6 minute read
We are passionate about diversity and inclusion!
NOMATHAMSANQA ASHOM
- Philipians 2:3-4
Company history
Our story began in 1995, sparked by a passion for collaborating with clients to provide solutions which create peace of mind. At Ngubane, we are not just a team of accountants, auditors, and consultants – we are trusted and reliable business partners that care about the future. Through industry experience, deep expertise and understanding of the wider global business perspective and the South African political-economic environment, we are able to help our clients and business partners create long-term value and limitless future growth opportunities. Today, Ngubane has a national footprint which spreads out over 6 provinces and boasts a 84% female leadership team.
Achievements:
• Deputy Chair of The South African Auditing Profession Trust Initiative (SAAPTI)
• SA Professional Service Awards: Finalist for the Accounting Professional of the Year Award
• SA Professional Service Awards - Special commendation from the judges - Women Professional of the Year
• AWCA: Assurance Partner of the Year Award
• First Female Managing Director at Ngubane Incorporated
Social responsibility initiatives
Our social responsibility initiatives remain rooted in education and contributions that redress the historical social ills of our country. Some of the programs include:
• Donation to schools
• Santa shoebox initiatives
• Donation of relevant essentials to affiliated disability centres
Gender policies
In recent years, the evolving roles of men and women in society has created a demand for gender balance at all levels of business. When it comes to senior management, women continue to fall behind males globally. As a firm, we gradually implemented the values of equal opportunity, fair treatment, and nondiscrimination in our workplace. It is our ongoing effort to narrow the disparities in executive positions where women lag behind males.
We may not have a gender policy in place, but this topic is addressed in many of our documents, including human resources strategic initiatives, recruiting processes and employment equity reports. We are of a firm belief that a more diverse workforce and management structure promotes creativity and innovation, resulting in making business more successful.
Five tips on surviving and thriving in business:
• Drive innovation as the key to identify new and quick ways to provide solutions.
• Be agile and proactive in different situations.
• Cash flow management - Spend on what is important. This will help businesses scale through during challenging times.
• Collaboration and partnership with other industry experts to create better opportunities.
• Prioritising the wellness of your most valuable resource: people.
How have you implemented gender driven development in the workplace?
One of the fundamental strategic goals for our firm is people, which includes transformation as one of the strategic objectives. The key performance measure for transformation is attaining a set target of female and ethnic diversity throughout all levels of staff. This has been implemented operationally and embedded in our policy. Our transformation and succession planning activities have ensured that we continue to remain a B-BBEE Level 1 business.
How has gender empowerment strengthened your organisation?
At Ngubane we recognise that different ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better results. As an organisation, we have seen a change in culture that has led to a more flexible environment promoting a healthy family life. Currently we have more women leading client projects and that has resulted in a noticeable improvement in the firm’s financial performance.
What are your organisation’s gender equality and B-BBEE ratings and policies?
Our transformation strategy is underpinned by our continued pursuit for diversity and alignment with B-BBEE drivers and requirements. We have maintained a Level 1 B-BBEE status and majority of our ownership is held by South African female directors.
What are the current and future trends in your sector?
The use of IT tools in our service offerings has helped to provide expertise and efficiency to our clients, which is an industry trend we have undertaken.
We noted a positive shift into sustainability reporting. Organisations are reporting more on the impact their businesses have on people and the planet. Another trend coming through is responsible artificial intelligence and human centred technology. This ensures that as we innovate and evolve, we do so in an ethical manner.
What technological innovations are you using in your organisation to keep in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)?
We currently use some technology tools for effective productivity, less interruptions and availability of information such as Communication - Office 365 (cloud) Collaboration – Teams / Zoom / Google Meet, Document Management – Caseware, SharePoint (cloud). These tools have really made things simpler, better, and faster.
How are you using social media to create more business?
We engage in topical conversations and campaigns, as well as use social media to create awareness related to our different service offerings.
How are you integrating the drive for sustainability into your organisation?
Corporate social responsibility might have recently become a focus for some companies but for Ngubane this is the reason the firm was established. Ngubane has always recognised that we are part of a bigger ecosystem and how we do business affects that ecosystem. The move towards being responsible corporations is embedded in our firm’s strategy under the pillar “Sustainability”. The firm’s performance is reported in our Transparency Report.
What is your position on doing business in Africa?
I am optimistic when it comes to doing business in Africa. Personally, I spent five years of my 16-year career in Nigeria between Lagos and Abuja. I have experienced the endless opportunities that are available in Africa. During my time in Lagos, I also had the amazing opportunity to work with teams from East Africa and other West African countries. I have seen the beauty of collaborations between different countries. We do however need to put in effort into making it easy to do business with each other, through infrastructure development and logistics.
What skills do you think leaders of the future are going to need?
Future leaders need technological intelligence, agility, empathy, resilience, cohesive collaboration, and emotional intelligence. With the world becoming more globalised, cultural intelligence becomes an important trait for a leader. Finally, self-leadership in holistic wellness as a leader.
Which female leaders inspire you the most, and why?
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. To me, she is more than a writer. Chimamanda goes beyond the borders of being a writer. Her writing influences the cultural, social, and political landscapes. This has made her a thought leader in many fields.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Physical address: Woodmead Estate Office Park, Building 13 Ground Floor, 1 Woodmead Dr, Woodmead Telephone: +27 11 254 0800 Email: jhn@ngubane.co.za Website www.ngubane.co.za
