Our business model
Our strategic transformation into ‘One Imperial’, structured, equipped and optimised to leverage our unique competitive advantages, is well underway. Our aspirations to grow sustainable revenue and achieve targeted returns, deepen our competitiveness and relevance, and retain our industry and market legitimacy, thereby unlocking value for all our key stakeholders, are becoming a reality.
Our inputs at 30 June 2021
Financial capital
- Total equity of R7,8 billion (F2020: R8,3 billion).
- Net debt:EBITDA, excluding IFRS 16, of 1,3x (F2020: <2,5x) – well below our covenants of 3,25x.
- Capital allocation applies forward looking scenario planning and forecasting to assesses capital requirements up to 24 months ahead.
- Proven excellence in balance sheet and treasury management, and significant fixed cost reductions effected.
- Strong cash and liquidity position with R14,4 billion of available facilities.
Human capital
- 25 432 people employed in 25 countries at year end.
- Ensuring a safe working environment that supports employee health and wellbeing is a top priority.
- Significant progress in changing our organisational structures, embedding our values and purpose.
- Meaningful improvement in the organisational health and culture of Imperial from F2020 baseline (Barret survey).
- Reviewed succession pipeline across the businesses and held strategic talent review workshop with executive committee to improve succession planning.
- Responsible management of organisational change and restructuring through a centre-led transformation office.
- Building executive capabilities in key areas, including business development, digital and IT, ESG and health, safety, sustainability and environment.
- Appointed new board members with relevant skills that complement the group’s industry and strategic focus, and improve diversity.
- Several Imperial women executives won external awards for driving gender awareness and relevant issues.
Intellectual capital
- Invested c.R290 million in ‘One Imperial’ initiatives in F2021, focused on aligning processes, including single system for finance and HR and communications.
- Extensive due diligence of acquisitions followed by carefully managed integration into ‘One Imperial’, including alignment of financial, operational and ethical governance systems to the group’s standards and expectations.
- Investment in flexible IT architecture and a ‘digital first’ approach, through centre-led function with leadership team appointed.
- Partnered with experts in data-based decision making to develop business performance insights platform.
- USD20 million venture fund, in partnership with Newtown Partners.
- Introduction of forums focused on collaboration to drive ‘One Imperial’, repositioning the brand among stakeholders to deliver ‘Gateway to Africa’, including Digital and IT forum and One Imperial Client forum.
Manufactured capital
- Focus on investments that complement existing extensive Africa-wide network and ‘asset right’ capabilities.
- Improve management of fleet through innovative technology and data analysis, to gain efficiencies and reduce costs e.g. Project Blue Fleet.
- Transport fleet of sub-contractors that provide flexibility in responding to client requirements.
- National transport infrastructure and utilities required to operate.
Social and relationship capital
- Purpose-led strategy with priority given to people, profit and planet.
- Commitment to strive for zero harm to people and the environment.
- Clear client and principal value proposition offering simplicity, flexibility, resilience and visibility.
- Strong in-country stakeholder relationships facilitate efficient access to markets and socio-political risk mitigation.
- Significant B-BBEE ownership transaction concluded securing competitive advantage and market credibility.
- Achieved our gender and diversity targets, improving female gender ratio for top and senior management to c30%.
- Membership of business and industry associations to advocate for enabling regulatory change, gender equality.
- Integrating ESG strategy into daily business, with improved reporting and disclosure, including first UN Global Compact report, TCFD benchmarking and SEIA in South Africa and Nigeria.
- Mature ethics management and reporting, and ongoing awareness campaigns to enforce zero tolerance to unethical behaviour.
Natural capital
- Integrating ESG into daily business to embed responsible business practices that protect against adverse environmental impacts, supported by new technologies.
- Member of the World Economic Forum New Champions South Africa chapter.
We manage our constraints by carefully considering the trade-offs needed to progress our strategy.
Read more on our material issues and how our strategy addresses key challenges on our material issues and our strategy
Our business activities
End-to-end integrated service offering across the logistics value chain
Inbound logistics
Operations
Outbound logistics
Sales and marketing
Freight, contract logistics, LLP
Market Access, demand generation, contract manufacturing
Our outputs
- We provide market access and integrated logistics solutions to our clients and principles in key industries, in some of the fastest growing and most challenging markets in the world.
- In partnership with our clients and principles we provide access to quality products and services in 25 countries.
- The direct impacts associated with our services include:
- Scope 1 and 2 emissions
- Water usage
- Other waste, including general waste and hazardous materials.
Read more about our solutions in performance review solutions performance.
