As part of its commitment to advancing its sustainability agenda, MTN Ghana has launched its 2026 Sustainability Month, expanding its annual Sustainability Week into a month-long campaign to strengthen environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices.
The campaign, themed “Together for a Sustainable Future: Small Actions, Big Impact,” aims to strengthen the telecommunications company’s sustainability culture, inspire behavioural change, and promote responsible business practices among employees, partners, and other stakeholders.
It also forms part of MTN Ghana’s broader commitment to environmental protection, social impact, inclusive economic growth and the creation of long-term value for the communities in which it operates.
Sustainability at the Core
Speaking at the launch in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Stephen Blewett, said sustainability had become a strategic business priority and could no longer be treated as a peripheral corporate activity.
He said as MTN Ghana marked 30 years of enabling the benefits of a modern connected life, the company was determined to deliver even greater environmental, social and economic impact over the next three decades.
Environmental Gains
Highlighting some of the company’s environmental achievements, Mr Blewett disclosed that MTN Ghana’s biodegradable SIM cards, the first of their kind in the country, had reached more than 4.7 million customers.
He said the use of the biodegradable SIM cards had prevented an estimated 10,288 kilogrammes of plastic waste from entering the environment.
He also revealed that under the company’s Project Zero programme, MTN Ghana had exceeded its 2025 carbon reduction target through the installation of 3.02 megawatts of solar energy.
According to him, solar energy now powers more than half of MTN Ghana’s sites, offices and data centres, contributing to the company’s efforts to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency.
Mr Blewett said the increasing frequency of extreme weather events across the world had highlighted the urgent need for businesses to adopt more sustainable practices.
Creating Shared Value
Beyond environmental sustainability, Mr Blewett highlighted MTN Ghana’s continued investment in communities through the Y’ello Care employee volunteer programme.
He said the programme had supported schools, health facilities and vulnerable communities across the country for the past 19 years.
According to him, this year’s Y’ello Care campaign focused on refurbishing hospital beds, screening communities for non-communicable diseases and training community health volunteers.
He added that the MTN Ghana Foundation’s Vegetable Hub of Excellence was equipping more than 1,000 young people with climate-smart agricultural skills.
Mr Blewett also noted that MTN Ghana continued to maintain its position as Ghana’s leading corporate blood donor. On gender inclusion, he said women now accounted for nearly 44 per cent of MTN Ghana’s workforce.
Driving Economic Growth
Mr Blewett further disclosed that MTN Ghana had invested more than US$1 billion in network expansion over the past five years.
He said the investment had improved connectivity, expanded access to digital services and created new opportunities for individuals, businesses and communities across the country.
The company, he said, had also strengthened local enterprise development through programmes such as the Mini MBA Programme, organised in partnership with Absa Bank and Nova Business School.
“The growth of SMEs creates jobs, strengthens families and builds a more resilient economy. That is shared value in action,” he said.
Call for Employee Action
Mr Blewett urged MTN Ghana employees to integrate sustainability into every aspect of their work, including planning, procurement, product development, supplier selection and risk management.
He said sustainability must be reflected in the daily decisions of employees and not remain limited to policies, reports or corporate campaigns.
“Our customers expect responsibility. Communities expect partnership. Regulators expect accountability. Investors look for resilience, and employees seek purpose. Sustainability is no longer optional; it is essential to how we do business,” he said.
From Sustainability Week to Sustainability Month
The Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer of MTN Ghana, Adwoa Wiafe, noted that the company had expanded Sustainability Week into a month-long observance to deepen engagement and create more opportunities for learning and practical action.
She explained that sustainability went beyond environmental conservation and included responsible business conduct, ethical decision-making, shared value creation and collective action that benefited society.
Mrs Wiafe recalled that MTN Ghana had observed Sustainability Week over the past two years before deciding to dedicate an entire month to sustainability conversations, education and action.
She announced that the programme would include lunch-and-learn sessions, recycling facility visits, tree-planting exercises and departmental sustainability engagements.
Preparing for ESG Reporting
Mrs Wiafe also drew attention to Ghana’s transition towards mandatory sustainability reporting under the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Sustainability Disclosure Standards (S1 and S2).
She said companies would increasingly be required to measure and disclose their environmental, social and governance performance.
“What may seem like small actions today, switching off unused equipment, properly segregating waste or making responsible procurement decisions, will become measurable indicators of who we are as a company,” she said.
Darke Commends MTN Ghana’s Sustainability Leadership
The President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), Mrs Sena Darke, commended MTN Ghana for its strong commitment to sustainability, describing the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives as a solid foundation for responsible business growth and long-term value creation.
Mrs Darke said the company’s sustainability agenda had positioned it to continue setting the pace in responsible corporate leadership while supporting Ghana’s sustainable development aspirations.
She observed that sustainability has become a strategic driver of innovation, resilience, competitiveness and long-term business success, encouraging organisations to integrate ESG principles into their core operations to create lasting value for stakeholders.
Positioned for Mandatory Sustainability Reporting
Mrs Darke disclosed that Ghana, through the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), had adopted a roadmap for implementing the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Sustainability Disclosure Standards (S1 and S2).
She said significant public-interest entities, including MTN Ghana, are expected to commence mandatory sustainability reporting from January 1, 2027, describing the move as a major step towards strengthening transparency, accountability and sustainable corporate governance.
Mrs Darke expressed confidence that MTN Ghana’s ongoing sustainability initiatives have positioned the company well to meet the new reporting requirements while continuing to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s sustainable development agenda.
She urged employees to translate the company’s sustainability vision into practical everyday actions, stressing that consistent individual contributions remain the driving force behind lasting impact.
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“The strategy documents alone will not reduce a single kilogramme of waste or save a single kilowatt of energy. The difference lies in the actions each of us chooses to take every day,” she said.
She encouraged employees to embrace simple, responsible practices that collectively create meaningful change, noting that sustainable progress is achieved through continuous commitment.
“A sustainable future will not be built by a few extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. It will be built by ordinary people choosing to do the right things consistently every single day,” Mrs Darke said.
Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo
