The Awards ceremony gave Principal Officers the chance to acknowledge those who have provided their funds with excellent service. Futuregrowth Asset Management was recognised for its leadership in socially responsible investments (SRI) and was voted Socially Responsible Investor of the Year for 2011.
Futuregrowth has a long track record of providing access to innovative investment opportunities for retirement funds. Some of the projects Futuregrowth has funded include:
[Read more →]
Guy Munnoch, CEO of Zurich South Africa said: “Zurich has for many years contributed towards projects and initiatives in South Africa’s communities. Whilst financial support is crucial, it is not just about writing the cheque – we have a unique opportunity to make a genuine difference to peoples’ lives and I am excited that as part of our new programme, our employees will be fully involved and able to see the sustainable, positive impact of their efforts.”
[Read more →]
Tags:Education·Guy Munnoch·youth development·Zurich South Africa
The current South African economic environment is beset with major challenges on both the economic and social front. Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu in a letter to the media says, ‘I encourage the implementation of social entrepreneurship initiatives to generate a sustainable income for South African charities. It is my firm belief that a partnership between the NGO and business sectors is the only solution to avoid a catastrophic future for South Africa’s charities.’
“The Berea Home of Hope’s journey started 10 years ago with hope of securing a better life for orphaned and vulnerable children. This better life was incomplete without a “home” to call our own! FNB Shared Services joined us on this journey and have helped us realise our dream! Berea Home of Hope now has a place that each child can now call “home” This home will be our fortress but the battle will always remain. Human trafficking of woman and children will not go away!,” says Khanyisile Motsa (Mam Khanyi), Founder of Berea Home of Hope.
In addition, the country’s largest retail bank also announced the launch of a fund which would allow concerned South Africans and Corporate SA to make contributions towards alleviating the plight of flood victims.
“With wet weather conditions set to continue over the next few days over various parts of the country, the situation could become even more dire. South Africans are a caring nation and we will be launching the Absa Flood Relief Fund to provide members of the public – individually and collectively – with an opportunity to assist fellow South Africans who have been impacted by these extreme weather conditions,” says Ms Maria Ramos, the Group Chief Executive at Absa.
Tags:Absa·Flood relief
Several highly influential CEOs and business leaders were inspired by a controversial debate “You are rich they are poor – what if anything should you be doing about it”, with discussions centering around poverty alleviation during The 2010 MTN Business Leading CEOs Council in George, recently.
The high-powered group identified education as the number one priority. “We need to reach out to the youth at a young age and create opportunities for them to enter into emerging sectors of the economy,” says Angela Gahagan, Managing Executive of MTN Business.
There was also a clear consensus that business leaders need to spend more time listening to the youth. “We are fortunate to live in a country like South Africa, a country with huge potential but also daunting challenges,” said Francois Pienaar, a special guest at the council. “We all need to invest in the future of South Africa, to enable our children and their children to share in the wealth and beauty of this majestic land. The donation we received from The Chosen Trust will be the start of a legacy and we will identify four youngsters and provide for them financially from grade 7 through to grade 12, thus preparing them for scholarships for tertiary education.
Many corporate leaders believe that South Africa is facing a crisis of leadership, and delegates at the high-profile leadership council echoed Danny Jordaan’s call for an “RDP for the soul.” Delegates from MTN Business, Absa, Microsoft SA, BMW, Murray & Roberts, Shell, KMPG and various other companies agreed that business leaders need to unite in their efforts to raise and promote the next generation of leaders.
“The weekend has taught me that as corporate leaders, we need to better understand the youth and create an environment in which they feel they can really contribute and advance themselves,” says Mteto Nyati, Managing Director of Microsoft South Africa. “I will be exploring ways to better integrate young professionals into the company and expose them to new roles within Microsoft.”
Renee Silverstone, Chief Executive Officer of The Jupiter Drawing Room, added that “as leaders, we need to include the youngsters in key decision-making processes and use their ideas and energy to carry business forward.”
Coupled with the R600 000 pledge; MTN Business took the boldest commitment to give each of their staff one day off per month to give to a charity. T-Systems announced the establishment of a global mentoring programme which was awarded to two of The Chosen Protégé Members, and ABSA appointed four of The Chosen MAD Matriculants to the ABSA Junior Board Of Directors.
“Now in its sixth year, I have watched as CEOs and Protégés have worked together to find solutions to issues of the day. Each and everyone one of these very special people have displayed a passion and commitment to our beautiful country, that fills with me with complete hope and inspiration,” says Alison Gregg, Founding Partner of The Chosen.
“We believe that The 2010 MTN Business Leading CEO Council provides an ideal platform for debate and discussion around the topic of Leadership with Soul,” said Mardia van der Walt-Korsten, Managing Director of T-Systems. “Keeping employees motivated, happy and hungry for success, I believe requires doing your work with soul.”
———————————————————
Have a website and want to earn income promoting great local and international brands? Click HERE and sign up as a publisher.
Tags:Education·Social investment·The Chosen·The Chosen Trust
“We have a 97% repayment rate,” explains Nkuna. “Unfortunately, people still doesn’t recognise that unemployed people can actually generate enough income to pay back loans.”
Micro finance is basically a strategy to ‘bring banking to the un-bankables’ (people who cannot access banking services), and there are currently about 15 micro finance institutions (MFIs) in the country, down from thirty a few years ago.
Tags:Microfinance·poverty alleviation·Women’s Development Bank Micro Finance
SAB, supported by the Bobs for Good foundation, developed a unique and innovative safety shoe with built-in reflective technology which serves to draw attention to children walking during twilight hours and in the dark as well as to make them more visible to drivers. The shoe is 100% developed and manufactured in South Africa. The equally distinctive shoe boxes include educational pedestrian safety tips for children and parents.
Children from four schools situated in the Pinetown education district were the recipients of the partnership’s first shoe drop. The MEC for Education, Mr Senzo Mchunu, SAB representatives and the Bobs for Good team, personally fitted approximately 200 children from Shembe, Mount Royal, Ethekweni and Siboniswe Primary schools with the specially made shoes.
The 24 volunteers recognised at the Old Mutual Staff Volunteerism Awards in Johannesburg last Thursday, attended by renowned international social activist Graça Machel, have dedicated their own time, talent and energy in uplifting their local communities by actively involving themselves in volunteerism programmes managed by the Old Mutual Foundation.
Kuseni Dlamini, CEO of Old Mutual South Africa and Emerging Markets, lauded the efforts of the volunteers, “Volunteerism is a powerful tool for social development. Your efforts will go a very long way in helping to make South Africa a winning nation, free of poverty, hunger and ignorance.”
Dlamini added that we should not for a moment regard these efforts as an afterthought, where we do business first and then do good if we have time and money. “Doing well and doing good are inextricably linked. They’re also linked to the eight Millennium Development Goals that all 192 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have undertaken to achieve by the year 2015.”
Tags:Community Development·Millennium Development Goals·Old Mutual·United Nations·Volunteerism
A gift to be shared with a child from a distinctly vulnerable social background, who may never before have received a Christmas gift. The project is unique in that the donor knows the name, age, gender and residence of the child the gift is intended for
For further information please check out the website at – http://www.santashoebox.co.za/
—————————————————
Support an entrepreneurial South African business: NetFlorist is South Africa’s largest flower and gifting service. They offer a wide range of products, including floral arrangements and bouquets, gourmet hampers, dried fruit and nut hampers, wine hampers, jewellery and Swatch watches. All gifts are carefully delivered on time with your choice of message on the message card! Click Here
