Founded in 2001, Golden Macadamias was established by a group of South African farmers with a shared vision: to process and market their own macadamia crop. More than two decades later, the company remains 100% grower-owned, staying true to its founding principles.

Golden Macadamias processes its entire crop at a single, processing facility, ensuring unparalleled quality control and food safety for its global customers.

Built on the core values of respect, integrity, accountability, teamwork, agility, and transparency, Golden Macadamias has grown to become the largest macadamia nut processor in the world—handling approximately 30% of South Africa’s total macadamia production.

At Golden Macadamias, OUR core purpose is to be the world’s preferred brand of premium-quality macadamia nuts. We are steadfast in OUR commitment to:

• Promoting sustainable farming practices

• Supporting long-term environmental and community well-being

• Upholding corporate transparency, responsibility, and accountability

We recognise that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles are essential to driving sustainable growth and creating long-term value for all stakeholders. As such, we are dedicated to conducting OUR business responsibly minimising the environmental impact, advancing social equity, and maintaining the highest standards of corporate governance.

Michael Benjamin – CEO at Golden Macadamias

At Golden Macadamias, sustainability is more than a goal— as a 100% grower-owned business, we understand the deep connection between OUR people, the land, and OUR shared future. OUR commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles reflects this understanding and underpins every aspect of OUR operations.

This report highlights OUR progress and initiatives in creating long-term value for OUR stakeholders while protecting the planet, supporting OUR communities, and upholding the highest standards of ethics and governance. From responsible sourcing and water stewardship to employee development and ethical business practices, we are proud of the strides we have made—and we recognize there is always more to do.

As we move forward, we remain committed to continuous improvement, transparency, and collaboration. Together with OUR growers, partners, employees, and customers, we are building a more resilient and responsible future—one rooted in integrity, sustainability, and shared success

Golden Macadamias is committed to protecting the environment and minimising OUR impact on natural resources. OUR environmental strategy is centered on responsible sourcing, emissions reduction, resource conservation, and the promotion of sustainable practices throughout OUR operations

Responsible Sourcing

We exclusively source from shareholder growers who comply with Global G.A.P. or Golden G.A.P. standards, ensuring OUR agricultural practices are both sustainable and ethically sound.

Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

Resource Conservation and Water Stewardship

Waste Management

We have implemented comprehensive waste management practices in collaboration with Green Guru, a certified waste management partner. OUR internal program emphasizes:

• Effective waste segregation to enhance recycling
• Fostering a culture of reuse and responsible disposal
• Ongoing monitoring and performance tracking to minimize landfill waste

Target: Reduce waste sent to landfill by 20% by 2025.

At Golden Macadamias, environmental monitoring is integral to OUR sustainability journey. We continuously assess and track OUR environmental performance to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and to drive ongoing improvement. Through data-driven insights and regular audits, we identify opportunities to reduce OUR environmental footprint and enhance operational efficiency. This proactive approach enables us to respond effectively to environmental challenges, demonstrate transparency to OUR stakeholders, and uphold OUR commitment to responsible and sustainable business practices.

OUR Community Reach

Golden Macadamias directly and indirectly supports over 3,500 families through:

• The direct employment of more than 500 employees across processing, sales, marketing, and support functions
• Indirect support of growers and approximately 3,000 families
• Indirect support of contractors
• Indirect support of suppliers of consumables and processing materials

Health and Safety

At Golden Macadamias, safety is OUR top priority. We have implemented a health and safety management system focused on regulatory compliance, proactive enforcement, and continuous awareness training for all employees.

Employee safety is integral to OUR operational culture and is the first item discussed in all daily meetings. OUR objective is to maintain a safe and compliant working environment, where the risk of injury or harm is minimized. We are fully committed to achieving zero harm by fostering a safety-first mindset across all levels of the organization.

Training and Development

At Golden Macadamias, employee well-being is a top priority. We strive to create a work environment that promotes a healthy work-life balance, ensuring OUR employees are engaged and supported both at work and at home.

We are committed to fair compensation and providing benefits that foster employee engagement and satisfaction. OUR recruitment and promotion practices are guided by ethical standards and fair labour principles, ensuring equal opportunity and respect for all employees.

OUR commitment to social responsibility extends beyond fair remuneration and employment benefits. As part of OUR employee wellness initiatives, Golden Macadamias provides sanitary pads to OUR female employees for personal use or to support family members at home. This initiative aims to ensure that women and girls—whether employees, students, or children—do not miss out on important work or educational opportunities due to a lack of access to basic hygiene products. We believe that dignity, health, and inclusion are essential to building a more equitable and supportive workplace and community.

Recognizing that OUR employees are OUR greatest asset, Golden Macadamias places strong emphasis on continuous training and development, especially as the company adopts advanced technologies critical to OUR ongoing success.

Employees are provided with the opportunity to participate in learnership development programs, specifically designed for unskilled youth. These programs enable participants to obtain certifications in food manufacturing processes as well as essential management skills, supporting their professional growth and employability.

In partnership with RecruitAgri, a leading agricultural talent development initiative, Golden Macadamias Processing hosts postgraduate students annually, providing them with hands-on experience in OUR processing facility. As part of OUR commitment to skills development, we offer accommodation and monthly remuneration to support their practical learning journey.

RecruitAgri identifies and places high-potential graduates from the agricultural sector on farms or in processing facilities to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world application.

One notable success story is that of King Dlamini, who completed the RecruitAgri program, gained valuable industry experience, and was subsequently appointed by Golden Macadamias. He has since been promoted to Section Head, where he now leads a key production unit within OUR processing facility.

Golden Macadamias is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct and corporate governance. OUR approach is grounded in transparency, accountability, and responsible leadership, and includes the following key principles:

• Conducting all business dealings with integrity and in accordance with the highest ethical standards

• Maintaining a diverse and independent Board of Directors composed of individuals with multidisciplinary expertise and experience

• Ensuring gender diversity and inclusive representation at the board level

• Promoting transparency and accountability across all levels of the organization

• Providing management with regular training on ethical practices, including anti-fraud and anti-corruption measures

• Holding quarterly board meetings to review strategic updates and analyze business performance metrics

At Golden Macadamias, strong corporate governance is the foundation of OUR long-term success and stakeholder trust. We are committed to continuous improvement in governance practices, ensuring ethical leadership, effective oversight, and strategic accountability