JOHANNESBURG, October 11 (ANA) – The South African Breweries (SAB) and the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) on Wednesday, marked one year since the two global brewers combined their businesses in a deal worth £68 billion, or about R1.4 trillion in 2016.
The combined organisation continues to build a global company by bringing together significant intellectual synergies to share and integrate the best practices of both companies.
Over the last year, the business has been been focusing on three key priorities to transform itself in Africa through job creation, promoting nutrition and health, and reducing harm caused by the misuse of alcohol.
This is despite the company’s voluntary severance offer programme for certain management-level employees based in South Africa.
“We are proud of what we’ve been able to achieve in South Africa and across Africa in just one year, thanks to the remarkable work of our team,” Ricardo Tadeu, zone president for SAB and AB InBev Africa, said.
“Their efforts showcase what we have been able to achieve by bringing together two great companies to create one team, with one dream — to bring people together for a better world.”
The organisation has also worked over the past year on its Public Interest Commitments (PIC’s) made to government and regulatory authorities during the business combination in late 2016.
Last year, AB InBev agreed to create a R1 billion fund that will support the South African beer industry and protect jobs in the country to smooth approval for its merger.
The PIC’s include a R1-billion investment over five years in the areas of Agriculture (R610-million), Enterprise and Supplier Development (R200-million) and Societal Benefits (R190-million); reinforcing a transformation agenda across our business.
Tadeu said they recognized that job creation is top of mind among South Africans.
“As one of the country’s leading corporates with a deep sense of pride, and a belief in the future of our country, we have not only a responsibility to help, but a duty to improve the lives of people in communities. We will do this through a range of initiatives, including providing real, authentic and sustainable jobs that we can measure going forward,” Tadeu said.
