As a company the size and stature of the Edcon Group we realise that we need to play a more strategic and meaningful role in influencing and shaping Governments National Policy on Transformation. The challenge is to accelerate the integration of BBBEE with business priorities. Our Transformation vision is to be a level 3 BBBEE contributor by 2014. Already, the company has accomplished close to 50% of this target by becoming a level 5 BBBEE contributor in the financial year ending 31 March 2009. Skills Development and Employment Equity remain key priorities areas and moving forward Edcon will be striving to improve its Preferential Procurement and Enterprise Development component. Edcon conducts, on annual basis, a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment audit and for the past three years the audit was conducted by independent auditors, Ernst & Young Incorporated.
Transformation is an important business imperative for Edcon and integral to our objective to be a Good Corporate Citizen to all our stakeholders and be the employer and shopping destination of choice. Our challenge is to accelerate the integration of BBBEE with day to day business priorities as a way of life in the business through:
-Visible Change – Employment Equity; a critical mass of diversity
-Visible Difference- Improved BBBEE scorecard
-Integration with customer service- A compelling place to shop for customers
-Visible Synergy- Partner of choice to all stakeholders
-Visible Relevance –Distinctly South African yet global
Governance
Transformation Board Committee
The Committee is constituted as a committee of the board of directors of Edcon Holdings. The purpose of the Committee is to guide, monitor, review and evaluate the Group's progress on transformation, with specific reference to the seven major elements of transformation, being ownership, management control, employment equity, skills development, preferential procurement, enterprise development and socio-economic development initiatives. The Committee shall meet formally at least twice a year and at such other times as the Committee Chairman shall require. The Committee chair is appointed by the Board.
Employment Equity Committee
Edcon is a company that serves many diverse markets and the workforce represents the demographics of all these communities it serves. Edcon employees nominate diverse candidates of staff at all levels for the committee, who then meet twice a year and encourages open debates. Committee members see their responsibility as to ratify targets set so as to ensure adequate representation of previously marginalised groups at management level as well as positively affecting the lives of Edcon employees.
The committee is responsible for:
1. Responding to employee needs more effectively
2. Establish better relationships with suppliers, employees and customers
3. Solve problems in innovative and creative ways
4. Promote the principals of the Employment Equity Act
Empower employees in the workplace by bridging gaps and maximising potential.
Achievements
Some of the achievements of the Employment Equity Committee to date include:
-The Edcon Mobile Clinic for staff
-An increase in the employment of disabled staff
-Study Bursaries for employees and their children
-A gym and Montessori crèche for employees and their children
-The introduction of the staff empowerment trust
Gender Equity Sub Committee
Edcon is committed to making an important contribution towards the achievement of gender equity in South Africa and within the broader corporate context. The introduction and formulation of a gender equity policy is an indication of Edcon's commitment to this process. The objective of the Edcon Gender Equity Policy is to promote a general understanding of the principles around gender equality within Edcon and provide guidelines for the implementation of programmes that will enhance gender equality and equity at Edcon. The increased participation of women in the labour market and the economy is widely supported. The challenge is to ensure that this leads to women's economic empowerment whilst not further increasing inequities between women and men in the workplace.
Disability Sub Committee
The sub committee looks at the needs of employees with disabilities in respect to reasonable accommodation, employment opportunities, sensitisation, and advocacy and ensures that measures are implemented to make all facilities disabled-person friendly.