The onset of the global Covid-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst for businesses everywhere to align their strategies to a more shared values approach.
"Now, more than ever before, big business has a critical role to play in ensuring that its strategies and operations are sensitive to the socio-economic challenges we face as a continent. Businesses with the best chance of sustaining growth and profit in an ever changing landscape are those who are actively involved in creating unique solutions to address the continent's most pressing issues. This, in addition to working collaboratively with a broad range of stakeholders to achieve real impact," says Maserame Mouyeme, Director of Corporate Affairs and Responsible Business at
As a signatory to the
The Group's comprehensive programme to generate shared value across the continent includes:
A multi-faceted Covid-19 Response designed to address the impacts of the pandemic through:
- The introduction of premium-free cover worth R4-billion for qualifying healthcare workers in
South Africa and Zim$2.2 billion inZimbabwe - Over R5 million committed to securing personal protective equipment (PPE) for essential service workers and its own 30,000 strong work force across the 13 countries in which the business operates
- Investments across the continent that focus on education, hygiene awareness and food security in excess of R50 million. This is in partnership with governments, business, labour and civil society.
R133.1 Billion invested across what the Group refers to as its "Responsible Customer Investment Life Cycle" which includes:
- Socially inclusive and resource efficient investments creating community upliftment
- Financial education and inclusion programmes designed to help empower customers and communities to reduce debt and increase savings.
- Investing in next generation education, including work currently underway to establish
Africa's Biggest Digital Classroom, which will bring learners, teachers, experts in the field as well as entrepreneurs together using the latest technology
"It is simply not sustainable for businesses to focus solely on commercial success and profitability anymore. However, clear and purposeful leadership is necessary to drive the shared value agenda in a way that moves it from the page to real and meaningful action. At
Copyright Old Mutual. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com)., source