INNOVATIVE & COLLABORATIVE

Savino Del Bene has built a reputation over the past 100 years as a reliable partner for businesses requiring shipping and transportation services, operating in 54 countries with facilities in America, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia. Founded on innovation and a determination to deliver, its business activities are focused on providing a totally integrated logistics service.

Please give a brief summary of the company, its products / services and markets.

Savino Del Bene South Africa is part of a worldwide corporate network, specialising in global logistics, freight forwarding, clearing and supply chain management.

Savino Del Bene, established in Florence in the early 1900s, has more than 5 000 employees in a network of over 285 commercial offices. The company offers advanced shipping services, customs clearance, warehouse management and a wide range of logistics support products.

The company’s expertise extends to the following industries: automotive and tyre, fashion, food and beverages, fresh fruit and vegetables, marble and ceramics, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, and project cargo.

What distinguishes Savino Del Bene from its competitors – what differentiates you?

We differentiate ourselves by focusing on developing a close and personal relationship with each customer:

• We develop an intimate knowledge of the client’s business

• We analyse all the client’s business process data available to us.

• We introduce and integrate operations to transform the client’s supply chain to realise maximum efficiencies.

This approach enables us to offer a personalised service with the understanding of what needs to be delivered. We are able to offer strategic recommendations based on data and intelligence gathered in the process.

In summary, our value proposition in processing and analysing data is used to create business intelligence. This allows us to implement global best practice as part of a truly intelligent, integrated end-to-end supply chain.

Running a company can be quite challenging – how have you achieved such positive results?

We follow a very structured approach with clear business drivers and core values to implement the Savino Del Bene Way – the culture that exists within the company. We continuously strive to uphold and improve it. We identify the culture in four terms:

• Excellence – We don’t accept mediocrity and strive to be perfect in all things.

• Partnering – Having a mutually beneficial relationship with everyone involved. Externally, this means that our clients and our suppliers are our partners. Internally, it means that everyone in the company, as well as the rest of the Savino Del Bene Group, is our partner.

• Execution – Complete each task to the last detail. Do what you say you will do. Don’t procrastinate.

• Positive attitude – We accept challenges and respond to them positively. We believe that with this attitude it is possible to turn challenges into opportunities. We focus on the delivery of a solution rather than spending energy on the problem.

• No surprises – We strive to meet all expectations.

How important do you regard innovation in business?

Our business activities are focused on providing a totally integrated logistics service.

Therefore, innovation is of primary importance, contributing 87% to the company’s growth.

Labour and capital represent the balance. This is why we create and live by innovative transformational strategies.

We follow a methodology presented by Anthony W. Ulwick, in his book Jobs To Be Done Theory To Practice, to analyse possible improvement while leading the market in technology and customer service. The basic precepts are:

• Learn from mistakes

• Give ideas credit

• Look beyond the immediate context

• Encourage learning

• Inspire acceptance of the challenge

• Set a quality standard in service delivery and ensure continuous improvement

• Understand the job to be done

It is hard enough to attract good talent, let alone retain it – please elaborate on strategies that worked.

Savino Del Bene adheres to the following fundamental strategies in order to attract and retain staff:

• Focusing on the experience of the employee by monitoring and improving the employee experience on the job and the organisational culture

• Shifting responsibilities and increasing accountability of employees

• Shifting ownership of engagement to leaders and encouraging frequent engagement conversations

• Building competence within the workforce by implementing a highquality training and development strategy that governs learning activities in the organisation

• Creating and implementing a substantial number of learnership programmes for young people

These learners also undergo orientation and work-readiness programmes to equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to successfully transition from the education system to the formal economy.

Our people expect that we: 1. Act like leaders 2. Give them hope for a better future 3. Give them a sense that we know what we are doing 4. Give them direction 5. Give them the opportunities to learn and grow

Please identify six key points for someone embarking on fulfilling a CEO’s post

1. Define direction – have a vision 2. Decide priorities 3. Acquire, develop and align resources 4. Drive action 5. Foster learning 6. Motivate and build confidence

What message do you have for potential overseas investors looking to invest?

South Africa is the gateway to Africa due to its strategic location. It is a strategic trade route that connects China, India and Europe with Africa.

Africa is the continent of the future – we have the knowledge, skills and political will to make it happen.

To prove this point, Savino Del Bene has built a state-of-the-art facility of 24 000 m² on the R21 between OR Tambo International Airport and Tshwane to facilitate the future.

What are your key social responsibility initiatives?

Savino Del Bene has achieved B-BBEE level 2 status with 125% preferential procurement recognition.

Savino Del Bene’s commitment to diversity in the supply chain and logistics industry incorporates 26% black women equity.

Savino Del Bene contributes to the EDI trust which develops disadvantaged communities.