Corporate social investment has evolved over the years, although there is still much that can be done
Jubie Matlou
A great deal of resources continues to flow into communities and to individuals as a form of empowerment and support be it the imparting of skills, the provision of bursaries and amenities, or even donations.
These are contributions that companies, foundations and NGOs have been making in supplementing governmental efforts for many years in combating poverty and illiteracy, and providing health care and welfare. Corporate social investment has evolved over these years.
Today many individuals and communities in rural and urban areas who have been trapped in abject poverty are gradually being drawn into the mainstream of economic activity. This is evident in the proliferation of community multi-purpose centres that house and provide grassroot access to new information and communication technologies such as public information terminals, e-mail and the Internet.
Craftsmen and women who were confined to their immediate locales in selling curios and artefacts are now entering the import-export industry an economic activity previously regarded as the preserve of established entrepreneurs. However, a spin-off of these unfolding opportunities is to put South Africa on the world map as a tourist attraction.
Much still needs to be done, particularly in building partnerships between the public, private and non-governmental sectors to coordinate empowerment efforts to deserving individuals and communities. Some empowerment efforts still go unrecorded and are unrecognised. This is particularly true in black communities. One typical example would be a shopkeeper who funds a poor and deserving student’s education or builds a school for his or her community.
Another area of dire need is the provision of infrastructure for people with disabilities. Architectural designs and broadcasting services have been very visible in this regard. Other areas that are still lagging include transport and telecommunications. A public telephone terminal accessible to the disabled would also be handy to children, given the high rate of child abuse.
The plight of the elderly is receiving attention from the authorities and welfare organisations. A number of homes are mushrooming around the country to cater for terminally ill Aids patients. Private and non-profit organisations have taken the initiative to supplement public programmes in various ways.
The annual Arbour Day campaigns are beginning to bear fruit, a concerted effort to green the townships with trees and vegetable gardens is under way, not just for landscaping and environmental purposes but for food security as well.
The following pages provide a glimpse at a fraction of these efforts.
A total of 38 companies, foundations and NGOs entered the Investing in the Future Awards. Our panel of judges sat through individual and joint evaluations of the entrants.
Colleen du Toit, South African Grantmakers Association executive director, shares her impressions: “I found the standard of the entries quite uneven some were excellent and some very poor. Entrants should be concentrating much more on issues of accountability, management and the impact corporate social investment has. Corporate social investment has moved on since the awards started and we need, both as organisers and entrants, to start reflecting the more expansive notions of corporate citizenship approaches in the competition.”
The theme for this year’s awards is Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency. This theme, which is informed by rising unemployment levels in the country, focuses on encouraging people to look beyond the formal economic sector for jobs and opportunities.
The awards are made in two categories: private companies; and foundations and NGOs. Owing to the high quality of entries, two runners-up categories have been introduced for this year’s awards. The awards don’t carry any monetary value, but certificates of recognition are handed out at a breakfast function.