This report is published annually and reflects the activities and performance of the AYO Group for the financial year period from 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2021. Any material events after this date and up to the Board approval date of 17 December 2021 have also been included.

Our Integrated Report extends beyond financial reporting to include important information about non-financial performance, opportunities, risks and outcomes attributable to or associated with our key stakeholders, which have a significant influence over our ability to create and preserve value sustainably.

This report aligns with the requirements of the King IV™ Report on Corporate Governance in South Africa 2016, the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) Integrated Reporting <IR> Framework 2021 and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 guidelines. Financial information included in the report is prepared in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). We are further guided by the principles and requirements of the Companies Act No. 71 of 2008, as amended (the Companies Act), the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Listing Requirements and the Department of Trade and Industry’s B-BBEE Regulations.

Our report focuses on issues, which the Board and management believe are material to the Group and could impact on our ability to create and preserve, or conversely, minimise the erosion of stakeholder value over the short, medium and long term. We have strived to disclose such issues in a comprehensive manner, demonstrating the connectivity between material matters and our business model, strategy, risks, key performance indicators, policies and prospects. Material matters are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure they remain relevant. They are presented in detail on pages 54-56. Management assumes responsibility for the approval of such material matters, which are then endorsed by the Board.

These reports include:

• Annual Integrated Report
• Group Annual Financial Statements
• King IV™ Implementation Report
• Summarised Annual Financial Results
• Notice of Annual General Meeting

This report contains certain statements that relate to AYO’s future performance and prospects. As defined, these are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements made by the AYO Group on 17 December 2021, at the time of releasing our 2021 results, were informed by the Group’s business plans and economic forecasts in October 2021.

Forward-looking statements are not statements of fact, but statements by the management of the Group based on its current estimates, projections, expectations, beliefs and assumptions. While these statements represent our judgements and future expectations at the time of preparing this report, they are subject to emerging risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could influence actual results to differ materially (both positively and negatively) from our expectations.

AYO neither intends nor assumes any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements in light of developments that differ from those anticipated. Thus, no assurance can be given that any forward-looking statements will materialise and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Further, forward-looking statements have not been reviewed or reported on by the Group’s
joint auditors.

AYO’s reporting continues to evolve in an effort to provide complete, transparent, easy-to-understand and logically structured relevant information to our stakeholders. The complete suite of reports is published annually and available to download on our website, www.ayotsl.com, under the Investor Centre tab. These reports include:

• Annual Integrated Report
• Group Annual Financial Statements
• King IV™ Implementation Report
• Summarised Annual Financial Results
• Notice of Annual General Meeting