RS Group plc (LSE: RS1) (https://Africa.RSDelivers.com), a high-service global product and service solutions provider for industrial customers, today announces a new three-year partnership with international development charity SolarAid. Together, RS Group and SolarAid aim to raise £1 million to deliver clean, safe solar lights to 150,000 people living in rural communities across Africa without access to electricity.

The partnership forms a central part of RS Group’s 2030 ESG action plan and champions the shared ambition to “make amazing happen for a brighter world.” By combining corporate donations, matched funding, RS PRO product contributions, employee fundraising, and gifts in kind, RS Group will help accelerate SolarAid’s mission to create thriving solar businesses that tackle poverty and climate change.

Just one solar light benefits every member of the household leading to a 90% reduction in kerosene, candles or torches, with a 95% saving on their energy spend and enabling a child to study safely for the first time after sunset. It also reduces carbon emissions in the transition to renewable energy.  A paraffin candle emits three times its weight in CO2 and a kerosene lamp emits over a tonne of carbon over 3 years.

Employee engagement at the heart of the partnership

RS and SolarAid are closely aligned as providers of products and solutions that support the low-carbon transition with a focus on renewables. As a leader in industrial MRO services, the RS team’s expertise will directly support SolarAid’s global and local repair programmes, helping build a circular solar economy in off-grid communities. RS employees worldwide will be encouraged to get involved through skills-based volunteering, fundraising challenges, and awareness-raising activities. Planned initiatives include:

• Skills-based volunteering: RS experts will seek to support SolarAid projects, such as improving its Repair App, which helps communities extend the life of solar lights and reduce waste through simple repairs.
• On-the-ground engagement: Opportunities to visit SolarAid-supported communities in Malawi and Zambia, as well as welcoming SolarAid representatives to RS markets for live demonstrations.
• Active for Change: A global fundraising challenge where employees raise money by logging physical activity in teams.

RS employees are entitled to two annual volunteering days, and the company aims to inspire 50% of colleagues to use this time to support their communities and the SolarAid partnership.

Bridging ambition with proven impact

SolarAid’s recent remarkable achievement in Kasakula, Malawi underscores the partnership’s potential. On 26 August 2025, 100% of households, all local schools, and the health clinic in Kasakula gained solar access through the Light a Village initiative—highlighting what’s possible when communities, charities, and partners align around a bold, shared goal.

A brighter future through collaboration

Andrea Barrett, Chief Sustainability Officer at RS Group, said “We are proud to partner with SolarAid on this important mission. Access to clean, safe solar light is a powerful catalyst for education, safety, and opportunity. By combining the passion of our people with the innovation of our customers and suppliers, we can make amazing happen for communities that need it most. The success in Kasakula is a living proof point: achieving 100% access in one of the world’s poorest and most remote regions shows that universal energy access is not just achievable, but scalable.”

John Keane, CEO of SolarAid, said,“We are delighted to be working in partnership with RS Group. From the very start our shared purpose and alignment has been clear. Like RS Group, we strive to innovate the best solutions for our customers, so that we can deliver sustainable energy access. We are incredibly excited by the huge opportunity we have together, to progress our mission and bring clean, safe light and power to those living in the most remote, hardest to reach communities. Together, we really will make amazing happen for a brighter world”.

Driving long-term impact

The partnership builds on RS Group’s track record of impactful collaborations, including raising nearly £1 million for The Washing Machine Project since 2020. By focusing on engagement opportunities for employees, customers, and suppliers, RS Group and SolarAid aim to create a movement of shared purpose and innovation. To amplify the collective impact, RS Group will match donations and funds raised by employees, further reinforcing its commitment to empowering communities.

The agreement reflects Gabon’s broader strategy to diversify its economy and unlock the full commercial potential of its mining industry. While the country is widely known for its oil production, it also possesses significant untapped deposits of iron ore, manganese, gold, and other strategic minerals. By collaborating with one of Africa’s leading geoscience institutions, Gabon aims to modernize its geological knowledge base and strengthen the institutional foundations of its mining sector.

At the core of the agreement is a commitment to conduct comprehensive geological assessments across Gabon to identify new potential. The Council for Geoscience will work alongside Gabonese experts to review existing geological data, carry out new surveys where necessary, and develop updated resource maps. These efforts are expected to provide a clearer picture of Gabon’s mineral endowment and help the government design more effective strategies for resource commercialization. The agreement was signed in Cape Town by Mr Alain Manzanza, Director General of Geology in the Ministry of Mines of Gabon and Mr Mosa Mabuza, CEO of the Council of geoscience South Africa under the watchful eyes of HE Sosthene Nguema Nguema, minister of Mines and Geological Resources of Gabon and HE Rod Rembendambya Gabon’s ambassador to South Africa.

Another key pillar of the partnership is capacity building. The agreement includes provisions for training programs, technical exchanges, and joint research initiatives aimed at developing the skills of Gabonese mining professionals. Through workshops, internships, and collaborative projects, Gabonese geologists and engineers will gain exposure to advanced exploration techniques and international best practices in mineral resource management.

Minister Nguema Nguema emphasized that the partnership is not limited to technical cooperation. It is also intended to strengthen economic ties between Gabon and South Africa by encouraging South African mining companies to explore investment opportunities in Gabon. By improving geological transparency and regulatory capacity, the agreement is expected to make Gabon a more attractive destination for foreign investment in the mining sector.

Environmental and technological standards form another important dimension of the collaboration. Both parties have committed to sharing knowledge on modern mining technologies and evolving environmental regulations. This includes promoting responsible mining practices, improving environmental monitoring, and integrating sustainability considerations into project planning. Such measures are increasingly important as global investors place greater emphasis on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.

The agreement also aligns with regional efforts to promote intra-African cooperation in the extractive industries. By leveraging South Africa’s long-standing experience in mining and geoscience, Gabon is positioning itself to benefit from African expertise while contributing to the continent’s collective development. The partnership demonstrates how African countries can collaborate to build stronger institutions and more competitive resource sectors.

According to Minister Nguema Nguema, “this is as a timely initiative in line with the directives of our head of State, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema who has pledged to increase the contribution of the mining sector to the national economy. Ultimately, we will have to work in collaboration with advanced mining economies like south Africa to achieve this.”

Global demand for minerals is rising, driven in part by the energy transition and the growing need for materials used in renewable technologies and infrastructure. With improved geological data and stronger technical capacity, Gabon is better placed to participate in these emerging markets and capture greater value from its natural resources.

In the coming months, joint working groups from both institutions are expected to outline a detailed implementation roadmap. Early priorities will likely include data integration, training schedules, and the identification of priority regions for geological surveys. As the partnership moves from agreement to action, it has the potential to play a transformative role in shaping the future of Gabon’s mining industry.

By combining expertise, technology, and institutional support, the Gabon – South Africa collaboration marks an important milestone in Gabon’s efforts to build a modern, transparent, and sustainable mining sector.

The organisers of the DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum have announced the launch of a new, co-located event to this flagship annual gathering in Kolwezi, namely, the DRC Critical Minerals & Industrialisation Forum.

“The successful 2025 edition of DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum reaffirmed that industrialisation is the key to transforming the DRC’s mineral wealth into sustainable prosperity,” says Samukelo Madlabane, Event Director, Mining Portfolio of the VUKA Group that organises several leading mining events on the continent.

“We received incredible engagement and collaboration from private and public sectors alike, and this reinforced the forum’s mission to accelerate the industrialisation of the DRC through value addition, beneficiation, and local participation in the global supply chain. We thank the Government of the DRC for its continued leadership and support in driving this national industrial vision.”

Heeding the call to action
He adds: “the event was truly transformative with leaders from mining houses, government, investors, and industry at large coming together with one shared vision; the forum concluded with a clear call to turn dialogue into action and partnerships into long-term impact. We are heeding this call by launching the DRC Critical Minerals & Industrialisation Forum, providing that much-needed momentum to take this vision to the next level and to reality.”

He continues: “In particular, the DRC government is on an action-oriented drive to industrialise the country off the back of its mineral wealth and this Forum is the vehicle to do just that.”

The new Forum, which is to be co-located with the DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum in Kolwezi in October, will bring together mining companies, refiners, downstream manufacturers, investors, EPCs (engineering, procurement, construction), financiers, logistics, energy, telecoms, infrastructure, and government to accelerate DRC’s journey from mineral extraction to fully integrated industrial value chains.

Representatives from the following sectors will attend and contribute to the discussions:

• Mining and up-stream extraction
• Mineral processing and refining / Beneficiation
• Downstream manufacturing
• Energy and power infrastructure
• Transport and logistics (mining supply chains)
• Investment, financing, and funding / Project finance
• Policy, regulation, and government strategy / Local content and industrial policy
• Telecoms / Digital infrastructure and data
• Sustainability, ESG, community, and social impact / Workforce development

DRC Critical Minerals & Industrialisation Forum
“We look forward to visionary, insightful, creative, and, most of all, practical hands-on discussions by esteemed industry pioneers and entrepreneurs in our new co-located Forum,” says Madlabane. “We thank the Government of the DRC for its continued leadership and support in driving this national industrial vision. Their endorsement played a key role in shaping the discussions and outcomes of last year’s event. We look forward to growing and shaping the journey along with the various national, regional, and global private and public sector stakeholders.”

Industry support
Last year’s DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum enjoyed the support of industry leaders such as Cominière S.A., Enabel DRC, Mining Engineering Services, Elephant Trade, ANAPI, Alfred H. Knight, Congo Astral Company, Elada Consulting, Equity BCDC, Glorhis Multi Services, Kamoa Copper, Liquid Intelligent Technologies, MMG Kinsevere, Morco Services, Temperature, Telluric Holdings Sarl and Trust Merchant Bank S.A.

DRC Critical Minerals & Industrialisation Forum and DRC-Africa Battery Metals Forum dates and venue:
Date: 7–9 October 2026
Location: Kolwezi, DRC