DP World expands Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure

DP World has expanded its Sustainable Development Impact Disclosure to include Brazil, Senegal, and South Africa, extending its reporting framework across additional emerging markets. The move builds on its first disclosure released in April 2024, which focused on India and Somaliland.

The expanded disclosure outlines the impact of the company’s investments across infrastructure, supply chains, and social initiatives. It provides data on how projects are contributing to trade connectivity and economic activity in the regions covered. The report also details efforts to align operations with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals across markets where the company operates.

In Brazil, the company is working with Rumo to develop a terminal in Santos with a capacity to handle 12.5 million tonnes of grains and fertilisers each year. The project is aimed at improving export logistics and supporting agricultural supply chains.

In Senegal, the company has invested more than $300 million in port infrastructure. The Dakar terminal has expanded its capacity from 265,000 TEUs in 2008 to 800,000 TEUs in 2023. The development has increased access to trade routes and supported business activity in the region.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO, said: “We are committed to investing at scale globally to strengthen trade resilience and foster positive social impacts in the communities where we operate. So we are immensely proud to extend this disclosure and highlight our contributions to advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and bridge gaps in key developing economies. The report shows how the services DP World delivers create infrastructure, improve logistics services and provide opportunities for communities.”

The disclosure was developed with support from the Impact Disclosure Taskforce, a group of financial institutions and industry stakeholders focused on standardising impact reporting. The framework is intended to provide investors with data on development outcomes linked to corporate activity.

Arsalan Mahtafar, Co-Chair of the Impact Disclosure Taskforce and Head of Development Finance Institution at J.P. Morgan, said, "DP World has been a pioneer in using the Impact Disclosure Guidance to demonstrate how its business strategy will address country-specific development challenges in key countries of operations. Their commitment to measuring and managing their development impact could provide SDG-focused investors the insights needed for informed investment and engagement decisions.”

Cedric Merle, co-chair of the Impact Disclosure Taskforce, said, "DP World has led the way as the first company to pilot this framework. Now that it is fully operational, DP World has refined and expanded its application to other emerging markets in which it operates, including Brazil, Senegal, Somaliland, South Africa, and India. By showcasing real-world cases, DP World demonstrates the framework's applicability and offers helpful advice on how to effectively communicate contributions to the SDG and close the development gap.”

The company stated that the disclosure is intended to strengthen engagement with investors and provide a benchmark for reporting on sustainability outcomes linked to logistics and infrastructure investments. It added that continued use of the framework supports transparency in measuring economic, social, and environmental impact across its operations.