By Tracy Wessels, Group Head Sustainability and Investor Relations

Every day, my role requires me to view our business through two very different lenses. On the one hand, I sit in boardrooms and speak with global investors who analyse our performance using balance sheets, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) targets and the hard numbers of the circular bioeconomy. On the other hand, I have never lost sight of what is happening on the ground, because that is exactly where my own journey began.

Over two decades ago, I walked into Sappi's Saiccor Mill as a young graduate with a PhD in Organic Chemistry. Working in research and development and customer technical services, I spent years in laboratories and manufacturing plants learning the intricate science of woodfibre. I discovered how a tree could be transformed into everything from dissolving pulp for sustainable textiles to renewable packaging that helps reduce reliance on fossil-based materials.

That technical foundation shaped my career. It taught me that sustainability is not merely a corporate buzzword or another reporting requirement. It is a living value chain that begins with a seedling in rural South Africa and extends into global markets.

The bioeconomic bridge

As we celebrate Women's Month, I believe South Africa's bioeconomy is one of the country's greatest yet often overlooked opportunities for women's economic empowerment.

In investor circles, we often discuss the growing demand for renewable, plant-based materials. Yet the true engine of the bioeconomy is not found in laboratories or on stock exchanges. It is found on the land.

Across South Africa's rural communities, women are proving themselves to be entrepreneurs, employers and stewards of sustainable growth.

Corporate forestry has an important role in connecting these women to the global economy. The sophisticated demands of international customers must translate into meaningful opportunities through enterprise development, skills transfer, market access and long-term business ownership.

Sappi Khulisa

That is exactly what Sappi's Khulisa programme was designed to achieve.

Today, Khulisa supports 4,434 growers and 1,033 contractors, with women accounting for almost half of all independent growers. Since 1995, the programme has delivered more than 5.5 million tonnes of timber valued at R3,565 billion, while providing technical training, subsidised seedlings and ongoing support that enables entrepreneurs to build resilient businesses rather than rely on assistance.

Programmes like Khulisa demonstrate that when women succeed, the impact extends far beyond individual businesses. We see women investing in education, creating employment, supporting extended families and becoming respected leaders within their communities. Strong businesses translate into stronger households, stronger communities and ultimately a stronger economy.

Vision, resources and learning

Whether you are a scientist developing the next generation of biomaterials, an investor evaluating sustainable businesses, a grower managing commercial forestry or an entrepreneur transporting timber across the country, the bioeconomy has a place for you.

My advice to women seeking to build businesses or careers in South Africa's growing bioeconomy is simple: believe in your vision, start with the resources you have, and never stop learning.

The transition to a more sustainable future is already underway. If we are serious about building a resilient, low-carbon economy, we must continue to create opportunities for women at every stage of the value chain, from the laboratory and the mill to the farm, the boardroom and beyond.

When we empower women, we do far more than strengthen individual businesses. We strengthen families, communities and South Africa's future.