Fluiconnecto is proud to announce that our South African team achieved the highest level of a compliant contributor: Level 1, of the National Government BEE Certification Accreditation.
For many years, our Fluiconnecto South Africa unit has been a committed participant in the South African government’s plan: Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE). BEE is an integrated and coherent socio-economic process that has direct impact on the economic transformation of South Africa. The main purpose of this legislation is to improve the economic participation of previously disadvantaged individuals in the South African economy.
Starting at a Level 4, we have been steadily improving every year. When the news came in 2020 that Fluiconnecto South Africa went from a Level 4 to a Level 2, our teams were very proud and pleased with their efforts. It was undoubtedly a great improvement and a testament to the hard work put into staying consistent with our Group’s corporate values, which are based on the principles of inclusion, empowerment and growth. During these last 4 years, our team in South Africa, together with Fluiconnecto Global and the MRI Group, have invested several efforts to earn the necessary points for a Level 1.
In South Africa, BEE audits typically take place in November, but our team felt so confident with the improvements implemented that they requested to have the audit a couple of months earlier. Unsurprisingly, the improvements were substantial and the highest level: Level 1, was awarded.
The BEE certification process is very rigorous and thorough. It evaluates five main elements: Ownership; Management Control; Skills Development; Business and Supplier Development; and Socio-economic Development. The activities implemented by our organization included: structural improvements to our data registry, increasing our community development projects, developing and training our employees, embarking on skills programmes and learnerships with previously disadvantaged and disabled youth and enriching our document management processes. With these improved efforts, Fluiconnecto South Africa managed to achieve its goal.
Even though the achievement of the certification Level 1 has been very recent, Fluiconnecto South Africa has already experienced positive opportunities and new business doors are opening. This is because in the sectors where our company operates, compliance with this policy is a commercial imperative and just like us, our customers are also driven by equal opportunity initiatives.
It has taken 4 years to progressively reach this milestone, which has required not only team efforts but also changes in some of our processes and strategic decisions. Today we celebrate as a company and a team and are committed to continually strive to maintain this rating and KEEP IT RUNNING.