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Black Economic Empowerment
Transformation is an evolutionary process. It engenders growth and encourages innovation. And it drives change. In South Africa, business transformation is a precursor to economic transformation. The goal of Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment: equitable participation in, and sharing of, the wealth of the South African economy by all its people.
Spescom is committed to transformation. It aspires to all the elements of BBBEE and has made it a cornerstone of its strategic business planning. Our vision: To create an environment of diversity as a sustainable competitive advantage for the future through the implementation of BBBEE programmes.
BBBEE policies and practices that address ownership, management and control, employment equity, skills development, preferential procurement, enterprise development and socio-economic development are in place across the group.
Ongoing initiatives are strongly supported at board and management level. Achieving the highest levels of BBBEE compliance is an evolutionary process, however. At Spescom, our primary aim is to ensure all the transformation initiatives we undertake deliver meaningful value – to individuals, communities, the company and its stakeholders, and the country - and are sustainable. The projects we undertake are thus carefully considered and assessed against these criteria.
The allocation of funds and resources to develop and execute these initiatives is growing and we are seeing consistent progress in achieving our aims on all fronts.
Our transformation strategy is regularly audited and revised as we identify areas that require improvement.
The Group’s improved market positioning has been achieved through team work and we believe our transformation goals will be accomplished in the same manner.
Ownership
At the end of 2009, Spescom’s BBBEE shareholding incorporating that of Vantage Capital Fund Managers’ comprised 35,4%. In addition 40% of Spescom Telecommunications is owned by Puisano Telecommunications – a wholly black owned enterprise. Management Control
Three out of the seven members of Spescom Limited’s Board of Directors are black, comprising 43% of the Board with one black woman non-executive director.
In line with Spescom’s transformation strategy, the Company continues with its drive to increase the number of black staff at middle and senior management level. Spescom Limited’s Executive Committee comprising nine members, is 33% black with one black woman, the Chief Financial Officer.
A number of black employees whose development has been nurtured for several years, have been promoted to management level. The Group has maintained its focus on targeted skills development, training and mentorship programmes to address the shortage of appropriate skills at this level. However, progress in this regard depends on natural attrition and succession planning, as well as the underlying growth in the business.
Employment Equity
Spescom remains firmly committed to the employment, promotion and advancement of people from previously disadvantaged groups. The Company’s employment policies are designed to grapple with the important issues of skills shortages and past inequalities.
Spescom’s Employment Equity and Black Economic Empowerment Forum oversee employment equity matters and a dedicated manager has been tasked with driving change management within the Group as well as the career development of black staff. The Group’s employment equity ratio is steadily improving and the improvement is sustainable.
Skills Development
The technological and business realm in which Spescom competes relies heavily on skills for its sustained success. Spescom’s skilled workforce provides a definitive advantage and skills development is thus an important component of the company’s growth strategy. Career development, mentorship programmes and learnerships are some of the mechanisms used to grow its resource pool, while also supporting transformation of the workforce.
Spescom complies with the Skills Development Act, 97 of 1998 (as amended), the Skills Development Levies Act, 9 of 1999 and the Employment Equity Act, 55 of 1998 (as amended).
As part of its internal development initiatives, Spescom has launched various Learnership Programmes that will assist the company to grow its own skills base while also adding to the pool of skills needed in the industry.
The Group has two established internship programmes, namely in Spescom DataFusion and Spescom MediaIT. These programmes have successfully entered their third year. Spescom Telecommunications continues to work with a major partner to launch a learnership specific to its industry sector. Spescom DataVoice intends to re-establish its programme.
The learnership programmes are all aimed at providing knowledge exchange using a hands-on approach.
- The Spescom DataFusion Learnership Programme is hosted in collaboration with Bytes Technology Group People Solutions, who provide classroom tutoring, and the ISETT SETA (Sector Education and Training Authority).
- The Spescom MediaIT ‘In-Service Training’ Programme, provides young people with the opportunity to acquire the highest standard of skill as repair technicians in the broadcast industry.
Preferential Procurement
Spescom's policies provide guidelines aimed at ensuring that the Group's preferential procurement objectives are achieved. Part of this is the ongoing commitment to purchase products and services from black-owned enterprises and suppliers. Spescom has implemented a system to facilitate preferential procurement more positively, with a central database of suppliers being established.
In this regard, when evaluating proposals from participating suppliers preference is given to those suppliers whose BBBEE score is the highest, without incurring additional cost. Preference is also given to enterprises with more than 50% black ownership; more than 30% black female-owned enterprises; and enterprises with turnover under R5 million per annum.
Enterprise Development
The Group endorses the development of SMMEs (small, medium and micro enterprises) by way of nurturing long term partnerships with organisations that complement its market offerings. Spescom’s contribution to these partnerships is primarily through the transfer of knowledge. Where possible preferential payment terms are extended to small black owned suppliers to support the development of those organisations to their full potential.
Socio-economic Development - Spescom Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiatives
As part of Spescom’s ongoing commitment to the social and economic development of South Africa, the Group implements CSI initiatives geared towards the provision of essential services and education. > read more
Health and safety
Spescom is committed to the support and maintenance of good health for all staff and is compliant with the dictates of South Africa’s Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993, as amended. Processes and procedures are constantly assessed and refi ned, ensuring further ongoing improvement.
The company’s HIV/AIDS management policy ensures that the rights and dignity of employees are safeguarded. It details Spescom’s responsibilities in this arena and outlines interaction guidelines for staff diagnosed with life threatening diseases. A Dread Disease Policy has been formulated which includes management of HIV/AIDS in the workplace.
An annual Wellness Day has, in conjunction with Discovery Health, also been established, providing counselling and voluntary testing to all staff.
Two employee assistance programmes have also been established:
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sWELLness, the Spescom Employee Wellness Programme was launched, to assist employees with achieving a balance between their professional and personal lives. The programme includes telephonic and face-to-face counselling, advice on issues including fi nancial management, legal and family care as well as trauma counselling. The programme is also associated with an online health and wellness website and regular newsletters.
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The sMiles rewards programme entails employees earning points which are linked to their performance appraisals. These can be redeemed for merchandise at the end of every year.
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