Our Corporate Social Investment culture is guided by the following principles:
To be welcome in the communities where we operate
To be a good neighbor and corporate citizen
Creation of shared value
Creation of Thriving communities
Value Driven Leadership
Our response to social responsibility covers critical socio-economic areas which include education, health, grower and community support.
Ubombo Sugar Limited has a dedicated 24-hours hospital providing comprehensive medical assistance through its outpatient and inpatient departments to Ubombo employees, dependents, and neighbouring communities. Ubombo Sugar Hospital provides healthcare to at least 2 476 employees, 9 904 dependents and
2 483 members of the community.
Ubombo Sugar Hospital provides medical services such as emergency medicine and trauma; paediatrics; obstetrics and gynaecology, maternal and child health; dental; physiotherapy; occupational health including pre-employment, periodical and exit medicals and public health services.
Ubombo Sugar Hospital has some critical and lucrative partnerships and collaborations with a number of external stakeholders. These include Ministry of Health, National Malaria Program, Eswatini Business Health (EBH) Eswatini Breast Cancer Network and National TB Control Program.
The hospital has been instrumental in enriching its community with health advice and knowledge through a number of health and wellness initiatives. Some of these include:
Peer educator program
Charity projects for disadvantaged communities surrounding Ubombo
Employee wellness comprising HIV/AIDS care, TB care, Cancer screenings
Health awareness programmes including campaigns and lifestyle modification activities
Employee assistance programs including substance use disorder programs and psychosocial therapy.
Ubombo Sugar Hospital has received a number of recognitions for its prolific work and role in the community. Some of there cognitions received by the hospital include:
Best Wellness Program
Best Wellness Initiative
Best Peer Educator
Best HIV Program
Illovo MD’s Recognition
During the year 2020, the country was hit by COVID-19, a global pandemic which called for interventions from all sectors, including businesses and this saw Ubombo Sugar investing over E10 million on resources aimed at mitigating the impact of the pandemic in Big Bend and surrounding communities whilst also supporting national response efforts.
The Company also donated food parcels to vulnerable members of neighbouring communities, who were the most affected by COVID-19.
To ensure access to clean water, the Company continuously donates potable water to neighbouring communities on request, an activity which significantly increased when the COVID-19 outbreak hit the country.
In addition to ensuring a steady water supply, 2 x 5000 litre water tanks were donated to the Big Bend Correctional Services to ensure water availability at all times.
The Company ensures access to quality education for employees’ dependents and children from the surrounding communities through an annual education subvention to its its affiliate schools namely Sisekelo High School, Ubombo Technical High School, Ubombo Pre-Primary School and Ubombo Primary School.
The Swazi Educational Projects (SWAZEP) is a critical body which provides management services to Ubombo Sugar affiliate schools with regard to schools’ strategy and governance guidelines, financial administration, infrastructure maintenance and development, legal, ICT and human resource services.
The subventions from Ubombo Sugar help fund infrastructural developments and other costs incurred by affiliate institutions. Through these subventions, at least 800 learners receive quality education in the most ideal learning environments.
Also, the company provides school transport for dependents of company employees to surrounding community schools.
Being a part of the Illovo Sugar Africa group, we are guided by the principles encompassed within the Illovo Thriving Community Purpose. In alignment with the Thriving Community purpose, we are focused on being an invested corporate citizen in the African countries of operation, including Eswatini.
At Ubombo Sugar we believe in adding value to the communities in which we operate through various community development initiatives. Some significant initiatives and activities we have supported include multiple relief donations, participation in stakeholder value-add campaigns.
At Ubombo Sugar Limited, we believe in adding value to the communities in which we operate through various community development initiatives. We also strongly believe in ensuring all employees and residents living in our estate are catered for when it comes to health, safety and general well being.
To ensure the well being of employees, the company provides basic essential resources, through the Community Services department.
This includes the distribution of food rations, electricity tokens, transportation and housing for company employees, their dependents, and domestic workers within the estate.
Other services include the leasing of company structures to individuals and businesses within the Ubombo estate.
Also, as a way of giving back, Ubombo Sugar Limited provides financial, in-kind and shared-value support to several corporate social investment (CSI) initiatives which benefit Big Bend, surrounding communities and provide support to national efforts towards poverty alleviation.
Our Community Services division also ensures that much support is shown for sporting activities such as soccer, karate, swimming, boxing etc. Support is shown in the provision of uniform, equipment etc. Significant support is provided to our very own soccer team, Illovo F.C. (recently promoted to the Eswatini Premier League in season 2023/24), wherein financial support is extended to the team. To cater for these sporting activities and other recreational activities, we have a company owned stadium called Mayaluka Stadium, situated in Mayaluka within the estate.
Ubombo Sugar leased 450 ha of land from the Catholic Church for sugar cane farming at St Phillips area. The lease fee paid by the project to the StPhilip Mission is used to fund poverty alleviation projects in the area supported by the Catholic Church (2 schools, clinic, mobile clinic service and a rural ambulance service).
The project created employment opportunities to 95% of the residents of the surrounding community. The mission is now linked to the LUSIP canal, ensuring reliable and clean water supply to the schools, clinic and other residents.
The Community Services department is entrusted with ensuring that the company participates in national and cultural events.
We have the Ubombo Imbali (Maidens), Ingatja (Men) and Lutsango (Women) regiments who represent Ubombo at national events such as the Buganu Festival and Umhlanga (Reed dance) to name a few.
Situated in the southeast of Eswatini, comprising one agricultural estate, factory, and refinery.Employs 2 300 permanent and non-permanent people.From sugar cane also delivered by our independent growers, produces raw and refined sugar; direct consumption sugars marketed by Eswatini Sugar Association.Internal electricity generation from renewable resources
Electricity exports