Trialogue Sustainable Times Newsletter: December 2024
Author: Admin@adcyxagency.co.za
Discover the latest December update from Trialogue.
TRIALOGUE BUSINESS IN SOCIETY HANDBOOK 2024 NOW AVAILABLE
We successfully launched the 27th edition of the Trialogue Business in Society Handbook on Giving Tuesday. The Handbook is a comprehensive compilation of the latest research, data and findings in responsible business and CSI. Combined with insight from Trialogue and sector experts, it is an essential guide for CSI and development professionals. This year’s Handbook focused on collaboration as a catalyst for change.
Some highlights from the Handbook:
• South Africa’s total CSI spend increased from R11.8 billion in 2023 to R12.7 billion in 2024.
• The basic materials sector contributed 35% of the total CSI spend, making it the largest social giving sector.
• Education is a priority sector for CSI spend for 92% of companies, and it received an average of 45% of CSI spend.
• Nonprofit organisations remain the primary recipients of South African CSI, receiving 71% of CSI spend on average.
• South African companies predominantly collaborate with NPOs, with 93% of companies partnering with NPOs.
For more research findings and to read about collaborative CSI initiatives, download your free copy of the Trialogue Business in Society Handbook 2024.
CONGRATULATIONS TO BRITELINKMCT
The prestigious Trialogue Strategic CSI Award for 2024 was scooped by BritelinkMCT’s Head Start Programme, which aims to provide comprehensive training and work experience in the optical fibre installation industry to unemployed young people. The award celebrates CSI projects that find the optimal balance between delivering social impact and corporate benefit.
THE TRIALOGUE BUSINESS IN SOCIETY CONFERENCE 2025 – SAVE THE DATE
The Trialogue Business in Society Conference will take place on 12 to 14 May 2025. We’d love to hear from you, our valued partners, on who you would like to hear speak and topics you would like to learn more about at next year’s conference. Please complete this short survey by 15 January 2025. All survey participants will be entered into a lucky draw to win one of three NPO listings worth R1 700 (companies can donate to an NPO of their choice).
TRIALOGUE KNOWLEDGE HUB: YOUR HOLIDAY READING SORTED
Make the holidays a season of impact! This holiday season, take a moment to explore the Trialogue Knowledge Hub, your go-to resource for insights on corporate responsibility, sustainable development and impactful social investment. Plan strategies for 2025, find inspiration and explore expert content to help your business make a difference. Visit now and start the new year with purpose.
Make sure to visit these pages and articles, which were the most read pieces on the Knowledge Hub this quarter:
• The corporate social investment (CSI) main page, which defines CSI and highlights its role in socioeconomic development, its alignment with South Africa's BBBEE legislation, and the distinction between CSI and broader CSR practices. Additionally, the page emphasises the importance of strategic CSI for achieving both societal impact and business benefits.
• The Trialogue NPO Directory, which is a searchable list of nonprofit organisations (NPOs) in South Africa. You can search by location or development category to connect with your next NPO implementing partner or collaborator.
• This article that outlines how Vodacom has developed an education ecosystem to address South Africa’s education challenges by improving school infrastructure, integrating digital tools and supporting teacher training.
WEBINARS
REVIEW: INTEGRATING SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT INTO CSI
In September, Trialogue, in partnership with Rand Water Foundation, hosted a webinar on strengthening water security in South Africa. The webinar explored how companies can address water scarcity comprehensively and sustainably.
Panellists from the Rand Water Foundation, NEPAD Business Foundation (NBF), and WWF South Africa discussed how business can integrate sustainable water management. Access the webinar summary for an in-depth review and to watch the full video.
REGISTER: SCALING ACCESS TO QUALITY ECD FOR EVERY CHILD
Join us on 30 January 2025 for a free webinar on early childhood development. This time we will discuss how CSI can play a role in scaling access to quality early childhood development for every child in partnership with the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust.
Register to secure your spot.
INSPIRING CASE STUDIES
INVESTEC: UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROGRAMMES GIVE STUDENTS A CHANCE AT SUCCESS
South African learners’ matric results often fail to reflect true potential, as they are influenced by a deeply challenged social and education system. Investec recognises this disconnect. Find out how Investec’s university support programmes are giving learners a second chance to redefine their academic journey and their lives.
FEM EDUCATION FOUNDATION: COLLABORATING FOR EXCELLENCE IN LIMPOPO
South Africa faces significant challenges in education, particularly in foundational literacy and numeracy. An education collaboration in underserved rural areas in Limpopo now brings hope to learners by producing more effective teachers. Read about how the Thandulwazi Maths and Science Academy and Funda Wande are collaborating for greater impact.
TRIALOGUE ACADEMY
Make the most of your free time this holiday season with the Trialogue Academy. Build skills and expand your knowledge base by taking one of our popular CSI courses. These online courses are designed so you can work through them at your own pace.
Choose your course:
1. What is CSI?
2. NPO Resilience by Nedbank Private Wealth
3. Strategic CSI Masterclass
Mike Panashe Mberi, founder and director of Building Leaders Across Continents (BLAC), had this to say about the ‘What is CSI’ course:
“The ‘What is CSI’ course surpassed my expectations, offering a profound strategic insight into Corporate Social Investment (CSI) that I deem exceptionally valuable. I wholeheartedly recommend this course to fellow professionals aiming to seamlessly integrate social impact initiatives into their organizational strategies.”
PLAN YOUR 2025 CSI COMMUNICATIONS
As 2024 ends, it’s time to map out your 2025 corporate social investment (CSI) communications strategy. Trialogue offers a range of platforms to showcase your company’s social impact and amplify its voice in development conversations.
• Trialogue Business in Society Handbook: Profile your work in print and online alongside leading industry research, sharing status updates, case studies, thought leadership and lessons learnt.
• Trialogue Business in Society Conference: Share innovations, new thinking and support networking and conversation on vital CSI topics in May 2025 at the industry’s premier event, with branding, speaking and exhibition opportunities.
• Knowledge Hub sponsorships: Establish a robust online presence, share case studies and learnings, and lead the conversation on best practice with an audience of 70 000+ visitors annually, garnering over 120 000 page views.
• Webinars: Demonstrate expertise and share learnings in one of our monthly webinars, with an average attendance of 200+ and long-term exposure on Trialogue platforms.
• Expresso Social Impact Stories: Tell your story on national television with a segment including an in-studio interview and project profile, reaching 700 000+ viewers.
These platforms are not just about visibility; they provide a chance to align your social media, newsletters, and internal reports with a credible voice in corporate responsibility.
Trialogue offers tailored package deals designed to help you communicate your social impact across our flagship platforms. These packages not only maximise your exposure but also come with discounts of 5% to 15%—plus extra perks to boost your reach, including co-branded webinars, features in our Sustainable Times newsletter, and free tickets to Trialogue’s Strategic CSI Masterclass.
Don’t wait — start 2025 with a strong plan to lead the conversation on social investment. Contact Lerato Ramoba on 011 026 1308 or lerato@trialogue.co.za to explore these opportunities.
TRIALOGUE HIGHLIGHTS
Trialogue’s Employee Values Recognition Awards — Winners this quarter
Continuing with the Trialogue Employee Values Recognition Awards, the Trialogue team nominated new winners this quarter. The awards aim to recognise and reward our employees who best exemplify our values of Integrity, Excellence, and Respect as we support better business. The winners this quarter were:
Integrity: Judith Matthis
Excellence: Lindokuhle Maswana
Respect: Siphesihle Manana
Trialogue gets creative!
The Trialogue Johannesburg team took part in a unique year-end event. Team members met up and took a pottery class together, getting their hands dirty and having loads of fun in the process. Embracing the spirit of the holidays, team members exchanged Secret Santa gifts afterwards.
Trialogue in action
This quarter, the Trialogue team has been actively engaging with companies and industry bodies, sharing valuable insights on key issues in the sector.
The 2024 IPASA Annual Review of South African Philanthropy offers a comprehensive overview of the philanthropic sector in South Africa. Download a copy and read Trialogue director Cathy Duff’s article on how corporate social investment (CSI) and philanthropy are shifting from short-term solutions to creating long-term, systemic change.
In October, the Trialogue team hosted a stand at the ESG Africa Conference, an event focused on the future of ESG, sustainability and integrated strategies. Trialogue MD Nick Rockey also moderated a panel that explored how integrating social inclusion and indigenous knowledge systems into modern practices is essential for sustainable development and cultural preservation in Africa.
Also in October, Tina Playne, Trialogue's Head of Sustainability and ESG advisory, delivered an address at the Finance Indaba in Johannesburg on best practices in ESG reporting. With the trend towards greater alignment of reporting and disclosure standards, her advice was to start the journey of implementing IFRS S1/S2 with material information that is readily available.
Trialogue’s Social Impact Advisory Head Judith Matthis spoke at the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association’s (SAMEA) 9th Biennial Conference themed “VUCA/Vuka: Catalysing change through monitoring and evaluation”, also in October. Judith spoke on the changing nonprofit M&E landscape, drawing from a review of the MTN Awards for Social Change done by Trialogue.
JOIN TRIALOGUE’S SOCIAL COMMUNITY AND WIN
To win a ticket to next year’s Trialogue Business in Society Conference worth R7 500, follow us on at least two social media channels, and like the giveaway post on those channels. The winner will be randomly selected on 20 December 2024.
