Mondi South Africa’s stakeholder engagement: A cornerstone to strengthen trust

This is especially true for Mondi South Africa (MSA), which is a key player in the country’s industrial landscape with operations deeply embedded in the communities they serve. MSA prioritises robust stakeholder engagement to strengthen trust, fosters local economic development, social cohesion, and care for the environment. At Mondi, we use a variety of tools to manage our local engagements, including Stakeholder and Community Engagement Plans, our Stakeholder Engagement Conversations as well as the feedback from grievance mechanisms (for example SpeakOut).

Creating positive socio-economic impact: Mondi South Africa’s Community Engagement Plans (CEPs) 

At MSA, stakeholder engagement is a cornerstone of its operations to effectively address local issues and impacts through comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategies, community development initiatives and ongoing dialogue. 

The key stakeholders of MSA comprise 245 local communities, 38 traditional authorities, 14 social partners and 59 local government structures, which is why it is essential to build and manage mutually beneficial relationships.  

Community Engagement Plans (CEPs) are a key part of MSA's stakeholder engagement approach and are crucial to its business strategy, effectively improving community relations and operational sustainability. Through research and direct engagement with communities, MSA develops a better understanding of the local context including significant social issues and impacts in the areas in which Mondi operates. These insights are the basis for developing targeted initiatives and social investment programmes, focusing on the following areas: 

1. Health and wellbeing: the mobile clinic programme to improve healthcare access in remote areas; 
2. Education: Investments in e-learning, skills training and early childhood development programmes to enhance knowledge on maths and science topics; 
3. Environment: Efforts to improve water access and quality, waste management, and protection of sensitive areas; 
4. Resilient and sustainable human settlements: Improving living conditions for surrounding communities through development of agri-villages and self-help groups; and  
5. Local enterprise development: Support for local enterprises, supporting job creation, and skills development. 

MSA has made substantial investment in systems that track the progress of community engagement plans, starting with data collection and tracking of all stakeholder engagement activities. The aim is to keep track of community developments, needs, key social issues and impacts in the areas in which Mondi operates. Regular consultation with local stakeholders ensure that the company’s initiatives continue to align with community needs and address emerging challenges.  

Through ongoing dialogue, tailored initiatives, and a commitment to monitoring and evaluation, Mondi has built a foundation of trust and mutual benefit with its stakeholders. We remain focused on creating sustainable, positive socio-economic impacts that resonate with our communities, addressing their concerns and building strong, mutually beneficial relationships.  

By embedding social responsibility into its business model, Mondi South Africa sets an example of how companies can contribute to local development while achieving long-term business success.