The Mail & Guardian is calling for entries for the 13th Investing in the Future Awards from companies, foundations and NGOs that promote socio-economic development for hundreds of communities across the country through corporate social investment (CSI) programmes.
CSI, both locally and globally, has evolved from being an act of good faith to assisting disadvantaged individuals and communities to become strategic components of business activity.
This is particularly true in South Africa where private-public-NGO partnerships have become complementary in accelerating access to basic services and amenities to poor communities. Many NGOs have become implementing partners of government programmes at national, provincial and local levels ? and this pattern is discernible in aspects of public life, such as access to water and sanitation, electricity, social welfare, health, sport, job creation and entrepreneurship. So has the overall budget in CSI expenditure, striking the R2-billion mark last year.
Recognition for these programmes has also become prominent in the form of awards such as the Impu-melelo Innovations Awards and in publications like the CSI Handbook and the KwaZulu-Natal-based iLimonetwork.
More and more companies are coming forward to share experience with their counterparts on how best to impact on the lives of beneficiaries. In the same vein, needs assessments through community involvement in the conception and execution of CSI programmes have become the norm, if not the rule.
It is in this spirit that the M&G continues to dedicate editorial space to CSI issues.
A standard entry form for the Investing in the Future Awards is available in rich rext format on-line to serve as a guideline for interested parties. A three-month period is provided for entrants to prepare their entries, this is then followed by a selection and shortlisting process conducted by a panel of independent judges drawn from diverse backgrounds.
The awards will be presented at the end of October. For the first time there will be an overall winner, followed by two winners from the categories of companies and foundations/NGOs, as well as two runners-up for each.
Our panel of judges includes Dr Jeya Wilson of the Durban Chamber of Commerce; Reg Rumney from Businessmap; Mzolisi ka Toni from the Disabled People of South Africa; Mokhethi Moshoeshoe of the African Institute of Corporate Citizenship; Rhoda Kadalie of Impumelelo Innovations; Dr Iqbal Surve from Sekunjalo Investments and Dr Ivan May from Nedcor.