CELEBRATING DIVERSITY INCLUSIONAND @ CCBSA www.ccbsaco.com 1 COCA-COLA bever A ges s O uth A fri CA P r O fi L e s Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa www.ccbsaco.com South BeveragesAfrica
While it has a strong focus on women, CCBSA also recognises the importance of investing in all its people and, in particular, supporting leadership within the organisation.
INVESTING IN PEOPLE
Five women in CCBSA share their experiences, learnings, and aspirations as the drive to Generation Equality continues.
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Coca-Cola Beverages attributes its level 1 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment status to its transformation strategy, which includes, among others, women empowerment, strategic investments in procurement, supplier support and integration, and socioeconomic development
“These are the people responsible for developing and driving strategy and tasked with embedding a culture of inclusion and excellence, enabling transformative practices that are visionary and allow all our colleagues to support the long-term sustainability of our company and business,” Ratshefola explains. “We are fully committed to creating a culture that promotes inclusion, celebrates diversity, and supports all our people, including women, in our organisation.”
THE POWER OF WOMEN IN BUSINESS
C oca-Cola Beverages South Africa’s transformation journey started in 2016 when the company was formed following the merger of six bottling entities. Under the leadership of managing director Velaphi Ratshefola, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) is committed to creating a company that truly reflects South Africa’s demographic representation; ensures the recruitment, development and retention of black people, particularly women; supports the integration of black suppliers in its value chain; and connects to its host communities. “We had an opportunity to envision a particular future for CCBSA and to develop a roadmap to realise that future. This had to be supported by a culture that was receptive to a different world view and embraced transparency and ongoing engagement. It was exciting to co-create this journey and see the benefits of a well-crafted strategy,” says Ratshefola. Ratshefola points out that there is no single country in the world without challenges, historic or otherwise. “Ours happens to be correcting imbalances of the past and ensuring the integration of previously marginalised groups in the economic fabric of the country. For us, Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) and transformation present an amazing opportunity to give meaning to this commitment. It’s really about making a sustainable economic contribution to the country’s broader developmental agenda.”
Through a robust diversity and inclusion agenda, which is part of the company’s ongoing transformation commitment and includes a targeted recruitment process, the company has strengthened its women-led internal network, aptly named Women@CCBSA.“Thisisaninitiative of which I am particularly proud. It’s a platform that provides women with a space to engage on critical matters that impact them and to interrogate those things that retard their advancement in the workplace and career progression. It could be the challenge of driving their careers while being wives, partners and mothers, the burden of care that always falls on their shoulders, or mental health, among others,” says Ratshefola. “They set their own agenda. Women@CCBSA is a space where women support each other and develop ideas that contribute to their holistic wellness.”
TRANSFORMATION DRIVEN BY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
W MEN @ CCBSA
Ratshefola concludes: “We will never fully realise our full potential unless women are part of the journey. Our success is inextricably linked to their advancement. A lot of work still needs to be done, but we must also pause and celebrate our wins because they have been extraordinary, given where we come from as a country.”
THE DRIVE TO GENERATION EQUALITY
CCBSA is enabling women to rise and succeed. We even see women coming forward as owner drivers – logistics has predominantly been a male-dominated space. I believe forwomendevelopmenttheofisimportantthesuccessof
Women in CCBSA are encouraged to seize development opportunities, to see that their career progression is within reach, and they don’t have to work “twice” as hard to prove themselves or their worth. Women are measured on the same merit and criteria as their male counterparts.
Nomvuyo Mohami, district manager: East CommercialRand
A 2020 McKinsey study about diversity and inclusion indicates that companies with women leaders outperform their competitors.
CCBSA has created an environment where women leaders can speak up confidently. For me, this creates a platform for women leaders to be able to share their perspectives within the workplace.
Much work has been done to create gender inclusion and equality, and I look forward to leading in a world where there are no female leaders, just leaders.
Basetsana-Bame Modimogale, country lead: Customer Excellence National Accounts
Building women leaders of the future can sustain and future-proof many businesses across multiple industries.
Women’s natural ability to understand others and connect well can serve as an important skill set in business today and in the future. Employees and leaders of the future are seeking connection, understanding, acceptance and diversity to their thinking. The millennial generation is seeking this type of leadership style.
By empowering women in roles historically held by men, CCBSA is giving women equal opportunities based on their leadership skills.
Definitive practices have been integrated into the DNA of our culture at CCBSA to enable gender inclusivity and equality to grow. As a business, through our recruitment process, we continue to strive for diversity, inclusion, and gender diversity, particularly, the inclusion of black women in leadership positions.
Through a deliberate and intentional approach, CCBSA has, over the years, managed to successfully entrench a sound environment that enables women to lead, grow, be respected, and recognised as valuable contributors to the success of the organisation.
FinancemanagerregionalRedelinghuys,BeverleycreditInlandDepartment
ModimogaleBasetsana-Bame
CCBSA has created a culture that allows women leaders to thrive, giving them a fair opportunity to contribute on merit. Women are seen as leaders first, which promotes a culture of respect, inclusivity, and equal share of voice at the table.
the role they occupy.
RedelinghuysBeverley COCA-COLA bever A ges s O uth A fri CA P r O fi L e s www.ccbsaco.com 3
NomvuyoMohami
CCBSA encourages gender inclusion and equality company,successcontributethatacknowledgingbyallemployeestotheofthenomatter
Encouraging diverse ideas enables the organisation to address challenges in a different light and consider alternative solutions that foster innovative decision-making.Today’sorganisations cannot ignore the contributions women leaders make to the workplace.
“CCBSA HAS CREATED A CULTURE THAT ALLOWS WOMEN LEADERS TO THRIVE , OPPORTUNITYTHEMGIVINGAFAIRTOCONTRIBUTEONMERIT.”–BASETSANA-BAMEMODIMOGALE
Women empowerment starts at the top with leadership commitment to drive issues that are important to women. Within CCBSA, we not only have a strategy to drive women’s inclusion in the workplace, but also have a leadership commitment to drive this strategy. We ensure that this agenda is known, felt and lived by all employees and stakeholders within CCBSA. My team and I have been actively involved in implementing the wellness agenda within the organisation, with regular discussions facilitated by subject matter experts for our employees, where pertinent topics that impact all our employees, including women, are discussed.
It is said that women bring a different set of skills to the workplace, for example, empathy. I believe women complement their male counterparts well, and jointly, they can co-create amazing strategies that can help their companies grow and thrive.
As a little girl growing up in Klerksdorp, I saw a Coca-Cola truck and told my mother that one day I want to work for Coca-Cola. Little did I know that I would realise my dream on 1 May 1985.
“I BELIEVE WOMEN COMPLEMENT THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS WELL , AND j OINTLY , THEY CAN CO - CREATE AMA z ING STRATEGIES THAT CAN HELP THEIR COMPANIES GROW AND THRIVE .” – B EVERLEY R EDELINGHUYS
Leola Britton
Leola Britton, head of Talent Human Resources
Starting in production as the only woman, drove me to want to go even further in my career, to be the best, and to be acknowledged for my dedication. Being in various roles broadened my knowledge of the entire Coca-Cola system, how the organisation works, and its long-term strategic objectives.
Jolene Rex, account manager: CommercialInland
We have defined leadership development programmes and provide coaching for all employees, including women, which I manage as part of my portfolio. In our talent review discussions, we take a deliberate approach to empowering the female agenda.
Jolene Rex
We have a very deliberate and structured approach to building gender inclusion and equality Within my role as the country lead for talent and development is a target related to women in leadership that is measured monthly We also monitor the recruitment and movement of people from an equity perspective.
COCA-COLA bever A ges s O uth A fri CA P r O fi L e s 4 www.ccbsaco.com
any organisation or country. Of course, it has to be coupled with drive and determination, learning from mentors, parents, colleagues, and managers.
I have enjoyed 38 years of service within the Coca-Cola system and worked in a leadership role for many of these years, and all I can say is that I would not change my position for anything in this world. It’s been a roller-coaster ride, but then I love roller-coasters . With the pandemic, it was quite challenging, but I believe we rose to the occasion and made the best of it. We took the challenges and turned them into wins.
“W ITHIN CCBSA, WE NOT ONLY HAVE A STRATEGY TO DRIVE WOMEN ’ S INCLUSION IN THE WOR k PLACE , BUT ALSO HAVE A LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT TO DRIVE THIS STRATEGY .” – Leo L a Britton
We conduct our business ethically, transparently, and conscientiously. We espouse an inclusive business culture to reflect our African identity. We accelerate sustainable, profitable revenue growth across all categories and offer an innovative portfolio of products that respond to customer needs and consumer preferences. Profitability is important, but not at any cost.
People matter. Our planet matters. We do business the right way by following our values and partnering for solutions that benefit us all.
I am grateful and give credit to the strong women who were role models in my life, both personally and professionally, and who have contributed significantly to what I have been able to achieve through the years.
“CCBSA RECOGNISES THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTING IN ITS PEOPLE , PARTICULARLY ITS FUTURE LEADERSHIP .” – V ELAPHI R ATSHEFOLA
We manufacture and distribute Coca-Cola beverages that make life’s everyday moments more enjoyable while doing business the right way. The result is a shared opportunity for our customers, employees, communities, and shareholders.
After 12 years in production, I moved to sales as an account manager. I found my passion in working with customers and being able to influence their market, showing my dedication and loyalty to both the customer and the company. Twenty-five years later, I still have the same passion.
South BeveragesAfrica 011 848 www.ccbsaco.commedia@CCBSAgroup.com2600Coca-ColaBeverages South Africa www.ccbsaco.com
ABOUT CCBSA
Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) is a proudly South African company that began operating as a legal entity in July 2016, after the merger of six non-alcoholic ready-to-drink bottling operations. We are a level 1 B-BBEE empowered company. We employ over 7 000 people at 13 manufacturing facilities across the country. As a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) and a bottler for The Coca-Cola Company, our vision is to refresh Africa every day and make our continent a better place for all.