Invictus Investment Company Plc (ADX: INVICTUS),a leading agro-food enterprise in the Middle East and Africa, announced the publication of its second annual Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report for the 12 months ended December 31, 2024. Prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Standardand reflecting the aims of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the report outlines the company’s ESG framework, performance and initiatives across three core pillars: Environmental Stewardship, Social Empowerment,and Ethical Governance and Partnerships.

With revenue increasing by 10.1% year-on-year to AED 8.9 billion in 2024, and commodity transaction volumes reaching new highs of 8.2 million metric tonnes, Invictus Investment is committed to a robust ESG approach focused on sustainable growth that supports its evolution as afully integrated agro-food enterprise. Corporate governance remains at the heart of the company’s approach, with an emphasis on ethical business practices and responsible corporate citizenship to create value for all stakeholders and drive positive change.

Commenting on the report,Amir Daoud Abdellatif, CEO of Invictus Investment, said: “For a company like ours, focused on long-term sustainable growth, it’s essential that we continue to uphold our values and demonstrate our commitment to Environmental Stewardship, Social Empowerment, and Ethical Governance and Partnerships.In 2024 we have built on the initial materiality assessment made in our inaugural ESG report, with a focus on refining our strategies and embedding sustainability more deeply into our business operations.This includes implanting these principles into the businesses we acquire – like Moroccan agro-trading leader Gradercowhere we hold a majority 60% stake, and the recent acquisition of Merec Industries in Mozambique. Guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the UAE’s national sustainability agenda, we aim to contribute to the country’s long-term vision while also supporting the wider region’s economic growth and food security strategies.”

The 2024 ESG report details activities across the company’s operations, with highlights including:

Advancing Environmental Stewardship

Building upon the foundation established in 2023, Invictus Investment continues to enhance its commitment to environmental sustainability. In 2024, the company increased its investment in renewable energy solutions and the optimisation of operational efficiencies. This included the introduction of energy audits across key facilities and employee engagement workshops focused on energy conservation.

A major addition to the company’s environmental strategy in 2024 was the inclusion of waste management and reduction measures with the introduction of waste calculations as part of sustainability metrics.In terms of water stewardship,advanced recycling systems were introduced in high-consumption areas, supported by improved monitoring and data analytics to identify and address potential in efficiencies.

Fostering Social Empowerment

Invictus Investment has shown tangible results in its commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace and investing in the development of its workforce. In 2024, the company increased the number of women working in the company by 50% on 2023 figures, with the number of women in senior management increasing threefold, with 11% of senior management positions now occupied by females. There were also zero cases of discrimination reported during the year.

The company also allocated a budget of over AED 1.3 million in 2024 for learning and development, training, education and employee wellness programmes– more than double 2023 figures. A total of 1,763 hours of training were undertaken across the team, representing a more than fourfold increase compared to the previous year.

In parallel, Invictus Investment has continued to strengthen its Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) practices. This included enhancements to hazard identification processes, routine workplace inspections, employee feedback mechanisms and incident reporting systems. This was complemented by a renewed emphasis on customer care, with an enhanced Quality Management System(QMS) and Food Safety Management System (FSMS), underlining a commitment to maintaining excellence in product safety.

Strengthening Ethical Governance and Partnerships

Invictus Investment has continued to build on its robust corporate governance framework, maintaining 2023’s standards of zero cases of corruption or ethical grievances, zero customer privacy breaches and zero anti-competitive behaviour. The company applies rigorous ethical standards in its supply chain, with 100% of suppliers certifying compliance with its code of conduct and 32% of new suppliers screened using environmental and social criteria – up from 25% in 2023. The company also enhanced its cybersecurity training in 2024, with 95% of employees completing data privacy and security training, up from 80% in 2023.

Invictus Investment continues to refine and expand its policies and procedures to ensure transparency, accountability and ethical conduct across all operations. In 2024, this included a new internal communications policy and a new governance framework, both designed to enhance security, compliance and operational efficiency.

Looking ahead, Invictus Investment is committed to strengthening its focus on advancements across its identified ESG pillars, prioritising exemplary environmental, social empowerment and ethical governance across every aspect of operations.

*Please refer to https://invictusinvestment.ae/investor-relations/ for more information.