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communities, the enhancement of
skills and the delivery of services in
their mostly rural areas. These issues
are directly addressed by the
community channel, in focusing on
providing services, creating job
opportunities and stimulating
economic upliftment.
These opportunities provide extramural
stimulus for senior staff and enable
them to extend their knowledge,
mentoring reach and networks.
This provides the Group access to
talented individuals, while gaining
direct line of sight into academia,
where it may be able to offer and
receive learning.
During the period of the Group’s
intense acquisition activity, it deferred
a number of reach-out opportunities,
which will now be re-initiated, over
time.
Stakeholder group
Members of the media, including
journalists, reporters and editors
f
engaging with outsiders to our
business who may have difficulty
understanding our activities.
Nature of engagement
Briefings to media are held at the
interim and full-year results, followed
by Q&A. One-on-one interviews are
conducted on radio, TV and with print
and online journalists and editors.
Ad hoc
requests for interviews and
participation in panel discussions.
Daily media monitoring assists the
Group in understanding the reach,
interpretation and needs of this
stakeholder group.
Method of engagement
News releases are distributed to media
and news services both locally and
overseas, as per a database
maintained by the Company.
Print, online, broadcast and social
media monitoring is outsourced and
reports of coverage are received and
distributed daily among business
segments, as appropriate.
A media agency is engaged to assist
the Group in maximising its news-
worthy activities.
Future focus areas include enhancing
stakeholders’ understanding of Blue
Label’s acquisition strategy, in
particular Cell C.
Dialogue process and outcomes
Mid-cap companies do not readily
gain news coverage. To raise this
stakeholder group’s interest and
awareness of the scope of business,
products and services, media briefings
and trade visits were held throughout
the year.
Numerous interviews with Senior
Management resulted in articles being
published in the press, clips aired on
radio and TV, on subjects such as
profiles of the CEOs, Group financial
performance, various new products
such as ticketing and prepaid water,
and the acquisitions of equity in a
recapitalised Cell C and in 3G Mobile.
Management participates on radio
and TV at the release of interim and
year-end financial results.
This stakeholder grouping showed
significant interest in the Group’s
acquisition strategy this year, resulting
in management hosting a number of
interviews and group meetings with
a range of media members.
Stakeholder group
Government, regulatory bodies
and the public sector
f
we believe in partnering.
Nature of engagement
The Group regularly engages national
and local government, parastatals and
other public organisations through
various tender processes.
From a compliance perspective, the
completion and rendition of statutory
returns are undertaken diligently.
Blue Label is not a member of any
business or industry association or
national/international advocacy
organisation in which the Company
has positions in governance bodies,
participates in projects or committees
or provides substantive funding.
The Group occasionally consults the
Department of Labour and physically
lodges returns at the CIPC to expedite
registration.
Method of engagement
Formal personal meetings, written
communications and tender processes.
The Group takes cognisance of the
implications of the B-BBEE Codes of
Best Practice.
Meetings are held covering matters
such as health and safety, employment
equity, and the Codes of Best Practice.
The Group meets all its statutory
filing obligations in respect of the
Department of Labour, CIPC, SARS, etc.
Focus areas are determined on an
ad hoc
basis.
Dialogue process and outcomes
Our sound reputation is our licence to
operate and we therefore have to
uphold our stature with all
stakeholders.
During the year under review no
prosecutions were brought against
the Group for the contravention or
non-compliance of any laws or
regulations.
BLUE LABEL
INTEGRATED ANNUAL REPORT 2017
55
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