Businesses are becoming more than just businesses. Nowadays, businesses are being required to look beyond their interests and to include the interests of those around them in their strategy and priorities.
On the African continent, which is struggling with the enormous challenge of reconciling economic growth with social development, this subject is becoming increasingly important. Angola is no exception.
Cochan – which I founded in 2009 and which today is one of the largest economic groups in the country – arose from the desire to help Angola rebuild itself and evolve after more than four decades of war. We built it to be a global, productive and inclusive project that would generate wealth, create employment, reduce poverty and respect the environment.
I manage Cochan with the belief that investment must be positive, responsible, sustainable and long lasting, and have an impact – for customers, employees, suppliers, partners and communities. We work every day to achieve this objective. We want to set an example, to be at the forefront of what is done best. We believe that the values which inspire us can also inspire those around us.
We recruit in communities where our investments have an effect, and we train people and give them room to grow within organisations. We build solid strategies with our companies for rapid, effective and responsible growth, allowing them to become leaders, regardless of the sector, and to be local players. We provide Angolans with high-quality products and services, giving priority to domestic suppliers and products. We leave our mark on the lives of everyone who comes across us.
We created the first Angolan company to produce and commercialise sugar, ethanol and electricity from biomass: Biocom. We invest in cutting-edge technology, in qualified staff and in continuous training. We give priority to hiring workers from within communities. We have become the largest private employer in the Cacuso region and we are currently implementing an Individual Development Programme to prepare Angolan employees to occupy positions of leadership, in place of foreign workers – 90% of the duties performed by foreign nationals already have a local official allocated to provide them.
Today, we are a reference in the sector in Africa and in Angola. By 2021, Biocom will be one of the five largest producers in southern Africa. The sugar, under the brand Kapanda, is only sold in the internal market. In 2015, we were able to save the country 25 million dollars in imports. The planting and harvesting of sugar cane are mechanised; the factory, which operates in the Capanda Agro-Industrial unit in the province of Malanje, produces enough energy for its own consumption. The surplus, 70%, is sold through the national electric system.
The repercussions of Biocom’s investment in the communities extend beyond the creation of jobs: we are concerned with the environmental sustainability of our projects. Biocom controls the quality of water, erosion, and gas emissions, and reuses 100 percent of its industrial waste. In addition to this, it invests in communities: it promotes a literacy programme for young people and adults that has already benefited more than 700 people, and it supports a family agriculture programme that has had an impact on the lives of more than 700 families; sports groups aimed at young people, children and adolescents in the community and at children of Biocom’s workers; and a hand-crafted soap factory where 12 entrepreneurs from the community work, and where they learnt to read and write. In 2016, Biocom won the award for Best Social Responsibility Programme at the Sirius Awards, given by the consulting firm Deloitte.
Through DT Agro, an agricultural company founded in 2012, we invested more than 1.2 million dollars in the reconstruction of an irrigation canal from the Catumbela River to the 90 hectares of land where banana, passion fruit and horticultural products are grown. Today, this structure also benefits more than 700 families, who cultivate products for their own consumption and to sell at informal markets. DT Agro provides training about cultivation techniques and ways to fully exploit the land to the people who live near the farm.
The network of Kero super- and hypermarkets, which are also a Cochan Group investment, give priority to Angolan products and to domestic production. In addition, it is responsible for the Kero Kandengue programme, which helps underprivileged children who live near the stores and promotes sport among young people. The brand sponsors eight Internal Reception Centres; every day, these receive fresh products that didn’t sell. Every year, Kero store employees organise a Christmas dinner for these children, on a voluntary basis.
Cochan believes that it is its responsibility to contribute to the diversification of the Angolan economy, which is key to strengthening the internal market, improving the lives of Angolans and developing the country. Responsibility and sustainability are cornerstones of our project and drivers of our strategy. Because our commitment to Angola extends far beyond the long term: it’s forever.
This article was taken from here.
Nicely done! – I looked at the Wiki on this and it did not have as detailed info – thank you!