Business 7 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Sustainability is core to MTN's business, not an add-on, says CEO
MTN Uganda CEO Sylvia Mulinge emphasizes that sustainability is integral to the company's operations and long-term strategy, driving value beyond financial profits. The company's latest ESG report highlights significant progress in environmental, social, and economic impact. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/business/prosper/mulinge-sustainability-cannot-be-left-to-a-department-5586680
Sylvia Mulinge, CEO of MTN Uganda, asserts that sustainability is not merely a reporting exercise but a fundamental aspect of the business’s identity and long-term vision. In a recent discussion following the release of MTN Uganda’s 2025 Sustainability Report, Mulinge underscored the importance of transparency in holding the company accountable to its stakeholders, including customers, employees, investors, and regulators.
MTN Uganda’s sustainability framework, encompassing ‘Doing for Planet, Doing for People, Doing it Right, and Doing for Growth,’ directly aligns with Uganda’s development ambitions. The company has made strides in reducing emissions, achieving a 45 percent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions against a 2021 baseline, with a broader reduction of 50.3 percent across Scope 1, 2, and 3. Furthermore, MTN has invested Shs5.1 billion in corporate social investment and reported that women constitute 52.4 percent of its workforce.
Economically, the report details MTN’s contribution of Shs1.6 trillion in taxes and levies and Shs1 trillion spent with local suppliers, demonstrating a commitment to fostering local economic growth. Mulinge highlighted that sustainability choices build resilience, efficiency, and long-term competitiveness. A recent assessment by KPMG estimated that MTN created Shs34.9 trillion in value beyond reported profits between 2022 and 2024, with the company creating an estimated 22.4 times more value for society for every Shs1 of financial profit.
Mulinge stressed that sustainability is now embedded within the company’s operating model, influencing investment decisions, network resilience, customer protection, and risk management. She advised other corporations that sustainability must be owned by the entire organization, from the board to leadership, and integrated into daily operations rather than being confined to a single department. The focus, she explained, has shifted from what sustainability initiatives to fund, to how to design a business that is inherently sustainable and valuable over the long term.