How to include sustainability as part of your brand strategy

Testing, inspection and certification company, Bureau Veritas completed a month-long campaign around social justice, education and socio-economic upliftment during July, setting a pace for empowerment and social responsibility in corporate southern Africa.

Vice president of Bureau Veritas Southern Africa, Sal Govender; and the company’s human resources team, through the leadership of Beatrice Scharneck, set about making a social and economic difference in the lives of beneficiaries in regions company employees live and work. Bureau Veritas enjoys a strong ethos of actively demonstrating social responsibility by regularly supporting communities through education, technical, safety and environmental societal causes. Changing South Africa one person at a time, the Bureau Veritas Corporate Responsibility Committee encouraged all employees to commit to making a difference in the lives of others through a moving Pledge Ceremony at the launch of the campaign on 1 July.

The Ithemba Trust, launched in 2018, also lent gravitas to the July campaign, championing the weekly activations with motivational speeches and words of encouragement for the beneficiaries.

PAY IT FORWARD

Weekly activations saw the company pay visits to various beneficiaries.

On 8 July, Bureau Veritas visited Home of Hope, an orphanage for abused and neglected young girls, whose vision is to end child trafficking, tackling the culture of sexual exploitation, violence and criminality. The company provided the girls with new footwear, toiletries, games, cosmetics and nail and foot care products. On Mandela Day on 18 July the Johannesburg, Durban,

Home of Hope children receive school shoes from Bureau Veritas

Cape Town and Sasolburg branches of the company visited Ntsikana Primary School to donate 10 laptops to the computer laboratory, which only had two computers for 1 100 learners. An employee book drive ensured a sizeable literature contribution was donated to the school.

The Cape Town office visited St Anne’s Homes, a safe house for women and moms with their children. Donating stationery for the women’s workshops and party packs for the children, the company also provided hygiene products for the women and baby food for the babies.

In her private capacity, Bureau Veritas employee, Elna Matthews made 24 dog jackets and donated 12 of these to Vaal Pets and the remaining dozen to the SPCA; as well as dog and cat food.

Later in the month, on 22 July, the Bureau Veritas Centurion branch supported the local Sammy’s Day Care Centre by painting classrooms in bright, happy colours, enhancing the sustainability of the premises.

The company donated 10 laptops to the centre’s computer laboratory as these are a much needed educational tool. Employees repaired ablution facilities and provided artwork materials for the young children, as well as party boxes and lunch. The teachers were gifted with mugs and sought-after stationery.

25 July saw Bureau Veritas join hands with non-profit organisation, Baby’s Home in Umlazi, Durban, a place of safety for abandoned and/or orphaned babies. The company donated a much-required microwave to the Home as well as ‘infant boxes’ comprising of bottles, blankets, nappies, baby formula, baby wipes, baby toiletries and clothing. Employees also spent time with the carers and babies in the Home.

Long term change

Bureau Veritas will bring the ethos of social change alive by working on an annual calendar of sustainable and long-term change, implemented by employees. Plans are afoot to embed and drive ‘making every day a Mandela Day’ a reality and so collectively the company employees can actively demonstrate social responsibility thereby changing South Africa one person at a time. Commenting on the campaign, District HR Manager, Scharneck says, ‘It is our responsibility to work together as employees, and indeed as a nation, to effect positive change that will enhance the lives of others.

At Bureau Veritas, we believe in creating an empowering environment to serve our future leaders and fellow citizens. We have started, one step at a time, and will continue to do this. It is part of our social and moral fibre.’ The month-long campaign culminated in an event where, together with the Public Relations Institute of South Africa, the strategy was revealed to media and corporate South Africa; with the goal to share the details in an effort to encourage similar campaigns being launched into the market and thereby a true reflection of a united nation truly ‘changing South Africa one person at a time.’

Commenting on the campaign and the importance of including corporate social responsibility into a company’s branding strategy, an excited Govender notes, ‘We at Bureau Veritas will continue to pay it forward, we will continue to give back to the communities we work and live in. We will continue to be the change by creating lasting legacies for tomorrow.’ Bureau Veritas

https://www.industrialbuyer.co.za/company/3665-bureau-veritas-south-africa