Purpose propels our company forward and has transcended into our business strategies. As part of a humanitarian supply chain too important to fail, serving UN and aid agencies, it is our purpose compass that guides us on the day-to-day approach to business. Every batch of tents we produce matters, every shipment of water containers will save lives, and every solar product we make will brighten someone’s day.

Photo taken in Arsal Camp, Lebanon, November 2018.

Purpose-driven perspective

In the recently published Sustainability Report, our parent company NRS International reflects on the year 2017-2018 from a purpose perspective. It has been a noteworthy year for us, in which we witnessed both strong performance as well as challenges. While we were confronted with the unpredictable nature of the relief sector and saw the previous exceptional growth trend stagnate, our sister company TANA Netting’s operations presented a strong result with the sale of 64 million long-lasting insecticidal nets

In 2017-2018, we have seen an increased focus from our clients on an inclusive, sustainable supply chain, a trend we welcome. We have been advocating for accountability and transparency in the critical sector we operate in, which led to our first annual report publication four years ago.

The momentum observed has confirmed the growing interest in sustainability reporting, and therefore we have decided to disclose data on a wider range of social, environmental and economic indicators. This led to our first Sustainability Report, with our annual UNGC Communication on Progress integrated into it. The disclosures will include energy consumption, carbon emissions and social aspect breakdowns of our workforce. The new indicators were identified, among other things, as a result of an internal materiality assessment, followed by a strategic session with key internal stakeholders.

Supporting the UN Global Compact and Agenda 2030

Moreover, we continue to support the ten principles of the UN Global Compact and the Agenda 2030 has provided a clear framework to tackle the world’s biggest challenges, pushing corporations to apply a principled approach towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, our sustainable journey has led us to the realization that SDG No. 12 – Responsible Production and Consumption – speaks directly to humanitarian suppliers; half of its targets directly relate to our core business.

We believe we do better work if we keep our eyes on the purpose of our business. We collaborate and co-create with our clients and the humanitarian community, forging public-private partnerships and embracing the ‘new way of working’, with the overall aim to efficiently and timely supply aid and health survival tools to those who need it the most.