Vertiv’s cutting-edge solutions to its extensive network of channel partners and end users.

    “As Vertiv continues to expand its footprint across Africa, this strategic partnership with Redington marks a significant milestone in our journey,” said Wojtek Piorko, Managing Director for Africa at Vertiv. “Africa is a critical region for Vertiv as a business, and we look forward to supporting local customers in meeting their efficiency, scalability and sustainability goals into the future, together with Redington.”

    “At Redington, we’re constantly seeking strategic partnerships that fuel innovation and drive growth across Africa,” said Dharshana Kosgalage, Executive Vice President, Technology Solutions Group, Redington Middle East and Africa. “Our collaboration with Vertiv exemplifies this commitment. Vertiv’s industry-leading technology perfectly complements our extensive reach, creating a powerful value proposition for businesses across the continent. We’re confident this alliance will catalyse Africa’s digital revolution.”

    The distributor will hold specialised training and partner empowerment sessions to enable its channel network to effectively deliver Vertiv’s portfolio, as well as carefully managing inventory to serve the market without delays and designing solutions to meet customers’ specific requirements alongside partners.

  • Vertiv Adds New Direct Expansion Cooling Unit to Enable Carbon Footprint Reduction

    Vertiv Adds New Direct Expansion Cooling Unit to Enable Carbon Footprint Reduction

    …Vertiv™ Liebert® PDX family expands to utilise low-GWP and non-flammable refrigerant in EMEA

     Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, today introduced the new, highly efficient Vertiv™ Liebert® PDX-PAM direct expansion perimeter units with low global warming potential (GWP)  and non-flammable R513A refrigerant. Available now in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), the system is designed to operate with an eco-friendly refrigerant (as compared to legacy refrigerants) to enable increased efficiency, reliability and maximum flexibility of installation.

    Liebert® PDX-PAM allows data centre owners to comply with the EU F-Gas Regulation 2024/573 and enables their pressing sustainability goals. The non-flammable R513A refrigerant provides up to a 70% GWP reduction when compared to the traditional R410A, without compromising safety or reliability. No additional safety devices are required, as is the case for units using flammable refrigerants, enabling reduced installation costs and CAPEX.

    “In an era where efficiency and reliability are paramount, we recognise the urgent need for eco-friendly alternatives to stay ahead of regulatory requirements and provide our customers with state-of-the-art innovations,” stated Karsten Winther, president for Vertiv in Europe, Middle East and Africa. “With this new solution, we’re not just addressing our customers’ current sustainability objectives; we’re actively innovating and advancing the future of cooling technology and setting new heights for efficiency and reliability.”

    Liebert PDX-PAM is available from 10 kW to 80 kW with a wide range of airflow configurations, options and accessories, making the unit easily adaptable to various installation needs, from small to medium data centres including edge computing applications, UPS and battery rooms. In conjunction with the Liebert PDX-PAM units, a wide choice of cooling solutions is available for managing heat rejection externally, depending on the specific system configuration.

    Vertiv is leading in innovation and raising the technology threshold with Liebert® PDX-PAM, a low-GWP, non-flammable R513A refrigerant solution with inverter-driven brushless motor compressors, staged coil design with an innovative patent-pending filter, electronic expansion valves and state-of-the-art electronically commutated (EC) fans, all included as standard features. The integrated Vertiv™ Liebert® iCOM™ controller enables seamless synchronisation of these components, allowing complete modulation of performance. This way, the Liebert® PDX-PAM unit can adapt to changing operating conditions and heat load efficiently and reliably. The full continuous modulation capability significantly reduces the annual power consumption, resulting in a more cost-effective solution, thanks to the enhanced part load efficiency and precise monitoring of the machine’s operation, facilitating performance tracking and more timely and effective maintenance, thereby creating opportunities for predictive maintenance actions.

    “The introduction of low GWP refrigerants for direct expansion systems marks a significant advancement in sustainable air-cooling technology,” said Lucas Beran, research director at Dell’Oro Group. By utilising low-GWP and non-flammable refrigerants, Vertiv complies with EU F-Gas Regulation requirements and aims to reduce carbon footprints without compromising on safety or efficiency. This innovation is significant for data centre operators aiming to achieve their sustainability goals while maintaining high operational standards.”

  • 2024 Report: Airtel Africa Reports Progress on Sustainability Goals

    2024 Report: Airtel Africa Reports Progress on Sustainability Goals

    Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services in 14 countries across Africa, has published its 2024 Sustainability Report.

    The report highlights Airtel Africa’s progress across its key sustainability targets, including support for its people and communities, promoting financial and digital inclusion, and initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of its operations.

    Airtel Africa’s outgoing Group CEO, Segun Ogunsanya, said: “I’m very proud of the strides Airtel Africa has made in advancing our sustainability goals. While targets are vital to driving change, our mission is much bigger: to transform people’s lives through connectivity, products and services fostering digital and financial inclusion while unlocking the potential of the next generation.”

    The report shares progress highlights for the company’s four sustainability pillars: ‘Our business’, ‘Our people’, ‘Our community’ and ‘Our environment’.

    Our business: Airtel Africa continued to expand telecommunications services, supporting economic growth and development across the continent. Key milestones include:

    • Growing the customer base to 152.7 million across 14 markets
    • Attaining ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 certifications which demonstrate Airtel Africa’s compliance with international standards and commitment to data privacy and security
    • Expanding the 4G network and reaching 70.7% of the population in these markets, a 4.9% increase since 2022/23
    • Introducing 5G services, now covering 4.14% of customers, primarily in urban areas

    Our people: Airtel Africa is committed to creating a working environment where all employees can achieve their full potential. Key milestones include:

    • Increasing workforce and leadership diversity, with 35.4% of new or open leadership roles filled by women, raising the representation of women in senior management to 22.3%, up from 19.5% the previous year
    • Enhancing diversity and inclusion and advancing female talent through the ‘Women for technology’ programme which benefitted 54 high performing women and resulted in a 21% increase in internal promotions from this group as of 31 March 2024
    • Investing $1.2m in training and development programme

    Our community: Airtel Africa is transforming the lives of individuals, families and communities across Africa by building opportunities for better futures. Key milestones include:

    • Driving financial inclusion for unbanked populations by growing Airtel Money’s customer base to 38 million people. This is particularly significant for the financial inclusion of women in Africa, who make up 38% of Airtel Money’s customers
    • Advancing digital learning across Africa through the five-year $57m partnership with UNICEF, connecting almost 1,200 schools to the internet and providing free access to online educational platforms to thousands of students in 2023/24

    Our environment: Airtel Africa is working to address and minimise the impact of the company’s operations on the environment. Key milestones include:

    • Publishing the ‘Journey towards a net zero future’ in May 2023 which outlines the scenarios for the reduction of scope 1 and 2 emissions while setting out a near-term target to reduce emissions intensity by 62% from March 2022 baseline
    • Announcing the scope 3 strategy in November 2023 which sets out the partners and suppliers’ engagement programme (PSEP) to further advance our engagement with the supply chain
    • Launching our new multi-million data centre business, Nxtra by Airtel, in December 2023 and commencing construction of one of Africa’s largest data centres in Lagos, Nigeria, which will incorporate modern energy efficiencies to complement the ongoing work on reducing carbon emissions across existing sites

    Airtel Africa’s Sustainability Report 2024 adheres to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework and the GSMA’s recommendations for the telecommunications industry.  

    To view Airtel Africa’s Sustainability Report 2024, visit www.airtel.africa

  • UK to deepen investment relationship with NGX

    UK to deepen investment relationship with NGX

    The United Kingdom (UK) through its Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has stated that it will continue to focus on building future investment links and collaborate with Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) to ensure Nigeria’s economic potential is unlocked.

    This was even as the UK government announced the Mobilising Institutional Capital Through Listed Product Structures (MOBILIST) partnership with the Exchange which will facilitate increased investment in sustainable development in Nigeria through products listed on the Exchange. Rt Hon. James Cleverly, UK Secretary of State, FCDO disclosed these during the Closing Gong Ceremony held on the floor of the NGX on Tuesday.

    Cleverly noted that NGX, through its activities have a gravitational and attractive force to attract investment noting that investment fuels the economic activity, generates profit and unlocks the economic potential and feeds through jobs and prosperity for ordinary people for here in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.

    He added that with the UK government would love to see more of dual listings while adding that developing countries need at least $3.9 trillion in additional financing if it is going to have credible chance of achieving their sustainability goals. According to him, investment is going to help unlock the economic potential of Nigeria and the U.K government will not only keep hold of its existing ties with Nigeria but will collaborate with the NGX to attract listings as well as investment in the capital market.

    Commending the United Kingdom’s commitment to attaining Climate Neutrality by 2050 and its progress in transitioning to renewable energy sources, the Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Alhaji (Dr) Umaru Kwairanga said, “NGX remains fully committed to further strengthening its existing relationship with the UK by fostering even stronger partnerships and collaborations.”

    On his part, the Chief Executive Officer, NGX, Temi Popoola, noted that the U.K’s inputs and importance is evident across the verticals of the Nigerian capital market.  “We will continue to work with the U.K government on expanding the digital transformation process, deepening capital flows into our markets, promoting sustainability and climate change mitigation in the capital market”, Popoola stated.

  • MAGGI Partners African Cleanup Initiative (ACI) to Clean Up Agege Market

    MAGGI Partners African Cleanup Initiative (ACI) to Clean Up Agege Market


    Maggi, an iconic brand from the stable of Nestlé – the good food, good life company, cleaned up Agege Market recently with a team of volunteers from Nestlé Nigeria and African Cleanup Initiative (ACI) – an NGO. The clean-up
    activity took place on Thursday March 24, 2022.

    Speaking on the initiative, the Category and Marketing Manager for Culinary, Nestlé Nigeria PLC, Nwando Ajene said, “Our company is leading efforts in tackling post consumption waste management through various initiatives including this clean-up exercise. In addition to removing waste from the environment, we are also raising awareness and promoting behavioral change, which are both very critical to achieving a cleaner environment through proper waste management. We are happy to partner with the African Cleanup Initiative (ACI), and all the Nestlé volunteers who have come out today to show their
    commitment to rejuvenating our planet.”

    Also commenting during the clean-up activity, Alexander Akhigbe, the founder of African Cleanup Initiative (ACI) mentioned that ACI is proud to cleanup Oniwaya Market, Agege with Maggi. Volunteers from both teams demonstrated a high level of enthusiasm that aided the effective waste removal efforts. This partnership with MAGGI also serves as an added opportunity for ACI to
    “environgelize” for environmental sanity and sustainability. We are also happy with the opportunity to donate cleaning tools like packers and brooms to the market team which was supported by Maggi.

    Nestlé is committed to packaging and delivering her products in ways that are safe to continuously protect the environment for future generations. The company has also announced ambitious sustainability goals to advance the
    health of our planet, including cutting greenhouse gas emissions to achieve net zero by 2050.

    The company recognizes that multi-stakeholder action is required to achieve this objective and is therefore working with partners including other stakeholders in
    the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), Wecyclers and Chanja Datti and ACI on the management of post-consumer packaging plastic materials. These collaborative efforts help to advance Nestlé’s vision that none of its packaging, including plastics, ends up in landfills or as litter, in oceans, lakes or rivers.


    In 2021 alone, over 4,756.5TMT of plastic waste was removed from the environment through the collection initiatives and community projects of FBRA and Nestlé Nigeria partnerships with Wecyclers and Chanja Datti.
    A total of 99.4 Kilograms of solid waste including 4.1 Kilograms of recyclable waste was removed from the environment during the recent market clean-up
    exercise. The collected waste was segregated and sent for further processing.