GENDER MAINSTREAMING E-ZINE
TRANSFORMATION IS PART OF VODACOM’S DNA
GENDER MAINSTREAMING AWARDS ADVANTAGE
WOMEN
JSE – RINGING THE BELL FOR GENDER EQUALITY
TOP 5 INSIGHTS FOR BUSINESSES TO WIN WITH SOUTH african women
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GENDER MAINSTREAMING E-ZINE
FROM THE EDITOR
The Gender Mainstreaming Awards for the last 3 years have acknowledged those companies within the private sector that are at the forefront of advancing the business case for gender mainstreaming in corporate South Africa. As a country, we are internationally recognised for our propensity for unity in diversity and are well positioned to take our rightful place as a standard bearer for the empowerment of women in the workplace, especially in the higher echelons. We do not do it because it is “the right thing to do”; we do it because “it makes good business sense”.
Colleen Larsen
CE Business Engage colleen@businessengage.co.za 084-353-9865 www.businessengage.co.za www.30percentclub.org www.genderawards.co.za
Globally the most enlightened and forward thinking companies are not only reaping the rewards of gender mainstreaming, they are also telling the stories that go with it. The owner of the Gender Mainstreaming e-zine publication is Business Engage, a non-profit organisation established in 2005 that is at the forefront of strategic thinking in gender mainstreaming in private sector. The publication is in association with the 30% Club Southern Africa (www.30percent.org), a global organisation that is voluntarily committed to bringing more women onto boards because they believe it leads to the overall effectiveness of the board. The pipeline development is also of paramount importance. In line with the strategy of Business Engage and the 30% Club to ensure that the story is being told, we have undertaken to publish an ongoing e-zine publication on the Gender Mainstreaming Awards and companies that are succeeding in their efforts to mainstream the gender discussion. We invite you and your organisation to be part of this journey.
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30% Club
GROWTH THROUGH DIVERSITY www.30percentclub.org
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT TO READ? 04
GENDER MAINSTREAMING AWARDS
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TRANSFORMATION IS PART OF VODACOM’S DNA
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VODACOM FEMALE LEADERS IN WAITING – PHOKENG MOHATLANE
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THE BOARD WALK
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CHOICE AND CHANGE IN A 21ST CENTURY WORLD
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TOP 5 INSIGHTS FOR BUSINESSES TO WIN WITH SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN
24 MORABA 26
TRANSFORMING THE FACE OF BANKING AT RMB
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DHL EXPRESS SOUTH AFRICA MAKES HEADWAY IN GENDER DIVERSITY
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JSE – RINGING THE BELL FOR GENDER EQUALITY
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WEBBER WENTZEL LAUNCHES A MATERNITY SUPPORT PROGRAMME - ANOTHER FIRST IN A SA LEGAL INDUSTRY
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GENDER DIVERSITY 101 – LOOKING BEYOND THE BOARD PACK AND THE BASIC TRUTH
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ADVANTAGE WOMEN
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Get rewarded for your Gender Diversity initiatives...
The Gender Mainstreaming Awards 1 September 2016 : Vodacom Dome, Midrand www.genderawards.co.za Sponsored by
ENTER NOW, there is no charge to enter Open to all private sector companies and government departments that have started, on the road with or succeeded in gender diversity programmes. Closing date for entries : 15 June 2016; E-mail : colleen@businessengage.co.za
20% discount on table bookings received and paid for by 28 February 2016
An initiative of
In association with
30% Club
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GROWTH THROUGH DIVERSITY
G M A
GENDER MAINSTREAMING AWARDS CHAMPIONS
2013 PPC 2014 T-SYSTEMS SOUTH AFRICA 2015 BUSINESS CONNEXION 2016 ? 5
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We have heard it said that gender diversity is not being taken seriously in South Africa. We know this is not true. It is just the stories are not being told. The Awards tell those stories and give public recognition for good practice and excellence in tackling gender mainstreaming. They further strengthen the business case for gender diversity. There are nine private sector categories, four government awards and an overall gender mainstreaming champion award. The nine private sector categories are: • Women on Boards Award • Women in Multinationals Equal Representation & Participation Award • Diversity & Transformation Award • Women Empowerment in the Workplace Award • Economic Empowerment Award • Mainstreaming Gender and Disability Award • Empowerment of Women in the Community • Investing in Young Women Award 6
www.genderawards.co.za The Awards are quickly becoming the premier event in gender diversity in South Africa, with the intention to take the awards to East and West Africa in the future.
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www.pwc.co.za
Valuing diversity
At PwC, we respect and value diversity. We know that when people from different backgrounds and with different points of view work together, we create the most value – for our clients, our people and our society.
Shirley Machaba Governing Board Chair, Africa Governance Board, PwC Global Board Member and PwC Public Sector Leader
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©2015. PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”). All rights reserved.
(15-17436)
PwC has proudly sponsored the Gender Mainstreaming Awards since their inception in 2013. We believe diversity is core to our success, and that without it we would not be able to access the different insights and skills we need in order to solve the world’s most important problems. Our annual global CEO survey tells us that we are not alone in that belief. In fact, 64% of CEOs interviewed for our survey have a formal diversity and inclusion strategy in place, with a further 13% planning to adopt one in the next year.
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TRANSFORMATION IS PART OF VODACOM’S DNA By Matimba Mbungela, (Chief Human Resources Officer for Vodacom Group)
Transformation is an integral part of Vodacom’s DNA. When we started operating in 1994, the winds of change were blowing inside the country, which makes us a company borne out of a transforming South Africa. Fast forward to 21 years later, Vodacom has 65.1 million customers across five countries, a market capitalisation of R213bn, we generate revenue of R182bn 10
per annum, R235bn impact on GDP in 2014/2015, contribute R20bn on SA’s tax revenue, total capital investment of R70bn over the last 20 years, total shareholder return of 261.0% since our listing in 2009 and spends R2bn supporting BEE players annually. Throughout our history, we have embraced our role as a change agent by democratising access to mobile services.
Through our franchises and community payphones we have transformed the lives of entrepreneurs and are now empowering customers through data connectivity. Over and above the economic impact we’ve had and contribution we have made to SA Inc, we have also embraced our role as a corporate citizen to contribute to gender parity. As a company with local roots, we are
committed to delivering against the ideals of BBBEE and Employment Equity Acts. Within this prism, we fully embrace transformation and its ideals which, amongst other things, aims to provide women with equal work opportunities, so they can contribute meaningfully in the mainstream economy. To this end, we have taken serious strides to give meaning to gender parity. We 11
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have launched various programmes to ensure that women have the necessary support to take-up leadership positions in Vodacom. These programmes have yielded positive results, albeit more still needs to be done across the ICT sector and within our organisation to propel more women to senior leadership positions.
much to promote the agenda of gender diversity by supporting other women within the organisation. The 100 women who win the Global Award will nominate a key mentor in their career who has supported their career. A total of 6 nominees were selected from Vodacom Group for this year’s awards.
We have four programmes in place that are aimed at empowering woman to ascend senior management and leadership positions at Vodacom.
We also have the Women’s Network Forum Mentorship Programme, a mentoring program for female employees in the business. Women executives in the business are the mentors and the mentees are high potential women in junior management roles. Mentees are taken through a mentorship for leaders programme at Wits Business School (WBS) and mentors receive coaching at WBS. Participation of both parties is voluntary, spanning six months to a year.
The first is known as the Female Leaders Programme. Launched in 2013, the programme is designed to attract high potential women with deep commercial and technology experience, who work outside of Vodacom into strategic roles for our future talent pipeline. It has a leadership academic programme attached to it, developed by Gordon Institute of Business Sciences (GIBS), focussing on developing personal and strategic awareness relating specifically to customer service excellence. Participants have direct access to the Vodacom Executive Committee, including the CEO, through quarterly engagement sessions and mentorship. A total of 28 candidates have gone through the programme in the past 2 years, 21 graduated and 11 were successfully appointed in Vodacom. We’ve enrolled 15 candidates for this year. The second programme is the Vodacom Women in Red Awards, launched in partnership with Vodafone. This award seeks to recognise women who are an inspiration for others and who have done 12
Vodacom also supports the HeForShe initiative, a United Nations solidarity movement which encourages all people (men and boys, girls and women) across the world to speak up and act against the inequalities faced by women and girls. It strengthens the support for women’s empowerment as a human right by enlisting men and encouraging them to put themselves forward as advocates for gender equality. We are serious about diversity and invest in it. For instance, in the 2014/2015 financial period, we spent R131 million on skills and development. We increased women representation in the company and this includes the pool of female leaders in waiting. In South Africa alone
74% of our employees are black, 44% of whom are women, 67% of our Executive Committee members are black, and 17% of whom are women. What we have achieved to date is miniscule when compared to the work that lies ahead of us. A lot more work still needs to be done in creating more opportunities so women can stake their claim by grasping at opportunities created in the new political dispensation. In our considered view, Corporate South Africa, captains of the industry, the academia and policy makers alike need to ask what more should be done to ensure that women empowerment becomes a daily reality. In the final analysis, we would like to urge Corporate South Africa to resolve to accelerate its efforts towards gender equality and this way propel more women leaders forward in this milieu. A Gender Equality Report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is instructive for all of us: “There are two complementary approaches to achieving gender equality: mainstreaming gender and promoting women’s empowerment. Both are critical. Gender mainstreaming is ‘the process of assessing the implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation, policies or programmes, making women’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes so that women and men benefit equally.”
Visistha Ebrahim Vasistha.Ebrahim@vodacom.co.za 0822770694 13
FLIW GENDER MAINSTREAMING E-ZINE
When I was approached by Vodacom to be part of their Female Leaders in Waiting (FLIW) Programme, nothing could have ever prepared me for what was to come! I was selected as one of the 14 phenomenal corporate female leaders to take part in the programme. 14
Phokeng Mohatlane phokeng@gmail.com
I had previously been part of management and leadership programmes throughout my career and I expected something similar; a programme full of leadership academic lectures. But how wrong could I have been?
The Vodacom Female Leadership in Waiting programme awoke my conscience to the responsibilities I have as a leader, towards myself , the organization I serve and our country.
and carry them everywhere I go. Of course I complied! LoL
The outcome was not only surprising but helped me tap into another dimension of Phokeng that was lying dormant. To cut a long story short, today I have a Radio Talk show every Sunday at 15h00 – 17h00 on DSTV AUDIO Bouquet channel 888 with Ubuntu Radio because of this exercise.
We had a candid look at our country in comparison to the world; we further reflected on why the world has Africa as part of their growth strategies. This was obviously the biggest eye opener; you did not have to be an economist to see the individual responsibility we each carry towards the growth of our country. The visit to Ernst and Young was a wake up call. We were indulged with using their “Growing Beyond Borders” tool to explore various scenarios that help leaders in making the appropriate decisions when considering growing their organisations beyond borders. By the end of this visit; a number of business decisions were made; business opportunities were identified; ideas were triggered in the team. Impact was made and was felt by all.
I learnt through this experience that I am truly not one-dimensional and I should never live as if I only have one aspect to offer to the world. I learnt that life should be lived in portfolios.
We were taught that complexity and competitiveness exists in every faculty of our lives; personal competitiveness; country competitiveness; company competiveness.
We were further introduced to practical application of authentic communication, personal branding and the importance of networking. I can never forget the point made by one of the facilitators that “being invisible is worse than being a no-name brand”. The challenge was then what brand does one “go to market” with especially after discovering that one is not one dimensional. I had always hidden behind being in the IT industry as a reason for me not carrying business cards; needless to say I was given marching orders by the business networking facilitator after being taught about business networking etiquette; to go and PRINT business cards
Put in the words of the facilitator I now understand that “personal transformation can and does have global effect. And that as we go; so go the world – and that the world is us. The revolution that will save the world is one that changes us.”
We reflected on what stimulates us as individuals. The GIBS iLab facility was used. Various stimulants that ranged from technology, arts, entertainment…right down to cooking and kiddies nursery were used to determine what kind of external stimulants trigger some level of a reflex response from each one of us.
The Vodacom FLIW has changed my perspective about life; I know I am not the same person I was before the programme. The life coaches helped us internalise and reflect on ourselves in respect of everything else we were learning. There were tears; there was laughter and above all there was transformation of Leaders in Waiting to Leaders in Action! 15
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The Concept
The Board Walk is an initiative that has been created to nurture the development of aspiring directors who are currently in senior management positions and help them to unlock their future potential. It aims to expose these individuals to existing directors (both executive and non-executive) and partners during an interactive networking breakfast that will encourage meaningful engagement and dialogue. The Name
The Format
While The Board Walk paints the picture of a promenade or walkway, it holds the underlying meaning of the bridge that an aspiring director needs to cross to become “Board-ready�, as well as the journey that needs to be embarked upon.
Business and other leaders will be invited to host a table of between eight and ten people. The responsibility of the host will be to impart knowledge, experience and words of wisdom to the table, while directing the conversation.
As they take their first steps down this path of opportunity, these aspiring directors will benefit from those already sitting in the higher echelons of corporate South Africa to offer their guidance and share their insights and challenges.
The topics can be either specific or general as the host and the table pleases. Attendees will rotate tables twice during the breakfast, while the hosts remain at their table.
NEXT EVENT
Date : 11 May 2016 Venue : T-Systems South Africa (Pty) Ltd International Business Gateway New Road, Midrand 1685 Time : 07:30 -10:30 Cost : R495,00 ex VAT per person RSVP by 15 April 2016 to colleen@businessengage.co.za Guest Speaker
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Guest Speaker : Gert Schoonbee Managing Director : T-Systems South Africa
30% Club GROWTH THROUGH DIVERSITY
CHOICE AND CHANGE IN A 21ST CENTURY WORLD
Throughout history, practically nobody had choices‌ Now suddenly a large number of people have choices. What is more, they will have more than one career, because the working life span of people is now close to 60 years – three times what it was in 1900 Peter Drucker The world is changing around us every day. Sometimes we need to stop and reflect on how much life has changed and what that means for us as individuals as well as employers. If your span of work is likely to be much longer, would you continue doing what you are doing now or would you like to do something completely different? The Baby Boomer
Article written by Lynda SmithRefirement Network. www.refirementnetwork.com
generation, those currently over 50 in your workplace need to look at the next season of their life differently. Retirement is looming and many do not have enough saved or feel as if they want to stop working. What they may feel is that they no longer like what they currently do or not want to work long hours. They may also love what they do and are skilled and talented and may want to negotiate to continue. These are all some of the challenges facing us. It may be your parents, your staff or you as an individual. How do we manage these challenges in the workplace? South Africa as a nation is tackling many transformational
challenges. Building and transferring skills, mentoring and coaching are just some ways in which we are re-building our Nation. The skills and wisdom of the Boomers leaving the workplace could be channelled into helping with this process beyond their formal careers. Refirement Network works with employers and individuals to think through these challenges. It may start at a strategic level, an HR level with individuals or at a group level with all employees over 55. Life planning is as important as financial planning and assisting staff to think about their futures positively brings a sense of hope rather than despair onto their horizon. They need to see life as a new sunrise, not as a sunset. 17
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Work in this last season of life should be about combining your skills, experience and passions into a basket of offerings. Some may be for money and some may be for meaning. Both are currencies and meaning brings self-worth into focus.
Working longer may be the best insurance policy for your future- both from a financial and a health perspective.
Women will live longer than men, may be divorced, not worked for long enough to save and are faced with major problems related to these challenges. Guiding and coaching individuals to make choices, learn and grow new skills can equip them for better choices in Take the time to make this season. some choices today: Margaret Mead states: “I know that someday I will die, but I will never retire�
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Top 5 insights for businesses to win with the South African Women
Women make up an increasingly powerful and lucrative target market that cannot be ignored. However winning with women can be tricky. The modern South African women is complex, shaped by an everchanging world, filled with tensions and paradoxes. Her reality is plagued with demands of society, family, and sometimes her pivotal role as a mother. Understanding her, and the world she lives in, is critical for your business to succeed. Here are the top 5 insights, to help your business win the heads and hearts of South African women. 20
1. She is juggling many balls and needs business to help lighten her load. South Africa has an unprecedented rate of single mothers, placing most South African women under significant pressure. The typical South Africa woman is a mother, father, employee, part time business owner, nurse and teacher all in one! This makes her time poor, yet open to finding new efficient ways to deliver on her multiple roles successfully. The businesses who win with her are those that make things simpler, better and faster. They acknowledge and celebrate
things more complicated?
3. She values inter-dependence over independence and needs business to help her access the right networks.
her ability to perform all of these roles.
2. She is balancing traditional and modern ways of doing things and needs businesses to live in both of these worlds with her. The South African woman is deeply proud of her heritage and traditions which shape her identity and values. However, the modern world sometimes brings new fresh ways of doing things that can sometimes conflict with the traditional way. She is often caught between how her mother would have done something vs. what the modern media says. Everything, from how to raise her kids, cook meals and run her home, is always subject to this “traditional vs. modern” tension. The businesses that win are those who and understand and appreciate tradition, and yet offer modern solutions that work without being condescending. Is your business or offering/culture in conflict with traditional ways? How can you help resolve this conflict vs. making
Globally businesses and brands have been quick to jump on the “girl power” and “independent woman” band wagon. This approach of aggressive individualism could be quite flawed in the South African context because South African women value community, interdependence and Ubuntu - a philosophy that says people are people through other people. However, the world is changing and the South African woman is in need of new types of communities and networks, as the community she comes from and her existing networks may not be enough for her to progress. As the modern South African Woman’s journey becomes ever more complex, she needs business and brands to help her connect to the right networks. What is your business doing to help create such support structures?
4. Her children will live out the dreams she could not, and she needs business that can help enable this. South Africa’s ugly political history was rooted in a white patriarchy which meant that most South African women could not freely live out their dreams and destinies, leaving women with the desire to create a better world for their children; a life where they can accomplish so much more than 21
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their mothers ever could. South African Women have made many sacrifices to make this new world possible, devoting all the resources at their disposal into their child’s future. How could your business have a role in supporting mothers in raising this important next generation of South Africans?
5. She does not want to be “spoken at”. Business and brands need to engage her in meaningful conversations. Gone are the days of business and institutions dictating and shouting out messages to submissive women. The modern South African woman has a lot to say and wants brands and business to engage her in meaningful conversations. Ignore this at your peril! Young South African Women were the leading face of the “fees must fall” movement, speaking their mind and being heard. The businesses that win are those who are geared up to engage in a dialogue with the customers. Is your business open enough to listen and agile enough to respond to South African women?
marilyn.dutlow@added-value.co.za 22
Marilyn Dutlow Munga - Associate Brand Director, Added Value South Africa, A global marketing research & consulting firm. 23
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take action in actively addressing GBV by encouraging reporting, testimony, individual interventions, and the promotion of safe • 12.2% had been behaviour and threatened with violence MORABA is an Award beneficiary services. by someone at school winning mobile-game which 3. Change mind-sets • 6.3% had been assaulted addresses the difficult surrounding gender question of Gender-Based • 4.7% had been sexually stereotypes, harmful assaulted or raped Violence (GBV) amongst social norms, cultural • 4.5% had been robbed at youth audiences. It is a practices and peer school. quiz-based adaptation of pressure. Morabaraba. The mobile game is a preventative tool Moraba was designed to answer questions that are Moraba has reached to Inform, Empower and structured around 3 themes over 50,000 youth in Inspire Youth to make the South Africa since its right choices on GBV using that emerged as key to an development by Afroes in effective response. technology which is now 2010, with empowering an integral part of youth 1.To aid in the identification information and enabled engagement. some of the users to make of GBV: including safer choices in their difficult concepts such According to the 2012 relationship behavior as as acceptable National School Violence evidenced through data boundaries, intimate Study. The following were partner rape, emotional and analytics from the the key findings. The study and economic abuse. application sample comprised 5,939 2. Empower users to learners, 121 principals and 239 educators. In total, more than a fifth of learners had experienced violence at school.
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More information on Moraba and other Mobile Game Apps developed by Afroes can be found on www.afroes.com or contacting the Business Development Manager, Agnes Phiri, on email agnes@afroes.com
HOW TO PLAY Get three pieces in a row in any direction and answer a GBV question correctly in order to remove the opposition pieces from the board. Impact of Moraba Over the life-span of the MORABA project, both qualitative and quantitative data has been collected that we believe has great value in informing policy, practice and learning related to youth, health and wellness. Moraba Game is currently available for free on following platforms Android; Blackberry OS 6/7; Windows Phone 8; iOS (iPad and iPhone); J2ME/ Java phones and on the Web http://www.afroes. com/game/moraba
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TRANSFORMING THE FACE OF BANKING AT RMB
RMB believes that exceptional performance is only possible with exceptional people and a culture that enables collaboration and partnership. With the right attitude and alignment to our culture, creativity and innovation unlock the strength of diversity. Gender diversity is a key part of our overall transformation strategy and we acknowledge the critical role that both men and women play in the success of our business. As women make up more than half of our workforce, it is essential that we attract, develop, advance and retain female talent at all levels.
Athena is our initiative to create an environment where women feel empowered to achieve their individual career goals through optimising their performance while delivering for the business. RMB acknowledges that career progression is not necessarily linear and we assist our female employees to plan for long-term career agility supported by a strong women’s network.
Our research showed us that although women start out their career journeys equal to men with equal ambition and opportunity, something happens along the way that prevents them from reaching leadership – and it’s leadership where we have focussed this journey for RMB.
Athena has the grand ambition to grow the number of women leading financial services in SA, we stand for creating an RMB where we all can achieve the goals Started by a group of women who had a shared passion for women in the we make for ourselves in our youth, no workplace and wanted to create a platform matter who we are. for conversation around Women in The global talent pool is 50% women, Leadership … Athena was born. Warren Buffet stated that one of the It’s no secret that women in leadership are reasons for his great success is that he was only competing with half of the rare, not just in SA but across the world.
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population. A diverse and inclusive work force is an important part of attracting and retaining the best talent, both men and women and considerable rewards can be attained by businesses which successfully attract both men and women to their workforce. This leads to improved decision making and sustainable results. Decisions are better when people with multiple experiences and points of view come together, because no one person, however intelligent they are, will have the answer [Oliver Wyman study]. In banking and in most other predominantly male industries, we start off well. Women make up at least half of our intake at a junior level, and women perform exceptionally well right up until junior leadership level. And then something goes wrong, women leave – either physically leave or they take a great big step back, so when we stop and look around the boardroom table, the number of women in leadership is sadly lacking. There are loads of hypotheses as to why this happens: our programming from childhood, our cultural bias, our genetic blueprint or is it simply all that guilt? Amy Poeler said “It takes years as a woman to unlearn what you have been taught to be sorry for”. We need to start telling women the truth…we need you in our workplaces. We need your skills and we need your “womenness”. We need to make the workplace appealing to both men and women. That means nurturing her inherent desire to add value to her team, whilst at the same time allowing her to 28
practice her craft her way. I’d like to leave you with an insight into Athena and why we trust her to make this all come alive… Athena was the goddess of wisdom – weaving together strength and vulnerability, creativity and nurturing, passion and discipline, pragmatism and intuition, intellect and imagination, claiming them all, the masculine and the feminine. She breathes soul and compassion – exactly what has been missing – into the traditionally masculine world of work and success. Her emergence, fully armed and independent, from Zeus’ head, and her total ease in the practical world of men, whether on the battlefield or in the affairs of the city; her inventive creativity; her passion for law, justice and politics – they all serve as a reminder that creation and action are as inherently natural to women as they are to men. Women don’t need to leave behind the deeper parts of themselves in order to thrive in a male-dominated world. In fact women, and men too, need to reclaim these instinctual strengths if they want to tap into their inner wisdom. We believe that an RMB that embraces diversity and gender equality will have a unique competitive edge. We think that this initiative will improve our ability to attract and retain top talent (including millennials) and ensure that our leadership includes the qualities that meet the requirements for the future. We hope that this can enhance RMB’s thought-leading brand by being recognised, both internally and externally, as an organisation that values and embraces gender diversity at all levels.
WE BELIEVE THAT AN RMB THAT EMBRACES DIVERSITY AND GENDER EQUALITY WILL HAVE A UNIQUE COMPETITIVE EDGE
Liesl Bebb-Mckay Liesl.Bebb-Mckay@rmb.co.za 29
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DHL EXPRESS SOUTH AFRICA MAKES HEADWAY IN GENDER DIVERSITY
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In 2009, DHL laid out their goals for the future in our Strategy 2015, including our vision and mission for our company. Our vision emphasizes that we want to be The Logistics Company for the World. This goes beyond the simple fact that, as a global company, we are present in over 220 countries and territories, or that we are often the very first logistics company to enter new markets. Our vision stresses that we want to be the logistics provider people turn to – their first choice not only for all their shipping needs, but also as an employee or investor. DHL Express wants to be an employer of choice. It should be the Place to Work where employees are more motivated, more engaged, more passionate, a team of high performers who operate in a high performance culture and in a region that promotes and drives diversity of leadership. DHL Express believes in actively supporting the development of its employees, giving opportunities to grow and develop both within the current job and even beyond this, through taking on additional responsibilities that support the individual’s development in readiness for future opportunities. With this in mind, they introduced the Stretch Assignment. The Stretch Assignment is a program intended to formalise any additional responsibilities beyond the normal job scope, be it a specialised project, taking on an additional role or even testing out a new or higher role. Transformation and the development of staff are high on the agenda for DHL Express. An integral strategic imperative is the development of women leaders in the transport industry. We have achieved this through a formal Accelerated Development Program, known as RAPID. These programs run for a period of 3 to 6 months and are open to all staff. The program is designed as a leadership pipeline tool and to increase mobility of staff internationally. One success story of the program is Alice Froud, a trainer in the Human Resources 31
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Learning and Development division who moved into operations on a RAPID for six months. This extensive development plan which required on the job training by operational department heads coupled with coaching and support from the Human Resources Learning and Development Manager, Nishani Ford, yielded great results. Froud went on to see many successes around both cost and time saving for the station. These changes paired with her ability to win the respect of her staff in a short space of time resulted in her and her team receiving the Station of the Month Award for four out of the six months she spent at the Midrand Station. Even after she left, the sustainable changes she had implemented resulted in that station receiving the Station of The Year Award 2015. This was not without challenges, as a transition from Human Resources into Operations is a quantum leap for any person. Involved leadership meant Froud had to get on the ground with her team and do manual work like moving and sorting packages. Her willingness to do this as a paraplegic woman in a wheel chair is in itself an exceptional display of her dedication. This key shift in leadership meant empowering the supervisors. Not only did she address the staff issues but Froud went on the road regularly to see customers which resulted in successful sales leads. Longer working hours also had an impact on her work/ home life balance but this is something she is working on achieving. In spite of this, Froud has risen to the challenges and shines as somebody to watch. On completion of her RAPID program, she went on to secure a position as Station Manager for a larger station, making her the second female Station Manager in South Africa DHL Express South Africa continues its journey towards gender mainstreaming and already 51% of their middle management team is female. Nishani Ford nishani.ford@dhl.com
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30% Club
GROWTH THROUGH DIVERSITY
The 30% Club is a group of Chairmen, CEOs and Senior Partners voluntarily committed to bringing more women onto corporate boards because it makes business sense. Increasing board diversity is key to driving profitable growth. Having better balance - at least 30% senior female leaders positively influences both a company’s culture and the decision-making process. www.30percentclub.org GROWTH THROUGH DIVERSITY
An initiative of
30% Club
Thank you to the members that supported the 2015 Gender Mainstreaming Awards
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30% Club
The 30% Club Southern Africa
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Members’ Dinner; 1 March 2016
Sponsored by :
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The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has a rich and proud history of playing a key role in strengthening the economy by connecting investors. What many people don’t know is that the exchange has also taken on a leading role in promoting gender equality in finance. More than half of the JSE’s employees are female, and seven out of our ten exco members are women, including the CEO. Embracing diversity in the workplace is a key strength for any company and a definite competitive advantage. Having inclusion at senior management level enables more strategic, out-of-the-box thinking and more efficient decision-making.
RINGING THE BELL FOR GENDER EQUALITY Zeona Jacobs, JSE Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs
Zeonaj@jse.co.za
The JSE is regarded as a leader in the financial industry, and as such we are ideally positioned to be a catalyst for gender transformation in the sector. In showing our commitment to this matter, the JSE joined 34 other stock exchanges around the world on International Women’s Day on 8 March this year to raise awareness of gender equality and the need for transformation in the financial industry. The initiative involved collaboration with the UN Global Compact South Africa Network / National Business Initiative, the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (SSE), UN Women, IFC, the World Federation of Exchanges and Women in ETFs. These seven principles guide businesses on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community. Approximately 300 people gathered at the JSE to open the market by way of ringing the bell, as is done around the world when the day’s trading commences. In this way we also symbolically rang the bell to make our voice heard to the cause of gender equality in the workplace. The keynote address for the Ring the Bell for Gender Equality ceremony was delivered by South Africa’s Public Protector, advocate Thuli Madonsela. In her welcome address, the JSE’s chairman, Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita, quite rightly remarked that the JSE takes transformation – and the responsibility we have to encourage this in the economy – very seriously. We have now made it mandatory for all listed companies to reveal their gender policies. While we do not prescribe the levels that companies should be at, it goes a long way to raising awareness of the issue.
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Advocate Madonsela made the very good point that empowering women is one of the best ways to improve the quality of life for all. Following the opening ceremony, we hosted an insightful panel discussion on the United Nation’s Women Empowerment Principles. Advocate Madonsela participated in this panel, as well as Dr Mantsika Matooane, who serves on The JSE Board as a non-executive director of JSE Limited.
As a longstanding partner of the Sustainable Stock Exchanges initiative and a member of the World Federation of Exchanges Sustainability Working Group, the JSE remains committed to promoting sustainable and equitable business. Being a part of significant global events such as these creates the opportunity for us to contextualise the debate for South Africa while expanding the global consensus on these issues.
The panellists addressed several issues, acknowledging that great strides have been taken in obtaining greater female representation in business, but given that the vast majority of women in South Africa and in many parts of the world still do not have access to, or participate in, the formal economy. This is also by no means merely an emerging and frontier market issue – the corporate debate in many developed markets is currently dominated by discussions around the lack of female representation and the gender wage gap. Advocate Madonsela left the panel discussion audience with an inspiring lesson she has learnt over the years: that in order to succeed in life and work, women should have compassion, confidence and courage. We are well aware of the numerous challenges that still face women in the corporate world and are committed to doing our part to highlight and address these matters. The JSE is proud to be aligned with other partners in our sphere, such as the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (SSE), in our efforts to promote gender transformation and contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which includes aiming for gender equality. This objective has been identified as one of four goals stock exchanges are best positioned to support.
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Webber Wentzel launches a Maternity Support Programme another first in a SA legal industry
Achieving work life balance can be very difficult, even more so for working mothers in the professional services environment. In approaching this challenge, Sally Hutton, Managing Partner at Webber Wentzel, last week announced the launch of its Maternity Support Programme - the first South African law firm to do so - which forms part of the firm’s comprehensive gender strategy. As the name suggests, the programme is designed to support the firm’s female staff in successfully managing the critical milestone of starting a family and the important transition that this brings within the context of their professional lives. 38
Webber Wentzel recognises that the challenge for corporate law firms lies not only in attracting female talent but importantly, in their retention, particularly at senior levels. It is for this reason that the firm has increased its focus on development, advancement and the engagement of women within the firm.
most likely time women choose to leave. Sessions are normally face to face, although phone coaching can be arranged where preferred. The intention of the coaching is to help the returning mother review their career/family balance, and to re-establish their career goals. The sessions also aim to equip the ‘coachee’ with the confidence to communicate In essence, the programme with colleagues and seeks to support female superiors about their employees before, during family requirements while and after their maternity continuing discussions leave to facilitate their of on-going career integration back into the development. firm. “In our experience, this is a The programme provides particularly vulnerable time 1:1 coaching sessions, pre, when, without adequate during and post maternity support, women often leave, providing support make the decision to exit for 6-12 months after the workplace completely return where research - not realising how final has shown that this is the these decisions can
sometimes be,” explains Hutton.
Hutton adds: “We are confident that the Maternity Support Programme will Research has also shown assist in strengthening that the line manager our talent pipeline and relationship is the deepening our gender most significant factor diversity. It is a positive in retaining maternity step forward in providing returners so another aspect a more supportive work of the programme is the environment for our provision of coaching and women.” support to Managers at the time of their employees’ Participation in the maternity leave to help programme, which will be them understand and run by expert maternity manage their impact in coaching consultants, a positive way, as well Great Expectations, will as provide guidance on be voluntary but strongly how they can facilitate encouraged. reintegration of the returning mother back into As a mother of three who the work environment. has broken through the gender barriers of the legal “With well over 50% of our profession to become legal services staff being the first female Managing female, maternity leave has Partner at a major South become ordinary course African law firm, Hutton in our firm and we believe has played an instrumental that excellent maternity and catalytic role in driving leave benefits and flexible the firm’s gender diversity working arrangements are strategy. key,” she says. In this regard, the firm has Exactly a year into this been actively developing challenging role, Hutton’s a Gender Strategy that unwavering commitment is aligned with its talent to gender transformation management framework has already brought and Transformation Action about changes in the Plan, and the Maternity firm’s gender profile, as Support Programme is one evidenced by the following of the strategies to retain its statistics: working mothers. • The total legal services
staff complement is 403. Of this, 223 (56%) are women, • Highest female equity partnership of any major South African law firm (35%), which exceeds the global target threshold of 30%. With Hutton at the helm, the firm has committed to push this target to 50%. • A notable change in the representation of women in the firm’s leadership structures, with an impressive increase in number of women occupying leadership positions across all areas of the business. in the year since Hutton took office the number of women on the Board has increased from 30% to 33%, the number of women on the Executive Committee is up from 40% to 50% and 50% of all business services Heads of Department, including the firm’s Chief Financial Officer, are women, up from 40% in February last year. Sally Hutton sally.hutton@ webberwentzel.com
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It is a recognized fact that as a country, businesses need to include more women onto the Boards. The reality is that more than 52% of the workforce in the world (not Gender Diversity 101 – just in the country but in the world) are women. That Looking Beyond the Board Pack means that more than 52% of the skill set that a business By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC requires resides in the female March 2016 population. In this age where there is a world-wide skill shortage, why would any business leader deliberately exclude Having been to several himself from more than 52% “Gender Diversity – Women of the skill sets that are so on Boards” type seminars and desperately needed? It makes workshops over the last few good business sense then to years, it was very clear and include women, not only in evident that the “Board Pack” the workplace, but also in the is of the utmost importance decision making positions and and that the information of course at Board level. contained therein is critical to the decisions that are taken I recently had the privilege of and the strategies that are attending a Business Engage agreed upon in order for the “Boardwalk” breakfast that company to grow in a positive was hosted by Rand Merchant way. Bank (RMB), where the What was also evident though is that the Board Pack and its’ informational requirements is not the only thing that a Board member has to deal with and this side of the proceedings is often neglected when research is done to ascertain what a new Board member needs to know. 40
CEO James Formby stated that diversity is necessary in the Board room because it challenges opinions and creates a different perspective. Many of the questions that were raised by enthusiastic aspiring to be female Board members, were in fact about issues other than the
universally known Board pack. I was fortunate enough to engage in an informal chat with James and asked him what some of the things, “beyond the Board pack” that we, as women also need to know about in order for us to make a significant difference on the Boards that we may choose to sit on. “Technical ‘know how’ is not necessary to be a Board member” says James, “but common sense is and women have a huge amount of common sense.” As women we often second guess ourselves and agonize about whether or not it is the correct thing to do or the right decision to make. It’s time we got over ourselves and believed in ourselves and just “go” with our instincts. That’s just another way of saying “use your common sense!” Ladies, it is built into our DNA, just trust yourself. Another thing that James was very clear about is the asking of questions. It’s a good thing but just be aware of the manner in which those questions are asked. Don’t be confrontational or aggressive and demanding. Remember that as a ‘newbie’ on the
Board, you don’t really have any frame of reference in terms of the history of what is happening. In the interests of clarity you obviously need to ask the question, but use the right tone and the right words or alternatively try and get the answers before you go into the Boardroom. It is always a good idea to find yourself a “mentor” on that Board. Find someone who you respect and whose opinions you can relate to and ask them if they will ‘guide’ you in the correct protocols and processes that the Board follows. “Establish a rapport with the CEO and make sure that you are ‘visible’ to the organization”, says James. Understand what the company does. The only way that you truly get a “feel” for that as well the culture of the company, in my opinion, is to spend some time there. Get someone to take you on a guided ‘walk through’. Meet the HOD’s (Heads of Departments), talk to some of the staff and familiarize yourself with what is happening, how it happens and when it happens. It will certainly give you a more thorough grounding and assist you with making more informed decisions when it
comes time to vote. Roll up your sleeves and get yourself involved! Get yourself interested in the welfare and progress of the Company. Remember that there are also a number of sub-committees that are set up for various projects. Make sure that you get yourself onto some of these sub-committees. This again will give you a better perspective on what is happening in the company. The more you engage, the more information you get about how the company works and what the challenges are, the easier it will be to make informed decisions which of course means that you will make more of a difference and at the end of the day, isn’t that why you want to be on a Board – to make a difference?
Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za
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GENDER DIVERSITY 101 – THE BASIC TRUTH I responded “actually my dear, you males are also a gender!”
A while ago now, I advertised a Gender Audit Workshop that was taking place and that I thought would be of interest to someone other than myself. A chap called me to get some additional information. As I was trying to explain what the workshop was about and how it would benefit business, he abruptly interrupted stating “so this is just another ‘beep, beep’ thing for you ‘beep, beep’ women!” 42
As amusing as this is, it is also quite sad that many individuals, both male and female, feel so disempowered and that the fact is that they feel so disempowered because of their own skewered perceptions. In the interests of clarity, let’s make sure that we all understand exactly what each of these terms mean before we go any further. According to the google dictionary, gender is defined as “Either male or female division of a species, especially as differentiated by social and cultural roles and behavior.”
Gender Diversity on the other hand, according to Wikipedia is “A term referring to how different genders are represented in a relevant setting. Primarily the term is often used to refer to females and males, though in some contexts and research the term may also refer to those who fall into the non-binary categories of gender.” The reality of course, is that more than 50% of the population are women. The statistics show that more girl children than boy children are getting degrees at university and yet there are more men being employed in senior positions than women. How does that even make any kind of sense? Surely as a business owner who is employing someone in a senior position, you would want to employ the very best that a) your budget would allow for and b) the very best person who has the correct qualifications and skills that your budget would allow? I know I would! Yet statistics also show that men are still being employed in
decision making positions over qualified and skilled women. How does that make any kind of good business sense? By doing this you are actually restricted your access to more than 50% of the qualified and skilled individuals that you need to employ – why on earth would you do that? Part of the challenge of course in terms of the representation is getting the balance right. The last thing that you want to do is make the pendulum swing too far in the opposite direction - that too would not make any kind of business sense.
It’s about levelling the playing field so that everybody contributes to the team and more specifically to a team that pulls in the same direction for the greater good of everyone in the company. So if you decide to make the transition and include the whole gender diversity into your company culture, make sure that your intention is one of inclusion. Make sure that your goals are one of inclusion! Make sure that your action plan is one of inclusion!
Including women in every aspect of your business In my opinion, the other and getting the balance greatest challenge is not to” and equality right, is not isolate” anyone. It should only morally and ethically be an inclusive process! right, it is also quite possibly the best business It’s about getting everyone decision that you will ever involved. It’s about getting make. those who have the experience, the knowledge Nikki is an Internal and the skills, sharing Auditor and Business with those who do not Administration Specialist – not to then exclude who can be contacted the ‘teachers’ from the on 083 702 8849 or workplace but rather to nikki@viljoenconsulting. include the ‘students’ into co.za or http://www. the workplace. viljoenconsulting.co.za 43
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ADVANTAGE WOMEN When I introduce myself as the Chairman and CEO of Burson-Marsteller Africa, I’ve gotten used to the occasional jaw drops and blank stares. Why? Because I’m a white woman leading on a predominantly black continent where women CEOs are a rare species. Not to mention that I’m only 5 foot 3 inches. What I wish I could shout from Table Mountain in these moments is that my gender has actually been a key driver for my success and the success of BursonMarsteller. Let me explain.
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McKinsey found that companies with a higher proportion of women in executive roles achieve stronger financial results, on average, than other companies. This is particularly the case where organisations face turbulence or need to innovate. Why? Because as the New York Times bestseller the Athena Doctrine shows, women display more democratic and participative leadership behaviours than men. Feminine values have the potential to solve our toughest problems and build a more prosperous future.
Researchers at IBM have also found that women are more likely to engage and develop employees, and build successful partnerships. Gender balanced workplaces help to foster new ideas and creative problem-solving too. And we’re not even talking yet about our economic power. Boston Consulting Group found that women are the major consumer spenders in the world economy, making or influencing at least 64 percent of purchases in categories ranging from food and travel to healthcare and education. If your company is talking at, instead of to, women, you’re losing an enormous opportunity. The data is clear. Empowering and engaging women is more than just a social issue. It should be a key strategic priority for all companies because it makes great business sense. Pure and simple.
Robyn De Villiers, the Chairman and CEO of Burson-Marsteller Africa, congratulating partners in Kampala in 2015 at the official launch of Brainchild Burson-Marsteller, the company’s 29th partner agency on the continent. Burson-Marsteller is one of the world’s leading public affairs and communications agencies and has the largest geographic footprint in Africa for over 20 years.
Ok. So now I’ve won you over. You get it. You want more women on the payroll and in the C-suite. You’re re-thinking your marketing strategy. But, how are you going to do it? That’s where BursonMarsteller comes in.
Robyn de Villiers - robyn.devilliers@bm-africa.com 45
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GENDER MAINSTREAMING AWARDS 2016
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