South Africa’s mining sector faces growing pressure to improve environmental performance and protect worker well-being, with sustainability targets increasingly linked to day-to-day infrastructure. While energy efficiency has often received the most attention, reporting highlights the need to rethink sanitation systems as a core part of water stewardship and broader ESG goals. The sanitation challenge is presented as both an environmental and human-safety issue, where better infrastructure can help reduce health risks for workers and improve how water is managed and used at mining sites. The push for innovation is framed as a response to heightened scrutiny of mining operations and their impacts, including how facilities handle resources such as water. Overall, the discussion emphasizes that sanitation improvements are emerging as a practical area for investment and technical development, complementing existing efforts on energy efficiency. By integrating sanitation upgrades into sustainability plans, the sector aims to align operational practices with environmental expectations and ESG commitments.