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our initiative to improve our performance in terms of the early engineering and planning work on projects (known as ‘front-end loading’), as well as project execution, with an internal programme called Back to Basics. Through this initiative, we aim to achieve a first quintile ranking among our industry peers for all projects under our control, in the next few years. 

In 2010, we again demonstrated fi rst quintile performance with the execution of the project to install and start-up new gas turbines at Secunda (see Sasol Synfuels report on page 38). We are also well on our way to meeting aggressive targets for the execution and start-up of projects in Secunda involving the tenth Sasol Advanced Synthol reactor, the 16th oxygen train and the 17th gas reformer. 

As part of the group-wide effort to reduce costs, in 2010 we advanced work to source less expensive capital equipment and broaden our supply base. In what we call global sourcing, we procured equipment from China and India. This is proving to be cost effective, and we expect to develop this further in future. 

## Innovating for sustainability 

Technological innovation is at the heart of Sasol’s business and the group’s success is closely linked to the expertise of our engineers and scientists. As outlined by Sasol Solvents on page 53, the group continued work to develop a new ethylene tetramerisation technology to convert ethylene into 1-octene through an innovative chemical process. We completed the basic design activities for a commercial facility at Sasol Olefi ns & Surfactants’ site in Louisiana, USA and await a board decision on whether to proceed with this fi rst-of-a-kind commercial-scale facility. 

In recognition of Sasol Technology’s commitment to innovation, we are pleased to report that we were runners up at the prestigious 2010 Franz Edelman Award for Achievement in Operations Research and Management Sciences. Sasol Technology’s stochastic simulation modelling design was pitted against fi ve other international Edelman fi nalists for the title. Other awards received in the year were the outstanding achievement award from the Council of the Fossil Fuel Foundation for our fi xed-bed gasifi cation (Sasol® FBDB™) research as well as the Southern African Bitumen Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in Bituminous Product Technology for 2009. 

Striving to maintain the pace of innovation, we continue to work with universities to further bolster our research and development. By year-end we had signed a total of nine research framework agreements with South African tertiary institutions. We are contributing R25 million a year over ten years to build research capacity in science and engineering, and to promote the development of young academics. This is a contribution not only to the future of Sasol, but also to our industry and country. We also have access to international research and development resources through our research facilities at the University of St Andrews in the UK and Twente University in The Netherlands. 

As part of our commitment to gender diversity, we are involved in various programmes to encourage young women to learn more about the fi elds of engineering and science. We facilitate access to mentors from various fi elds, endeavouring to inspire, inform and encourage these young people to explore the exciting opportunities available. 

