BBBEE
Procurement Policy
In line with government initiatives we are constantly achieving procurement levels in excess of 50% for our clients working with Small Medium Micro Enterprises, Black Economic Empowered companies and Historically Disadvantaged Individuals ( HDI's). This policy is revisited annually to ensure we stay ahead of the Charter requirements.
Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)
Global Conferences Africa is fully committed to sustainable empowerment and transformation within our own business and throughout the entire tourism industry, and have always been very aware of our responsibility towards economic development in South Africa.
The company is owned by Tourvest Holdings (Pty) Ltd and as a result of Imperial Holdings (Pty) Ltd selling its 61% share of Tourvest to Guma Tourism, a new BBBE Empowerment company has been formed with an 86% BEE shareholding as rated by the Department of Trade and Industry's BEE Balanced Scorecard, whilst Global Conferences Africa retains its Level 2 Contributor Status (Four Pillars).
For our clients, the proposed change in Tourvest’s ownership brings significant advantages, amongst others: |
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Our clients will have a fully BEE supplier. Our new BEE rating can only be certified when the acquisition regulatory formalities have been finalised, which is anticipated to be completed during September 2008, but considering the new black ownership structure it will undoubtedly be of a high order. |
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As the fundamentals of the business stay the same, clients will enjoy continuity in terms on service delivery and the service levels provided by Global Conferences Africa |
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Global Conferences Africa’s ability to add value to it’s offering through its purchasing power, advanced technology, leading-edge product development, size and spread will be enhanced. |
We consider Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment to be key to: |
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our operating philosophies and practices |
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long term stability and growth in the tourism industry |
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the capacity of the economic grown of the business |
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our belief that economic growth, development and empowerment are complementary processes |
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our empowerment activities adding value, and contributing to the transformation of our business |
Skills Transfer
As part of Tourvest, Global Conferences Africa understand the need to develop and transform the industry by focusing on the training and development of current staff and by offering employment opportunities to previously disadvantaged individuals.
In 2003, Tourvest Inbound Operations management decided to implement a strategy aimed at significantly upgrading the skills and knowledge of their staff. To this end, they embarked on a process of thorough research and analysis for Workplace Skills and Equity Planning in line with relevant government legislation. In addition to the development of existing staff, in 2006, the TIO Academy for learnership and bursary students was created.
In the first year of operation, 26 Historically Disadvantaged South Africans were successfully trained and, in the majority, employed.
To this end, Tourvest Inbound Operations invested in the development of a professional, fully equipped schooling environment based in Randburg, Johannesburg, staffed by highly qualified training facilitators.
Global Conferences Africa fully support the Academy for Learnership and students of the Academy are employed with the view of training students in Professional Conference Organising, to enable future permanent employment with the company or the industry sector.
Our commitment continued with our THETA learnership program – at any on time we may have as many as three Theta learnership students in our company, all from HDI communities. Theta learners are currently being trained and mentored with the view to evaluate their needs at the end of their Theta learnership programme, and if it suits both parties, there is normally an opportunity to become permanent staff members.
We also cooperate with the University of Cape Town, University of the Western Cape and the Cape Technicon in order for a final year student to complete their internship at Global Conferences Africa.
Global Conferences Africa also benefit from the Human Resource and Training centre of Tourvest. This centre consistently seeks out opportunities to invest in and build employee commitment through extensive training and development programs and with our full time training team, we ensure across the board training in company culture, products, destinations, personal and professional skills development.
Preferential Procurement
We constantly support and develop people and SMME's from previously disadvantaged communities by ensuring that they benefit from our sales and marketing efforts both locally and internationally.
Opportunities include guest visits to community projects and ensuring that all gifts needed for clients and in particular conferences and events, be sourced from these community projects wherever possible.
Global Conference Africa has the experience of working with government departments and parastatals such as Telkom, National Ports Authority, National Roads Agency and others. With Telkom and National Ports Authority in particular we regularly successfully achieve 55-75% BEE/SMME procurement levels, in many instances this has resulted in sustainable business relationships and repeat projects from our clients.
During the Rhodes Trust Centenary/ Mandela Rhodes Foundation celebrations we organized to take a group of 900 Rhodes scholars and their partners to a special lunch at Oliver Tambo Hall in Khayelitsha following a trip to the University of the Western Cape. Five township caterers were selected and trained by the largest established caterers in Cape Town each Thursday for six weeks and they presented an outstanding lunch. A craft market featuring local township crafts people was set up and delegates were advised to bring money along to be able to purchase local crafts.
This project was a tremendous success, the delegates appreciated the opportunity to learn about township life, the caterers received wonderful experience and the community had the opportunity to benefit financially.
