South Pacific RBU
Our Community Investment Programme provides the overarching structure for our social commitment in this region. Particularly in Australia and New Zealand, it bundles our social Corporate Responsibility activities.
As a matter of priority, we give employees in the region the opportunity to get actively involved in all our social activities and demonstrate their high level of personal commitment.
From a corporate perspective, the Australian BOC organisation is the biggest sponsor of the Redkite initiative, previously known as the Malcolm Sergeant Cancer Fund for Children. Redkite is a national charity that provides children with cancer, and their families, with practical, financial and educational support – from initial diagnosis through the duration of treatment to aftercare.
We are the main national sponsor of the Redkite Corporate Quiz – the largest annual Redkite fundraising event. Our employees also provide voluntary support, contribute donations and participate in fundraising activities.
When it comes to safety, we like to lead by example. Activities include supporting the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) programme, which promotes road safety education among 16 and 17 year olds. RYDA fosters an increased awareness of traffic safety before learning to drive.
Studies have shown that driver behaviour as well as the accurate assessment of traffic situations and personal abilities can be shaped most effectively immediately before driving lessons.
Our support has enabled RYDA to expand its driver training programme in Australia and New Zealand, thus helping to increase road safety.
“Where there’s water …” is our programme for supporting national projects in New Zealand that promote long-term protection of the environment, especially water resources. This programme is spearheaded by our New Zealand employees and realised in collaboration with the New Zealand Water Environment Research Foundation (NZWERF).
The main aims of this initiative are:
increasing public awareness of the importance of water to the environment
supporting environmental awareness programmes for children
promoting and supporting local water protection projects
Africa RBU
As a major company with varied business interests in many parts of Africa, our Afrox subsidiary has always been committed to active involvement in local communities.
Our future is closely linked to sustainable development in the African communities in which we live and participate.
Afrox established its Community Involvement Programme (CIP) in 1995. This is the core of our social activities in the region and involves support and partnerships for human aid projects.
Afrox employees are the driving force behind these initiatives. They have founded CIP committees for the areas surrounding the various Afrox locations in South Africa and nine other African countries. These committees identify specific requirements in collaboration with the local communities and organise their aid operations accordingly.
We take great care to ensure that Afrox only teams up with reputable, non-profit, charitable organisations focused primarily on supporting disadvantaged children.
Employee commitment to our CIP has increased enormously over the last few years. Around 40 percent of our employees are now involved in the CIP, supporting 71 relief projects in 2006 resulting in the support of around 8,000 children.
Bumbanani Day is the highlight of our CIP, celebrated annually at all locations through employee-driven CIP projects. “Bumbanani” is a Zulu word meaning “build each other”.
Every year in October, Afrox employees enjoy special activities with their CIP children, such as excursions, music events, visits, picnics or games. Bumbanani Day has now become an established institution across South Africa, symbolising Afrox’s overall social commitment.
In accordance with the Afrox donations policy, we earmark a portion of our profit after tax for good causes. The recipients are selected by a donations committee, presided over by the CEO of Afrox. This committee meets on a quarterly basis and decides on the most worthy causes.
In keeping with its motto “investing in the future,” this initiative focuses in particular on “our children, their education and the environment.” Projects range from support for primary and secondary schools through preparation courses for future university candidates from socially disadvantaged backgrounds to grants for students in higher education.
Thandeka Ncinane runs the Ethambeni children’s home near George, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. She mainly takes in and cares for children who have been abused or mistreated.
Suddenly, she found herself in urgent need of help. In 2006, she lost her house following a cable fire and was left penniless overnight. When this reached the ears of the management team at Afrox, they immediately offered a considerable sum for emergency relief efforts.
The local CIP committee also took action, collected further donations and involved a nearby construction company in the aid work. Thandeka Ncinane’s house was rebuilt within just two months.
Afrox contributed around EUR 6,000 from its donation programme to enable the small South African community of Kalesonia to install a patented well. The well is designed as a playground roundabout.
The roundabout operates a pump as it turns, transporting clean groundwater from deep within the Earth through a wellhead to a reservoir seven metres above ground. The natural gradient provides the pressure needed to propel the fresh drinking water through a pipeline to taps, thus supplying the local inhabitants.
This innovative system is considerably more effective than traditional hand pumps. Sixteen rotations per minute can produce up to 1,400 litres of water per hour.
