responsibility to implement programmes that contribute to the upliftment of our country. We have developed a societal purpose strategy called Reimagine Africa,
Skills for Society corporate responsibility day, in partnership with the Yes initiative. • Wellbeing is another of our focus areas. We
together, which is guided by UN SDGs focusing on seven
recognise the impact COVID has had on our
areas, being gender equality, good health, quality
mental and overall wellbeing and we have
education, good health and wellbeing, affordable and
had regular surveys to see how our people
clean energy, decent work and economic growth,
are managing with this. The responses we got
reducing inequalities and climate action.
helped shaped our talks and communications over the course of the year. It was important for
The following are a few examples where we are
us to let our people know that we truly do care
promoting transformation, I&D and contributing
about their wellbeing and that of their families.
towards addressing the seven areas: • We continue to maintain a level 1 BBBEE certificate. • We have a transformation and gender equality strategy with specific KPIs for partners, monitored by • We have a gender neutral succession plan. • We have a gender neutral procurement policy. • We have merit-based recruitment, promotion and retention criteria and practices. • We have gender responsive enterprise development and corporate responsibility programmes. • We support a number of SMME programmes, such as the BSSA Foundation, PwC’s Faranani Rural Women Training Initiative and Yes4Youth programmes to name a few. • Through the BSSA Foundation we provide business skills to previously disadvantaged communities, the majority being female. To date, we have successfully trained over 67,000 SMMEs who are running profitable businesses and creating sustainable jobs. • The Faranani Rural Women Training Initiative aims to unlock the business potential of women living in rural areas and empowers them to generate their own income The project has been rolled out across the country, with BSSA providing training as well as three months of mentorship and aftercare support. By mid-2021, over 4,000 women had been through the Faranani training and 68% of attendees have been able to increase profitability in their businesses. • We support the government’s yes4youth programme. In November 2020 we held our first
IMPUMELELO TOP EMPOWERMENT
membership with organisations that embrace the principles of gender equality. • Our commitment to net zero, for instance, has
leadership and the board regularly.
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• We are being deliberate about taking up
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been well articulated in line with our global firm’s commitment to this priority. We’re making a worldwide science-based commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and our SA firm is committed to helping make this happen. • We partner with skills development organisations to impart essential business skills and support. We’ve entered into a local collaboration with UNICEF to help prepare young people with relevant skills to enter the workforce. • Through our partnership with the UN Women’s HeForShe initiative, we’re working towards achieving global gender equality in the workplace and beyond. • We are providing pro bono services to the Solidarity Fund and Gender Based Violence & Femicide Response Fund. • We have also implemented an internal GBV policy, aimed at providing support to victims.
What have been some of your major obstacles and how did you overcome them? Bias is still a threat to our society. And it has also become very clear that access to jobs and the benefits that come with them can ‘make or break’ individuals, families, and communities. In order to ensure that access to these jobs and benefits is open equally to women, and to create a culture of female empowerment, we first need to address unconscious bias. At PwC we deem this to be