Corporate social responsibility is a concept whereby organizations consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities and other stakeholders, as well as the environment. This obligation is seen to extend beyond the statutory obligation to comply with legislation and sees organizations voluntarily taking further steps to improve the quality of life for employees and their families as well as for the local community and society at large.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_social_responsibility


Socially Responsible Investment IndexIn a move billed by some as a swing away from the “bottom line only” mentality of the past, the country’s first socially responsible investment (SRI) index was launched on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), putting South Africa in line with global trends in corporate governance.

Companies apply to be listed on the index, and have to meet the conditions of 94 criteria gauging, among other things, a business’s commitment to black economic empowerment, tackling HIV/Aids in the workplace, labour policies and environmental practices.

The barometer of sustainable business practice is the King report’s code of good corporate governance – or the “triple bottom line” principles of environmental, social and financial sustainability.

Source: SouthAfrica.info
The all-in-one official guide
and web portal to South Africa.


Corporate Social ResponsibilityAn important part of Connold & Associate’s mission is our commitment to sharing responsibility for the world in which we operate. Living next to each other creates responsibility and we are actively developing and maintaining policies and practices that promote a positive and sustainable environmental and social contribution to every community in which we operate.

Our Business Principles underpin this commitment to legal compliance, continuous improvement and sustainability.

Connold & Associates is proudly associated with The Rotary Club of Knights Pendragon as our social responsibility initiative.

Participation of your company in any one of the projects below qualifies for between 70% and 100% of your Corporate Social Investment/Enterprise Development points on your company BBBEE Scorecard.


Rotary Club of Knights Pendragon

Rotary Club of Knights Pendragon

The Rotary Club of Knights Pendragon Youth Leadership Training weekend has been an annual event since 1991. Up to 82 Grade 11 learners from 21 East Rand and Johannesburg schools are selected by their schools for their potential as leaders and possible Prefects. The schools themselves are selected from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds, from township to private schools, with the majority being learners from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. During the 3 day camp learners are taught a variety of leadership skills and teamwork by professional facilitators whose aim is to equip these young leaders with skills they can use both at school and in their future work environments.

As many of the learners come from low-income backgrounds, Rotary does not charge for attendance of this training and is therefore dependent on donations to the amount of R56 000-00 towards project costs including transport, food and venue hire. Donations for this worthy BEE project are sincerely appreciated and the Rotary Club of Knights Pendragon will provide the necessary documentation for your BEE audit.


BETHANY HOUSE:

Bethany HouseBethany House is a home for abused women and children. Their goal is to train and empower the mothers with a view to integrating them and their children back into society. Bethany currently derives a small income from beading and sewing, but they need to increase the skills taught to these ladies to improve their chances of employment as they can then leave the home and allow others the opportunity to escape abuse. Bethany House is currently implementing a “kitchen training programme” to fit a fully functional kitchen at the home enabling basic food and beverage training. R20 000 is needed to assist with building works to prepare the kitchen for fitting, tiling and plumbing. In order to properly train the ladies; electrical appliances, kitchen accessories and utensils are required and donations of consistent supplies of suitable raw materials are also welcome.

With more than 85% Designated Beneficiaries, this project qualifies fully for Corporate Social Investment points on your company BBBEE Scorecard

Should you or your company wish to support a specific project and receive written confirmation for your BBBEE scorecard audit, please contact
Desrae Connold
011 452 1707
desrae@connold.co.za
Visit www.rotaryknightspendragon.org.za for more information on the club


BRIGHT KID FOUNDATION:

Edutainer Project

Bright Kid FoundationThe Edutainer project converts 12-metre containers into pre-schools taking 25 children. It can also be used for adult education after hours. The conversion transforms the container into a bright, airy classroom and includes insulated ceilings, a heating fan, soft-board, chalkboard, vinyl sheet flooring, electricity, burglar bars, a large cupboard, shelving, coat-hooks, external decoration and books, toys and furniture. Edutainers are donated to carefully selected early learning NGO’s with well trained teachers. Edutainers are MANTAG certified for permanent use as pre-schools The Edutainer costs R200 000 and Gauteng delivery is R3500.

With 100% Designated Beneficiaries, this project qualifies fully for Corporate Social Investment points on your company BBBEE Scorecard.

Should you or your company wish to support a specific project and receive written confirmation for your BBBEE scorecard audit, please contact
Nicholas Jaff
011 402 7145
nicholasjaff@brightkid.co.za
Visit www.brightkid.co.za for more information on the initiative


LITTLE EDEN Society:

Little EdenLITTLE EDEN Society cares for 300 children and adults with profound intellectual disabilities ranging from the ages of 2 years to 62 years. Statistically, the average age of the residents is 20 years but the level of mental functioning is that of a one-year-old and younger.

Of the 300 children, 238 were previously abandoned or have come from indigent families who are unable to support them financially or otherwise. Some are HIV positive or have AIDS. Dealing with the terminally ill or dying forms part of the work carried out at LITTLE EDEN. Most of the residents stay at LITTLE EDEN until they die. Some residents have been with LITTLE EDEN for over 45 years and for many LITTLE EDEN is the only home they will ever know.

The Society consists of 2 Homes: one in Edenvale (Domitilla and Danny Hyams Home) with 180 children and adults and the other on a smallholding in Bapsfontein (Elvira Rota Village) with another 120 residents.

LITTLE EDEN receives approximately 42% funding from Government. The shortfall of over R14 million must be raised every year to keep the doors of the Society open. This is met through specific appeals to corporate donors, corporate functions, LOTTO, the annual Fête and other events direct mail campaigns twice a year, two second-hand shops and the generosity of the public, individuals, schools, churches and service clubs as well as small and medium business enterprises.

Donations to the Society are deductible in terms of Section 18A of the Income Tax Act, dependent upon the amount of the tax payer’s tax liability. Supporting LITTLE EDEN will earn you points on the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Scorecard.

Should you or your company wish to support a specific project and receive written confirmation for your BBBEE scorecard audit, please contact
Veronica Mannix or Xelda Rohrbeck
+27 11 609 7246
info@littleeden.org.za
Visit www.littleeden.org.za for more information


KEEP THE DREAM 196:

Keep the DreamSummary

Tired of crime, poverty and victims of HIV, Keep The Dream196 works with 2000 South African orphaned and vulnerable children, aged 5-22yrs, changing families, villages and eventually the country. By transferring life skills we are impacting and building a new South Africa today! The children learn and apply integrity, honesty, self-leadership and leadership in practical everyday situations.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Crime, teenage pregnancy, poverty, HIV, unemployment and hopelessness are the main challenges confronting children in Greater Tzaneen. We work with 160 volunteers in 85 villages helping children to build resilience to overcome often horrendous life situations and to build on those successes so that the children will have the emotional, physical and spiritual strength to enter adulthood as leaders helping others to achieve their dreams.

Keep the DreamHow will this project solve this problem?

We use the Scouts model of “Cascade Training” and peer support to empower the children to make wise decisions about their lives from a values-based perspective. We have a code of conduct which the children agree to in order to participate in the project. The children are then involved in many different activities which are age and skills appropriate as they develop as young leaders. A feature of our project is that each group must be involved in a Community Project to give back to their village.

Potential Long Term Impact

Currently, we work with 2,006 children in 85 Villages, 160 Volunteers, 300 parents and 66 Headmen. For the last 3 years, we have had 100% Matric pass rate with our children going on to tertiary study and breaking the poverty and unemployment cycle. Teenage pregnancy has been reduced from 13% to 0.01% amongst our girls.

The children have hope for a future and the skills to realise their dreams. We are changing South Africa – one child at a time!

With 100% Designated Beneficiaries, this project qualifies fully for Corporate Social Investment points on your company BBBEE Scorecard.

Should you or your company wish to support a specific project and receive written confirmation for your BBBEE scorecard audit, please contact
Louise Batty
073 274 2080
keepthedream196@gmail.com
Visit www.keepthedream196.com for more information on the initiative


Starfish Greathearts Foundation

Starfish FoundationThe Starfish Greathearts Foundation was formed in response to the unfolding tragedy of children orphaned or left vulnerable by the HIV and AIDS pandemic in South Africa. Starfish exists to support orphaned and vulnerable children throughout South Africa by strengthening community-based responses to provide basic services to the children within these communities. The type of support offered by these community based organisations is dependent on the needs of each community and can include capacity training in organisational development and orphan care, operating expenses to cover stipends, travel costs, provision of food parcels and a host of other services.

Starfish Greathearts Foundation funding and support enables these organisations to ensure that each child’s basic needs are met and that they have access to: Social support – home visits, counselling, access to social grants. Nutritional support – food parcels etc. Educational support – school fee exemptions, school uniforms, stationery etc. Starfish forms a vital link between donors and community-based organisations, and aims to mobilise and inspire a global community to make a difference, one child at a time. Our vision is to ensure that every child left orphaned or vulnerable throughout South Africa has equal access to basic sustainable services.

With 95% Designated Beneficiaries, this project qualifies fully for Corporate Social Investment points on your company BBBEE Scorecard

Should you or your company wish to support a specific project and receive written confirmation for your BBBEE scorecard audit, please contact
Starfish Greathearts Foundation
+27 11 259 4000
sainfo@starfishcharity.org
Visit www.starfishcharity.org for more information


The Equinox Trust

The Equinox TrustThe Equinox Trust is a non-profit organisation dedicated to making Equine Assisted Empowerment Programmes accessible to communities in need in the Western Cape. Equine Assisted Therapy (E.A.T.) is an innovative approach to professional counselling and skills development which uses horses to help participants address and resolve relational, behavioural, psychological and emotional issues. The participants work with the horses on foot and do not ride the horses; they engage with a therapeutic and experiential process that is empowering to both the individual and groups.

The Equinox Trust has designed 5 specific programmes in the areas of youth at risk, abused women, carers and mental health professionals, those affected by HIV/AIDS and supporting recovering addicts. Participants in these programmes work with the horses through the modality of Equine Assisted Therapy and Learning to achieve the programme goals and objectives. The participants come from various organisations around Cape Town such as women shelters, orphanages, residential programmes for youths at risk and those affected by HIV/AIDS.

The Equinox Trust works at raising funds and donations for various organisations that can benefit from our programmes and for our organisation to form a part of their support structure for so many communities out there who are in need.

Donations to The Equinox Trust are deductible in terms of Section 18A of the Income Tax Act, dependent upon the amount of the tax payer’s tax liability.

Should you or your company wish to support a specific project, please contact
Sarah Garland
072 126 1096
sarah@equinoxtrust.org
Visit www.equinoxtrust.org for more information


ABVA

ABVAOn the 09th February 2009, the first of the official Accredited B-BBEE verification Agencies were announced by the DTI.

ABVA (the Association of BEE Verification Agencies) (www.abva.co.za) welcomes the DTI’s announcement of the first batch of accredited Verification Agencies. Both the verification industry and the business community at large have been waiting for this watershed moment.

ABVA, as the recognised Industry Body, and widely held to be the best indicator of credibility in BEE Certification maintains that this external accreditation process is essential in maintaining market confidence in verification scorecards produced by the industry. All full ABVA Members have applied to the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) for accreditation and therefore follow the approved and standardized methodology in their verification processes. Accreditation of Verification Agencies involves the Agency voluntarily opening their internal processes to external scrutiny by SANAS and the DTI.

An approval in terms of this process indicates that the agency has complied with all material requirements of the R47-02 standard – a purpose built quality standard governing the principles on which Verification Agencies should operate – the DTI methodologies, and the Codes of Good Practice.

Corporate Social ResponsibilityIt is important to note that although the DTI has maintained the position that all BEE certificates with sufficient supporting evidence should be accepted as valid, a certificate from an accredited Verification Agency assures the user that it has been exactly prepared in terms of the dti methodologies, and that the process followed is in line with professional standards for delivery of verification services.

In time, and through the implementation of Government procurement practice, accredited Agencies’ verification certificates will be the only true standard. In the meantime, however, companies who choose to use full ABVA Members who have not yet been accredited can still be assured that the DTI methodologies are being adhered to. All Full Members of ABVA listed on the ABVA website have applied for accreditation and are expected to receive accreditation in the near future.

Click here to view a list of Approved Verification Agencies

For more information on these companies, as well as contact details please make use of the following link:
http://www.sanas.co.za/accreditation_bee.php


Paediatric outing donation

Paediatric outing donationDear Desrae,

We would like to thank you so much for the donation. We sponsored 5 children to the zoo yesterday with your donation and have kept the balance for future outings and treats for them. Here is a picture for you to say thanks. The children really enjoyed themselves and we managed to get them walking and talking around the zoo.

I would like to see you on Friday to give you a small token of our appreciation.

Lots of Love from the Pats Team
Jennifer


FoodForward South Africa


Currently, in South Africa, 14 million people experience hunger on a daily basis while 1 third of the food we produce goes to waste.

FoodForward SA a verified NPO is working to address this problem by harnessing the potential of edible, wasted food. We address hunger in SA by collecting edible surplus food, destined for a landfill, from major food retailers like PnP, Checkers and Shoprite and we redistribute that food to over 600 verified NPO’s across the country who in turn provide vital meals to over 250 000 hungry people. As all of the food we receive is donated we are able to provide enough food to feed a person for a year for only R400. Some of the organisations we assist are ECD’s, youth development centres, homes for the elderly and night shelters.

For more information on what we do, please see our fact sheet attached or visit our website at http://www.foodforwardsa.org/.