JSE-listed Gijima has improved its broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) status from level three to level two, after a rating process conducted between November and December.
The company says, in a statement, that the verification process was done by Empowerdex. The highest possible level is one, according to the Department of Trade and Industry's generic scorecard.
Gijima's improved rating is the result of improvements in its procurement procedures, ownership, employment equity, socio-economic development, skills and enterprise development.
The improved scorecard puts Gijima's procurement recognition level at 125%; it will also contribute to existing and prospective clients' BBBEE scorecards, it says.
Michael Ferreira, Gijima human resources managing executive, says: “We will continue to strive to realise the company's full vision of broad-based black economic empowerment, and will continue to focus on transformation at all levels in the organisation to ensure that we achieve the maximum possible.”
Gijima has a combined black shareholding of just over 46%, a 60% black representation at board level and 40% at executive management level.
The JSE-listed company spends more than 30% of its total measured procurement spend with black-owned enterprises, and 20.49% on enterprises owned by black women.
Gijima has also spent more than R6 million on skills development of unemployed learners and graduates from previously-disadvantaged communities through the MICT SETA - previously the Information Systems Electronics and Telecommunication Technologies Seta - Information Technology Business Learnership Programme, offered by Belgium Campus University of Technology.
This programme provides successful candidates with a National Certificate in Information Technology NQF Level 5 at the end of the 18-month programme. The company has employed over 200 learners who have successfully completed the internship programme since 2006.
Share