South Africa

A smoke-free future for South Africa

As a company, we’re ready to give up cigarettes and transition to a smoke-free future as soon as possible.

About 14.7 million South Africans continue to smoke cigarettes, despite the known risks. Cigarette smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of death and illness in the world. It is harmful and addictive. When a cigarette is lit, it produces more than 6,000 harmful chemicals. 

The best choice for smokers is to quit using tobacco entirely. Many smokers, however, do not.
That is why those adult smokers who do not quit need access to and information on alternatives that are a better choice than continued smoking, such as e-cigarettes, oral nicotine pouches and heated tobacco products, which do not produce any smoke (i.e. do not combust).

We are working towards a future without cigarettes: a future where adult smokers have access to smoke-free alternatives that are a far better choice than continued smoking.

About Philip Morris International

Philip Morris International (PMI) is a leading international tobacco company that has made a commitment to stop selling cigarettes and deliver a smoke-free future. 

We have accelerated our journey to become a majority smoke-free business by 2025, increasing our ambition to generate at least 50% of net revenues from smoke-free alternatives that - while not risk-free - are a far better choice than cigarette smoking.

According to the Philip Morris Integrated Report 2023 an investment of more than USD over USD 12.5 billion billion has enabled us to develop breakthrough products that do not rely on the principle of burning.

We have rapidly increased access to our smoke-free portfolio nationwide to give smokers more choice and to meet growing consumer demand for our products. Expanding beyond our direct consumer channels, we’ve established a community of national retailers and wholesalers and thousands of independent store owners to stock our smoke-free products.

Today, over 300 people work for Philip Morris South Africa and Leonard Dingler, combined. Together, we are the second-largest tobacco company in the country.

With our commitment to a culture of innovation, inclusivity and empowerment, we have been voted South Africa’s “Top Employer” for eight years in succession, testimony to our work environment in which our employees feel valued and purpose driven. 

We recognize the pivotal role our employees play in realizing our vision of a smoke-free future and have aligned our HR strategies with this transformative journey.

Our robust development programs and international career opportunities ensure that PMI remains at the forefront of talent management on a global scale.

Our Transformation

Our vision is to provide adult smokers who chose to continue smoking with better alternatives. And we have made a drastic decision: we want to replace cigarettes with smoke-free products.
This is the biggest change in our company's history. And it's the right thing to do for our consumers, investors and society as a whole.

Speak Up

PMI is committed to doing business ethically and with integrity, honesty, respect and fairness. Employees, business partners and stakeholders can raise concerns using PMI's Speaking Up channels.

To learn more about how to make a report, click here. 

Legal information

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