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BLUE LABEL
INTEGRATED ANNUAL REPORT 2017
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Social practices
The Group continues to strive towards
implementing sound initiatives aimed
at creating a positive work environment
aligned to the Group’s strategy and
transformation agenda. These initiatives
embrace learning and development,
talent management, social upliftment
and health and safety.
Learning and development
The Group continues to adopt a
targeted approach to learning and
development. Staff are able to
participate in learning and development
opportunities in order to enhance their
skills set and addressing development
needs in the workplace. The latter is
particularly evident in the technology
division where the demands on technical
skills and knowledge evolves at a
rapid rate.
Staff utilise the Mytrack online portal to
access all product-related materials and
updates. To ensure that staff keep
abreast of product development, they
are required to complete one product-
related module per month, the progress
of which is accordingly monitored.
Other internal initiatives focus on
developing middle and senior
management. Programmes, facilitated
by external professional coaches,
cover leadership skills, effective
communication, motivation, conflict
resolution and strategic thinking.
In line with the revised B-BBEE
scorecard, the Group allocates funds for
the development of skills among black
people. In a targeted approach, Blue
Label has selected entrepreneurs from
the informal sector, as beneficiaries of
this initiative. In partnership with ESpaza
Sum, a level 1 rated B-BBEE company,
and Bytes People Solutions, 26 spaza
shop owners in Mamelodi undertook an
accredited training course on how to
transform a spaza shop into a thriving
business.
The Group has also partnered with
Repassen 18 to offer unemployed
youths an accreditation opportunity in
the New Venture Creation learnership,
which is registered through the Services
Seta. Currently there are 30 students
registered on the programme. On
completion of the course in August
2018, learners will not only have a
qualification, but also skills sets
appropriate for establishing and
operating their own ventures.
Learnerships
Blue Label invests in learnerships,
recognising this as an opportunity to
develop relevant skills for its resource
pool. Currently there are 38 learners
(2016: 14), 10 of whom are alumni of
the Boys & Girls Club of South Africa,
our flagship CSI project. Learners are
registered with various SETA’s ranging
from financial administration,
technological and systems support,
end-user computing and contact centre
certification.
Enterprise and supplier
development
The Group supports three Enterprise and
Supplier Development Initiatives.
1. ESpaza Sum
In addition to the development skills
training referred to above, the
Group provided financial support
and expertise to ESpaza Sum for the
refurbishment of the 26 spaza
shops, the establishment of an
effective buying group and the
installation of a low cost, high
impact, POS system. These outlets
have now become the shopping
destination of choice for many
residents in Mamelodi and within a
nine-month period, have reported
an increase in total turnover
amounting to R14 million. We have
also been able to secure the supply
of prepaid products and services to
these shops on an exclusive basis.
2. The Marvellous Company
The Group outsources services such
as the staff canteen and a car wash
facility, to The Marvellous Company,
which is level 1 B-BBEE rated. During
the year the Myfitness initiative was
piloted, which aims at utilising
technology to measure healthy
lifestyles. A formal launch will be
held later in 2017.
3. Zok Cellular
The Group provides financial and
strategic support to budding
entrepreneurs through ZOK’s retail
container project. It is intended for
the participants on the New Venture
Creation learnership programme to
graduate to the ZOK Cellular
business of operating retail outlets.