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A homogeneous team would include people who are as similar as possible, with similar points of view, learning abilities and life experiences. Heterogeneous teams include a mixture of races, genders, cultures and ages that provides a wider range of life experiences and opinions. Building a solid business strategy is fundamental to the success of an organisation, as it provides direction for harnessing opportunities with foresight. Essentially, those developing a tactical plan for an organisation need to develop the ability to think strategically through analysing the competitive environment, then recommending a firm position and value proposition. The next step is measuring the impact a Business Strategy has on a business. A mechanism used by many organisations is that of SMART+C that measures its implementation based on: The SMART+C evaluation is revered as the epitome of the strategic direction to delivering results. The Codes of Good Practice target every area of a business, beginning with the ownership structure, to how a business is managed, to the skills necessary to run a business, the diversification of the supply chain and how to deliver income-generating activities. Therefore, having a robust B-BBEE Strategy that runs parallel to an organisation’s Business Strategy is paramount to meeting its overall objectives. Essentially a Business Strategy and a B-BBEE Strategy should be read as one document. A B-BBEE Strategy should be developed and measured using the same methodology as a Business one, focusing on growth. Unfortunately, more often than not, the importance of correlating the two strategies is overlooked, as is its intrinsic value. Historically organisations have developed their Business Strategy and B-BBEE Strategy as separate entities. Hence many fail to meet the objective of either. To BEE or not to BEE It is not a legal requirement for an organisation to have a B-BBEE Certificate; however, in choosing to have one, it is a legal requirement that it be credible and accurately depicts the reality of an organisation’s transformation strides. Let’s unpack the DNA of a robust B-BBEE Strategy that can provide leverage over an organisation’s competitors and areas for consideration to mitigate any risks. A B-BBEE Strategy, by design, will drive good governance. It tests finances, spending patterns, employee roles, responsibilities, skills interventions and systems that drive development. It can be the tool for quantifying and testing accuracy through the systematic processing of data, which culminates in delivering shareholder value. A B-BBEE Verification, an evidence-based process, measures strategic performance areas, supporting the financial objectives and convergence of business areas through scorecard indicators and weightings. Although not directly linked to shareholder value, the Management Control and Skills Development Scorecards measure how an organisation recruits, remunerates, trains, develops or performs. Evidence such as employment contracts, confirming an employee’s occupational level and renumeration, all support an organisation’s B-BBEE Verification claims. Employment equity annual submissions and plans support targets and performance milestones in these areas. In effect, Management Control and Skills Development provide Strategic Human Resource Planning. “A Business Strategy and B-BBEE Strategy should be read as one document.” A B-BBEE Strategy must make good business sense. Essentially, shareholders demand a return on their investment. A comprehensive B-BBEE Strategy measures an organisation’s shortfalls and milestones in the overall business performance. How an organisation performs against its B-BBEE Strategy is crucial for the leverage in gaining and retaining business. It is a sense of market-based voluntarism with rules of the game guided by legislation. A robust B-BBEE Strategy is essentially a competitive commodity that demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to the Government’s priority of an inclusive society. Preferential Procurement feeds into the National Development Plan that targets small businesses as the vehicle to drive future economic growth. The net effect of Preferential Procurement is the diversification of an organisation’s supply chain. It encourages organisations to shift from standard procurement patterns by removing barriers to entry for smaller ‘Black’-owned businesses. Core to a well developed B-BBEE Strategy are the policies that guide it to ensure they do not inadvertently become a barrier to entry. For example, a Business Strategy for an organisation in the manufacturing space historically steers a procurement policy using the matrics quality, cost and delivery as Key Performance Indicators. Subsequently, the historic matric steers an organisation away from meeting the targets necessary to achieve its Preferential Procurement mandate. Consequently, it negates ‘Black’ Ownership, ‘Black Woman-ownership and support for Exempted Micro Enterprises and Qualifying Small Enterprises. Food for thought, there is always a sweet spot for adapting the two metrics to meet an organisation’s strategic objectives without creating a tug of war, which is often the case when breaking down barriers to entry. As a B-BBEE Strategy leads an organisation toward sustainability, it pursues financial benefit for shareholders reasonably without compromise. In setting the targets for a B-BBEE Strategy, then moving to the implementation phase, an organisation must have standard processes that include accountability systems and procedures that align with the desired outcome. Uniformity is crucial to ensure that everyone in the organisation steers towards the end goal, both in their strategic and behavioural approaches to drive the strategic objectives. Mitigate the Risk There is one element that neither Business nor B-BBEE Strategies can predict, that being the human factor. There are many reasons strategies can be taken off course, from powerful coalitions to a surprise resignation. However, part and parcel of both strategies is +C, the challenges, whereby managing the leading risk factor, which is the human factor, is critical to meeting objectives. Organisations often opt for the two-pronged performance measured approach, which measures behaviour against critical goals; this essentially equates measuring an employee’s key performance and development. Unfortunately, this approach, more often than not, yields confusion, thus putting the human factor more at risk than ever. A common differentiator between a Business and a B-BBEE Strategy is the frugal budget allocated for the latter. Organisations expect to achieve a Status Level that provides leverage over their competitors, produces innovation, and harnesses diversity and inclusion without any investment, which amounts to incongruence. Findings in the McKinsey and Company study, Delivering Through Diversity 2018, observed that: “many successful companies regard diversity and Inclusion as a source of competitive advantage, and specifically as a key enabler of growth”. The report supports that Homogeneous workforces perform at 33% compared to Heterogeneous ones and where boards of Heterogeneous are 43% likely to realise more profits. It goes without saying that a robust B-BBEE Strategy, read with a Business Strategy as one document, will go a long way to organisations meeting their overall business strategy. Click on the link below to download the PDF:

Motheo Khoaripe | 18 January 2023 FILE: Spar was hit with a wave of negative publicity in 2022. Picture: © morris71/123rf.com JOHANNESBURG - Retailer Spar says CEO Brett Botten will step down at the end of January, while former board chair Graham O’Connor will be leaving in February. The leadership change comes after Spar was hit with a wave of negative publicity in 2022, including allegations it had manipulated the value of stores, reported fictitious loans, and discriminated against black franchisors. The more than ten retailers said the group wanted to use their Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) loans to bail out white retailers and dump them. Legal firm Harris Nupen Molebatsi Attorneys was appointed to probe the matter. Its report confirmed widespread fronting and fraud in some franchises. The report also confirmed that BEE loans were used to inflate profit at the retailer. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://ewn.co.za/2023/01/18/spar-ceo-to-step-down-as-law-firm-reports-widespread-fraud-bee-loan-fronting

SA News | 17 January 2023 Ofentse Moloko, a 37-year-old entrepreneur from the North West, says the support government gives to Black-owned companies operating in the poultry industry will contribute significantly to transforming the sector and ensuring food security in the country. Moloko, the CEO and Managing Director of Baramakama Poultry, runs a family-owned egg-laying chicken company in Molote City, North West. He believes that the sustainability of businesses depends on Black-owned companies occupying the entire value chain of the industry. Baramakama received support to the tune of R50 million from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and its development finance institution, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), as part of the Black Industrialists Programme. “We are the perfect example of the success that Black-owned companies can achieve with the support of government in the poultry industry,” says Moloko. The Black Industrialists Programme is part of government’s efforts to accelerate the quantitative and qualitative increase and participation of Black Industrialists in the South African economy, selected industrial sectors and value chains. Moloko recalls how his father, who “started from nothing back in 2016”, used his savings to invest back into the community of Molote City. “We decided to establish a poultry business, specifically in the layers as they showed the greatest opportunity for employment creation ,as well as massive room for economic and ownership transformation. “For almost three years, we persistently and continuously knocked on the doors of all the private banks in this country, but the doors were all slammed on us after months of completing their processes, mainly due to the land belonging to the community. “When the dtic and IDC decided to fund our business after a thorough due diligence process, it was like music to our ears.” The financial support from the dtic and IDC enabled Baramakama to expand its operations by adding five new automated chicken houses and a modern, state-of-the-art pack station. The family business has also managed to increase the premise’s carrying capacity from 100 000 hens to 280 000. In addition, the company has now added 40 new jobs, while the number of permanent employees jumped from 80 to 112. Of these, almost 80% of the employees are young people, while 44% are women. “Today, our operation runs 24 hours per day and on average, we produce 225 000 eggs per day at full capacity. The support we received from government has made us a recognisable and important player in the industry,” Moloko says. Although he appreciates the importance and recognises the value of the support that government provides to Black Industrialists, Moloko strongly believes that government should consider extending its backing across the value chain of the poultry industry to achieve sustainability and ensure success. “Government support needs to cut across the value chain if we want meaningful transformation of the industry, and if we want the Black industrialists to play an important and discernible role in food security in the country.” This includes feed production, hatcheries, abattoirs, chick rearing, processing and market access. “Although we regard ourselves as a success after obtaining the support, we are left at the mercy of our key competitors from whom we source feed and hens. That makes us vulnerable as the supply tabs can and are regularly switched on and off, depending on how they want to control and benefit from the market conditions,” Moloko says. He does not pin all his hopes on the Poultry Sector Master Plan -- which was developed in close partnership between government and several stakeholders in the industry -- to increase the level of Black participation, particularly ownership across the value chain, employment creation and worker share-ownership in the sector. Moloko is of the opinion that the decisions taken within the Poultry Master Plan depend on the existing big players in the industry, who, through their actions, do not easily allow Black players into the more profitable value chain channels. However, he remains resolute and hopeful that with more Black players in the value chain, the industry will not only transform but also allow healthy competition to the benefit of all participants. – SAnews.gov.za ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/entrepreneur-hopes-meaningful-transformation-poultry-industry

News Desk | 17 January 2023 South Africa’s young graduates are struggling to find jobs. According to Statistics South Africa, the youth unemployment rate, measuring jobseekers between 15 and 24 years old, fell to a two-year low of 59.6% in the third quarter of 2022. Skills shortages are linked to the high unemployment rate because many job seekers lack the experience and skills needed by the job sector. Three proactive University of Cape Town graduates started a business to solve the graduates’ skills gap and to help their clients digitise their workflow. Unemployed graduates started a business In 2020, Thando Shabalala, Aleya Ramparsad Banwari and Devlin Sooful started a business called Grab A Grad; the business help graduates like themselves gain skills to help them get employed or start their own business. All three of the co-founders knew each other from university and their unemployment woes inspired them to start a business. One was retrenched, the other one was freelancing and the other was looking for a job. The trio wanted to find solutions as a response to their unemployment woes as graduates, particularly during the lockdown. They started a business that provides training for graduates to turn their theoretical knowledge into practical skills needed by South Africa’s job market. Another major key focus for the business is digital consulting, Grab A Grad also specialises in business automation, web development, marketing, and design. “We build applications and processes that will bridge the skills gap,” explained Shabalala. Addressing skills gap challenge When they were looking for jobs, they realised they didn’t have the practical skills needed by rapidly evolving workplace needs. Thousands of graduates face the same challenge and they decided to implement solutions to help themselves and other graduates. Their strategy is to leverage graduates’ knowledge earned in higher education institutions and to place them in an environment with real challenges. The key is for them to use their problem-solving skills to provide solutions in an African context. Through their business, they run a graduate-focused consulting firm that empowers graduates with a variety of critical skills. Their business model is largely about empowering graduates and creating employment for young people. They do this by filtering their graduate intakes to assess their abilities. “Our network of graduates is our cooperative arm, we train them, and some are now our core team members,” said Shabalala. Technological innovations in workplaces have led to the rapid evolution of skills needed in the workplace. The co-founders have seen that fewer companies want to invest in training people. By having a trusted network of upskilled and well-trained graduates, the business empowers graduates and helps bridge the skills gap in the workplace. Long-term solutions are needed The business hopes to continue empowering graduates with practical skills and to provide digital solutions for its clients. Considering that tertiary institutions focus more on theoretical knowledge, the work done by Grab A Grad will ensure that graduates have practical skills to help them become employable. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://yiba.co.za/graduates-business-addresses-skills-gap/

Staff Writer | 17 January 2023 Niveshen Govender, SAWEA CEO. The second Wind Industry Internship Programme (WIIP) has announced that it will double its placements for 2023 and offer supplementary work readiness training for the first time. In a statement, industry body, the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) says the programme supports the development of specialist skills needed to facilitate the exponential growth of the industry, to support the country’s growth. Funded primarily by the Energy and Water Sector Education Training Authority, in partnership with SAWEA, the programme is expected to place 35 interns, selected from over 90 applications this year. According to SAWEA, these interns are being placed across approximately 30 renewable energy companies – illustrating a growth of over 100% in just one year. “We are encouraged by the uptake of this programme and huge increase of placements, knowing that young professionals are being absorbed by our sector and are receiving the mentorship and practical experience that they need,” says Niveshen Govender, CEO of SAWEA. SAWEA explains that the WIIP provides young professionals who have recently completed a degree or those undertaking graduate programmes, with the opportunity to gain practical work experience in line with their studies or interests, whilst exposing them to works related to sustainable energy solutions. It notes that this year, for the first time, the programme will include a 10-day work readiness training segment facilitated by an external service provider that will coach the graduates in the soft skills necessary to enter the workplace, for example, e-mail etiquette, communication, working as a team etc. While the WIIP provides capacity building for the students, it equally benefits the commercial wind power industry seeking to source qualified students specialised in various professional fields, the industry body adds. “Equally important, the programme is recognised as a major contributor to social, environmental and economic security in the country,” explains Govender. The demand for qualified and skilled talent is growing and the South African industry, like its international counterparts, needs a rising pool of qualified candidates to draw from, the association says. SAWEA anticipates jobs in manufacturing, logistics, finance, construction, and operational phases becoming available as Bid Window 5 and Bid Window 6 projects come online. It points out that these comprise of professional services, business services and sales. Requirements include, engineering, project management, project development, and skills in environmental authorisations, among others. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.itweb.co.za/content/raYAyqorYbVMJ38N

Staff Writer | 17 January 2023 As of April 2022,the .ZA Domain Name Authority (ZADNA) says it has empowered 330 individuals from disadvantaged communities with business development skills through its Registrar-Reseller programme. This, says the authority, is to empower communities and increase opportunities for new entrants in the South African Internet ecosystem. “These training and capacity-building interventions have had several positive and meaningful impact,” explains Molehe Wesi, CEO of ZADNA. “In the 2021/22 financial year, ZADNA delivered 24 Registrar-Reseller training sessions. From these sessions, 18 participants became resellers, and one became an accredited registrar.” ZADNA’s mandate is to regulate the .za namespace and ensure its efficient use, management and administration. In addition to the Registrar-Reseller programme, the authority reveals that it re-launched other skills development programmes in February 2022. These were the introductory Domain Name Systems (DNS) technical training and advanced technical DNS training, which were re-launched through a partnership with the .za commercial registry operator. In the past, the ZA Central Registry decried DNS abuse, saying it was emerging as an existential threat to the continued stability of SA’s domain name ecosystem. ZACR stated that domain name hijacking, cyber-squatting, spam, phishing, botnets and malware are all forms of DNS abuse perpetrated primarily by global fraud syndicates. According to ZADNA, the DNS training aimed to advance small business owners and young entrepreneurs in the ICT industry, to ensure they acquired the necessary technical skills to lower the barrier to entry into the DNS industry. “The reintroduction of the technical DNS training attests to our commitment to capacitating key DNS players with the requisite and specialised technical skills to ensure that the .za namespace remains secure and reliable,” notes Wesi. The upcoming advanced DNS training is set to take place in Johannesburg for four days, beginning 20 February, and in Cape Town on 27 February. Prospective participants can submit their application here. For the virtual Registrar-Reseller training programme, interested SMMEs and technopreneurs can submit their interest by emailing info@zadna.org.za. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.itweb.co.za/content/4r1ly7R9dgxvpmda

Department of Trade, Industry and Competition | 16 January 2023 The support that government provides to black-owned companies operating in the poultry industry will contribute significantly in transforming the industry and ensuring that there is food security in the country. However, it is imperative for government to realise that the sustainability of these businesses depends on black companies occupying the entire value chain of the industry. This is the view of the 37-year-old North West industrialist, Mr Ofentse Moloko. Moloko is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Baramakama Poultry, a family owned egg-laying chickens company situated in Molote City, North West. Baramakama received support to the tune of R50 million from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) and its development finance institution, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), as part of the Black Industrialists Programme. The programme is part of government’s efforts to accelerate the quantitative and qualitative increase and participation of Black Industrialists in the South African economy, selected industrial sectors and value chains. “We are a perfect example of the success that black-owned companies can achieve with the support of government in the poultry industry. We started from nowhere in 2016 when my father decided to use his savings to invest back into the community of Molote City. We decided to establish a poultry business, specifically in the layers as they showed the greatest opportunity for employment creation as well as massive room for economical and ownership transformation. For almost three years we persistently and continuously knocked on the doors of all the private banks in this country, but the doors were all slammed on us after months of completing their processes, mainly due to the land belonging to the community. When the dtic and IDC decided to fund our business after a thorough due diligence process, it was like music to our ears,” says Moloko. The financial support from the dtic and IDC enabled Baramakama to expand its operations by adding five new automated chicken houses and a modern, state-of-the-art pack station. The support was noticeably impactful as the company managed to increase the premises’ carrying capacity from 100 000 hens before the support to 280 000 after the infrastructural expansion. In addition, forty new jobs were created as the number of permanent employees increased from 80 to 112 as all aspects of the business expanded. Almost 80% of the employees are young people, while 44% are women. “Today our operation runs 24 hours per day and on average we produce 225 000 eggs per day at full capacity. The support we received from government has made us a recognisable and important player in the industry,” says Moloko. Although he appreciates the importance and recognises the value of the support that the government provides to the Black Industrialists, Moloko strongly believes that government should consider extending its support across the value chain of the poultry industry to achieve sustainability and ensure success. “The government support needs to cut across the value chain if we want meaningful transformation of the industry, and if we want the Black Industrialists to play an important and discernible role in food security in the country. This includes feed production, hatcheries, abattoirs, chick rearing, processing, as well as market access. Although we regard ourselves as a success after obtaining the support, we are left at the mercy of our key competitors from whom we source feed and hens. That makes us vulnerable as the supply tabs can and are regularly switched on and off depending on how they want to control and benefit from the market conditions,” adds Moloko. Moloko does not pin all his hopes on the Poultry Sector Master Plan, which was developed in close partnership between government and several stakeholders in the industry, including poultry producers, processors, exporters, importers and organised labour. One of the objectives of the plan is to increase the level of black participation and particularly ownership across the value chain and increase employment and worker share-ownership in the sector. Moloko believes that most strategic decisions taken within the Poultry Master Plan depend much on the existing large players in the industry, who through their actions do not easily allow black players into the more profitable value chain channels. But he remains resolute and hopeful that with more black players in the value chain, the industry will not only transform, but allow healthy competition to the benefit of all participants. Enquiries: Bongani Lukhele Tel: 012 394 1643 Cell: 079 5083 457 WhatsApp: 074 2998 512 E-mail: BLukhele@thedtic.gov.za ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.gov.za/speeches/government-support-will-help-transform-poultry-industry-ensure-food-security-16-jan-2023

Ben Cockram | 16 January 2023 Picture: 123RF/MOOV STOCK Jeffrey Mothuloe’s response to Jesse Naidoo's article cannot go unchallenged (“SA’s economy will be in the hands of white people for many more decades”, January 11). The narrative that black poverty is maintained/ensured by white control of the economy is one we know and understand. It is a legacy of SA's history, especially the apartheid policies that were in place until 1994. However, in 2023 it is a narrative that continues to dangerously confuse the issue and prevent any real progress. The policies adopted by government since 1994 around the notion of “transformation”, are simply based on how we share the pie more equally to benefit black people. It is an emotional political rallying point. This is understandable — the worst crime of apartheid was arguably the deplorable humiliation of black people. It is a narrative that would normally be challenged in any democracy as part of the normal contestation of ideas. In SA with our poverty, race, inequality and education there is no meaningful challenge. This simplistic “transformation” narrative continues to distract long after it has any practical merit in improving the lives of black people. Simply put, any growth in the economy is going to directly benefit all people in the country, and those with the most to gain will experience the greatest relative improvement in their lives. If the economy grows at 5% or 7% per annum the greatest beneficiaries will be black people. The new opportunities created will be largely taken up by black people. White people in SA are largely well off, but a small percentage of the whole and important contributors to the fiscus. The transformation narrative is therefore very much a case of cutting off the nose to spite the face. Don’t look to corporate SA to solve these problems, it doesn't work that way. Allow new businesses, both local and via foreign investment, get on their feet. Allow independent businesses to thrive and all people whose talents currently lie idle will find opportunity. If we are looking for what really takes power out of the hands of poor people in this country the answer will be found in traditional tribal power, which prevents individual private asset development in tribal areas (and relies on patronage for liquidity), and the damaging ideological direction offered by government. SA relies on foreign direct investment to thrive and investors who would gladly invest in SA are simply waiting for us to sort ourselves out. As soon as SA shows an intention to affirm the constitution and rule of law, dismantle the transformation agenda and guarantee no impediment for foreign investment, SA will assert itself as the best choice for investors looking to establish themselves in Africa. It will take a brave black politician to end any talk of transformation in SA, but this is exactly what we need. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/letters/2023-01-16-letter-simplistic-transformation-narrative-continues-to-distract/

Anita Nkonki | 17 January 2023 Johannesburg - Nuclear Medicine Specialist Dr Ntanganedzenu Muambadzi has committed to creating job opportunities for young people as many of the youth in marginalised areas bear the brunt of high unemployment. In conversation with The Star, Dr Muambadzi talks about her journey, how it all came to be, and how she continues to be a force to be reckoned with in her field of work while also changing people's lives. She says being the only black female specialist in Limpopo is pleasing, but it requires one to put their head down to acquire gratifying results. "Initially, I did not want to do medicine. I actually had a bursary, and I was supposed to go and do chemical engineering at Wits University, and on the day of registration, everything was paid, so I thought about it. I decided I wanted to go and do medicine. So I dropped everything, and rushed off to apply for medicine." "You need to be really consistent with what you are doing, and you have to love what you are doing. If you love what you are doing, then it will never feel like you are working. So that motivates me a lot to work harder. I don't even feel like I am working. I am just enjoying what I am doing," explained Dr Muambadzi. "After finishing my studies, I went straight back home. I was the first and only one in the field. I was happy that I came back home because many people needed services but were driving long distances to get these services. I mean, it is not good to be driving to just get a scan, or to get treatment. Health should be essential and should be a necessity to be right there. You shouldn't have to travel. So it was not easy being the only one, being female, and being black." Asked about the response to all the work she has been doing, she says it has been a pleasing journey, particularly with many appreciating her work. "The response is quite varied, but it comes with burnout and working a lot, asking myself if people are really appreciating my work and what I am doing for them. In the long run, it really improves the health care of most people, especially in under served and rural areas," she said. She further reveals that her work has been progressive and that she has managed to offer many young people jobs in varied fields. It's going strong. It's growing. "Right now, we have 20 employees, including the legal team and the accounting team. So we are grateful. I have employed a lot of youth." She says they are also expanding to Tzaneen to offer the same services and the same opportunities for young people. Dr Muambadzi also has a medi-spa, Dr NM Medi Spa, which she believes will help people not only look better but also feel better. "We are trying to do a lot to tackle youth unemployment on this side because we realise that the government cannot do this alone." ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news/the-only-female-nuclear-medicine-specialist-in-limpopo-creating-opportunities-for-the-unemployed-youth-2f7167f3-7e7d-4435-b1b2-3b1b8020d4c2

Desigan Chetty | 16 January 2023 Desigan Chetty, COO of Property Point and executive director of Entrepreneurship to the Point The small-medium enterprise (SME) sector is still marred by gender inequality as women-owned businesses continue to operate under challenging conditions, such as discrimination, economic exclusion, and stereotyping. There is also an increasing pressure on businesses to conduct their operations in a responsible manner, and they are compelled to address non-financial factors such as environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns to create sustainable outcomes that drive value and fuel growth, while protecting the environment amid the potential negative effects of climate change. The Covid pandemic lockdowns were the catalyst for a “new world of work”. To survive, businesses scurried for resources that would enable them to adopt a remote working model and digital nomad approach to work. It is for these reasons that we believe that the trends that will influence the growth of the SME sector in 2023 will continue to include the promotion of women empowerment; an enhanced focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues; and the robust development in the information technology sector to increase digitisation of operations across diverse value chains and critical skills. Women-led ventures breaking barriers Some of the many factors holding women back from entering male-dominated sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure and construction, include unconscious biases, societal norms, and lack of exposure to these sectors, time, capital constraints and access to market opportunities. Research conducted earlier this year by Entrepreneurship To The Point in partnership with the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, a global network of organisations that propel entrepreneurship in developing economies, found that the main barriers that impacted the ability of women to enter male-dominated sectors include high startup costs, high market competition, stringent government regulations and the lack of access to information. While there are several government and institutional interventions that have been implemented to support women to cross over into more profitable, male-dominated sectors, the transition has been slow-paced. We suggest that strategies will have to be employed that safely connect women to male and female mentors and role models, providing early exposure to technical training in male-dominated sectors, increasing access to markets, enabling access to capital and loans, and encouraging spousal support are some of the key components for successful gender transformation. ESG and social entrepreneurship It is widely accepted that social entrepreneurs find a specific social issue and create a business venture to improve this issue. We have noted that most companies focus on the environmental challenges resultant of their business activities and negate the fact that climate change has many social implications on food security and health. This emphasises that there is a need to evaluate social impacts of climate risk rather than dealing with it alone. As large enterprises are increasingly expected to comply with global ESG requirements, they will expect of their suppliers, many of whom are SMEs, to also subscribe to ESG in their operations. Sustainability initiatives appear to drive better financial performance due to mediation factors such as improved risk management, innovation and managing a low-carbon future. A relatable example would be South Africa’s energy crisis that is one of the greatest threats to the country’s economic and social progress. This offers an opportunity for SMEs to respond by participating across the green technologies value chain, from green construction to solar installation and maintenance. The fourth industrial revolution The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) represents a new era of innovation in technology – one that’s enhancing human-machine relationships, unlocking new market opportunities, and fuelling growth across the global economy. This revolution presents significant business opportunities to develop and provide a sufficient supply of advanced engineering talent to the IT sector. Beyond that, people in regular jobs need to develop the skills to deal with the disruptive effects of new technologies in their work environments. Many corporations have embraced new technologies that have enabled them to adopt a remote or hybrid approach to work. Technology will continue to provide entrepreneurs with the opportunities they require to grow successful ventures in new and uncharted industries, as well as innovate to succeed in existing and challenging ones. Storytelling for SME incubators and support programmes These trends drive social change and for us it is all about creating measurable impact. While data collection and analysis are a critical part of the process, stories can be shaped to target different audiences, from funders and policymakers to the media and the public. For those such as Property Point, which develop and enhance SMEs and entrepreneurs, we believe that storytelling is a powerful tool to access funds to continue to provide programmes that underscore entrepreneurial success. Experience-based knowledge from entrepreneurs comes up more easily in ‘success stories’ and can be more important in problem-solving than information coming through more formal channels. Our platform, therefore, focuses on building relationships, sharing insights, democratising access to information, and creating an environment of unity and trust for entrepreneurs. ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/850/235049.html

Naa’ilah Abader | 16 January 2023 Naa'ilah Abader, a senior associate at ENSafrica, elucidates the Code of Good Practice to eliminate all forms of harassment in the workplace. Naa’ilah Abader, a senior associate at ENSafrica, writes: On March 3, 2022, the Minister of Employment and Labour signed the Code of Good Practice on the prevention and elimination of harassment in the workplace and the code was published in the Government Gazette on March 18, 2022. The code applies to all employers and employees as provided for in the Employment Equity Act no. 55 of 199. Harassment of an employee is a form of unfair discrimination which is prohibited in terms of the Act. The primary objective of the code is to eliminate all forms of harassment in the workplace and in any activity linked to or arising out of work. For example: harassment is not limited to conduct in the workplace but may include conduct that takes place outside the workplace, but has an impact on the workplace, on employers and employees. The code provides guidelines to employers and employees on: The prevention and elimination of harassment; and human resource policies, procedures, and practices that an employer must implement in terms of the code. The code sets out the definition (including examples), factors and tests to be applied in relation to harassment in general; sexual harassment; and racial, ethnic, or social origin harassment. The definition of all types of harassment in the code is drafted in broad and general terms. The code contains the following examples of harassment in general: slandering or maligning an employee or spreading rumors maliciously and conduct which humiliates, insults, or demeans an employee. Examples of sexual harassment includes: touching, kissing, sexual assault, rape, sex related jokes or insults and unwelcome gestures. Racial, ethnic, and social origin harassment includes: racist name calling or negative stereotyping impacting on a person’s dignity. The code further identifies the steps that employers must take to eliminate harassment. In terms of the code, employers are required to adopt a harassment policy which is communicated effectively to all employees. Employers are also required to include issues of harassment in their orientation, education, and training programs. Harassment is a sensitive issue, and many employees feel as though they are not able to report harassment to their employers or that nothing can be done to assist and protect them Employees are also uncertain or unaware that certain types of conduct could constitute harassment. Such conduct is therefore often not reported, and employers are unaware of the conduct. It is therefore important for all employees to familiarise themselves with the contents of the code and their employer’s policies to ensure that they understand what types of conduct constitutes harassment and what their rights are relating to harassment in the workplace. A copy of the code may be found here: Scanned document (labour.gov.za) ‘Disclaimer - The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the BEE CHAMBER’. https://alexnews.co.za/213156/siso02ensafrica-2/