Social responsibility
Naspers aims to provide its employees with a clean, safe working environment. During the year under review, a process to develop performance indicators that could be integrated into the business planning cycle was initiated by the group’s print media division.

The workplace
The implementation of a healthy, safe workplace at administrative and production facilities is a priority for all group companies. Where required and in keeping with local requirements, health and safety committees – with responsible individuals who receive training to improve their skills – have been formed to ensure compliance with applicable regulations. Medical emergency and disaster recovery plans have been devised as appropriate in operating businesses, and a software program which enables the effective monitoring of workplace injuries is operated at Media24.

Regular organisational, health and safety risk control audits are conducted by operational entities and appropriate improvements are implemented as required.

HIV/Aids
Naspers is acutely aware of the HIV/Aids pandemic and the social and economic implications of the disease. Comprehensive programmes in our South African operations comprise:

• information and awareness campaigns
• voluntary free testing
• free counselling
• comprehensive medical treatment programmes.

Environment
Media24 is currently reviewing progress on developing site-specific environmental management systems, based on the principles of ISO 14001. An environmental policy for Media24 has been developed. Energy efficiency is driven by cost saving initiatives and a reporting system is being developed to enable Media24 to monitor consumption of key energy sources relative to building floor space (for office space), per ton of printed material produced (for printing facilities) and per kilometre of travel (for its transport fleet vehicles).

The use of hazardous materials (including toluene, methyl ethyl ketone and isopropylalcohol) at Media24’s printing facilities, is strictly controlled and air-quality monitoring is conducted in production areas where workers may be exposed to these chemicals.

Media24’s policy requires regular integrity testing on all bulk chemical storage tanks at all its facilities. During the year substantial investments were made to bring facilities into compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing industrial emissions to air and water.

Regenerative thermal oxidisers are being installed at Paarl Web, Paarl Web Gauteng and Paarl Print at a cost of over R7 million. These should be fully operational before the end of the calendar year and will virtually eliminate the emission of solvent and print ink vapours at these plants. Hazardous waste from all Media24’s printing facilities is stored separately and safe disposal certificates are required from contractors.

Given the nature of Media24’s business, paper is the single biggest waste material. Paper waste is closely monitored at all printing facilities. Close to 100% of all paper waste at Media24’s printing facilities is recycled. The biggest physical impact Media24 has on the environment is through purchasing paper, consuming 162 645 tons of paper annually. This year Media24 initiated a review of paper supply in terms of recycled content and sourcing paper from sustainably harvested forests. Media24 will always be restricted in terms of using recycled stock by the technical specifications of its printing presses. However, it is following global research on improvements to recycled paper quality.