NATIONAL WOMEN'S MONTH
We support women empowerment
and participation in our economy
National Women's Day South Africa is celebrated annually on the 9th of August. On this day, South Africa commemorates the day on which 20,000 women of colour marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against amendments to the Apartheid laws.
We should, not just in August or March or May, but on a daily basis, recognise and celebrate women for their outstanding achievements, in spite of the divisions and persisting challenges such as gender based violence, poverty, inequality and limited access to equal opportunity that they also face on a daily basis.
Whilst it would be far better if these challenges didn't exist completely, the fact they do, necessitates the need to become aware of them and address them. The most important thing is that as a collective we edge ever closer to addressing and eliminating these challenges.
As the SASDC, we have helped strengthen and support for women's rights by creating opportunity for them to participate in the economy.
We have asked some of our corporate and supplier members as well as our staff, to share what what women's day means to them. Some elaborate on the importance of this day, others offer valuable insights on how we can or are tackling these challenges on a daily basis.
#BlackSuppliersMatter #WomenEmpowermentMatters
#NationalWomen'sDay2021
SASDC welcomes two new board members
The South African Supplier Diversity Council's board members unanimously approved the recommendation of appointing two new Non-Executive Directors, Mr Grant Clarke and Ms Thandokazi Msimang, to serve on its board. This election took place at the SASDC's Annual General Meeting held on 24th March 2021.
SASDC Corporate Members are required to elect directors in accordance with the provisions of the SASDC's Memorandum of Incorporation subject to the requirements of the Companies Act (Act 71 of 2008) and the provisions of the King IV Report on Corporate Governance in South Africa.
Following a call for nominations process held earlier this year, the Board reviewed the nominations received and were satisfied that the nominees were eligible, competent and qualified to be appointed as directors.
Warm congratulatory messages are extended to Mr Grant Clarke and Ms Thandokazi Msimang, who the SASDC believes will add tremendous value to the council organisation as they take their seats at the boardroom table.
Ms Thandokazi Msimang
Ms Thandokazi Msimang is the current Head of Procurement for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). GSK is a science-led global healthcare company with a special purpose: to help people do more, feel better, live longer. The company has three global businesses that research, develop and manufacture innovative pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines and consumer healthcare products. Their aim to bring differentiated, high-quality and needed healthcare products to as many people as possible, with their three global businesses, scientific and technical know-how and talented people.
Mr Grant Clarke
Mr Grant Clarke is the Managing Director of C. Steinweg Logistics, a subsidiary of one of the largest exporters of containerised cargo by rail in Southern Africa, C. Steinweg Bridge (Pty) Ltd.
Mr. Clarke has a wide range of experience in various industries, and has fostered his career at several blue chip South African companies. His strong problem solving and lateral thinking skills has contributed to his success at the helm of C. Steinweg Logistics, a leading and growing Level 1 B-BBEE Clearing and Forwarding business.
SASDC facilitates linkages to create strategic partnerships that support black business inclusion
According to a report released by McKinsey Group, SMEs across South Africa represent more than 98 percent of businesses, employ between 50 and 60 percent of the country's workforce across all sectors, and are responsible for a quarter of job growth in the private sector. Formal SMEs contribute up to 40% of national income. The importance of SMEs is even higher when informal SMEs are included. One can safely say, SMEs are crucial to meeting the challenges of unemployment, inequality and transformation.
For the past decade, the South African Supplier Diversity Council has recognised the vital role black business can play in supporting the National Development Plan for 2030. As such, the SASDC has made it our mission to facilitate linkages between certified black owned businesses and corporate members who support this cause of creating a diverse, transformed and inclusive economy. To this end, the SASDC provides a host of different advisory and implementation services to its corporate members for enabling supplier diversity in its supply chains and unlocking procurement opportunities for black businesses.
Swift Worldwide Logistics proves its international mettle and does the SASDC proud
7th May 2021- Today, the South African Supplier Diversity Council (SASDC) would like to congratulate Swift Worldwide Logistics, a proudly South African Freight Forwarding company with level-1 B-BBEE compliance on successfully partnering with BBC Chartering to move equipment, that will be fitted onto what will become, the world's largest diamond recovery vessel in the world.
Last week, the multipurpose heavy-lift vessel BBC PEARL, operated by BBC Chartering, successfully loaded two tower units and accompanying accessories in the Port of Tallinn, Estonia. Swift Worldwide Logistics entrusted the German multipurpose and heavy shipping specialist BBC Chartering with the transport of this equipment weighing a total of 423 metric tons from Estonia to South Africa.
The Yellow Brick Road to Empowerment is paved with good "intentions"
How fronting, by form, defeats the substance of B-BBEE
By Sibusiso Mtsetfwa, Manager of Member Services at the South African Supplier Diversity Council
I recently came across a "transformed" 51% Black-owned company who flashed their Level-2 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) credentials to all and sundry as they continued to stand in the front of the line successfully winning tenders and retaining contracts with large corporations that they did business with prior to their "B-BBEE transformation".
I say "transformed", because upon closer investigation, their status comes from the 51% shareholding held by a "creatively" registered trust for black employees of the business. The 49% white shareholders and directors are also the trustees of the trust while the black employees, as beneficiaries, do not have any veto rights or say in the running or decision-making of the trust. In this case, the actual decision-makers and profit-takers remain white and could now find economic benefit that has flowed through to the trust, since inception more than five years ago.
Reimagining transformation to make
supplier diversity and inclusion possible
By Gary Joseph – CEO of the South African Supplier Diversity Council
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world: governments, business leaders, citizens into unimaginable transformation. No matter who you are, where you are from, what you do, you have not remained untouched or unaffected by this pandemic which has threatened humankind's existence.
In South Africa, one of the most unequal countries in the world, degrees of struggle each individual faces now, is exacerbated by a confluence of inadequate economic growth, widespread unemployment, sharp inequalities, low levels of fixed investment and frail levels of social capital.
Cumulatively, these are having a devastating impact on the living standards, safety, education and health of our people. And whilst some suffer far greater than a privileged few, the truth is - unless action is taken to alleviate this inequality in our economy and society – even the privileged few are doomed to suffer hardship down the line.
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South Africa is at a cross-road –
one path is leading to crisis and another opportunity.
It is up to each of us to play our part in reimagining a new world order. As the SASDC, we are in the business of making doing business with black suppliers better because we believe that #BlackSuppliersMatter. As such, we need to reimagine ways to make black business an inclusive part of our economy if we are to realise real positive change in our country by way of job creation, poverty alleviation and equality.
We found the recent @BusinessDay article interesting as it gives food for thought on the work still needed to be done to reach our NDP 2030 targets. Truth is, it is up to all of us to play our part in getting there.
https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2021-03-31-economic-transformation-and-job-creation-how-far-are-we-from-the-targets-of-the-ndp/
We encourage corporate members to join the SASDC. Every partnership gets us an inch closer to achieving on our mission of supplier diversity and inclusion in our supply chains.
Here at the SASDC, we encourage employers and their employees to implement practices, which keep their physical and mental fitness sharp throughout their working day.
https://fourwellness.co/blog/workplace-wellness-10-tips-for-good-health-at-work
What adjustments have you made or are
needing to make in your business to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Mckinsey & Co. published an article about the impact of covid-19, how businesses can benefit from working remotely and how to see the pandemic as an opportunity for businesses to grow. As the SASDC, we offer training, certification and business related services to support businesses with these changes. We are in the business of making doing business with black suppliers better because we believe that #BlackSuppliersMatter in our economic recovery and transformation goals.
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/risk/our-insights/covid-19-implications-for-business
BEE path is paved with good intentions
but comes to a dead end
I recently came across a "transformed" 51% black-owned company that flashed its level 2 broad-based BEE (B-BBEE) credentials to all and sundry as it stood at the front of the tender line, successfully winning and retaining contracts with large corporations it did business with prior to its "transformation".
I say "transformed" because on closer investigation the company's status was found to come from a 51% shareholding held by a "creatively" registered trust for black employees of the business. The 49% white shareholders and directors were trustees of the trust, while the black employees, as beneficiaries, had neither veto rights nor any say in the running of the business or decision-making of the trust.
Read here :
https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2021-04-18-bee-path-is-paved-with-good-intentions-but-comes-to-a-dead-end/