Accenture SA awarded level 1 B-BBEE status [Sponsored]

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has been awarded a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Level 1 status in South Africa under the Government initiative introduced to empower historically disadvantaged groups and boost the economy.

Following a successful B-BBEE verification process based on the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Codes by Empowerdex, Accenture’s investment on skills development programmes for black employees was cited as a significant contribution to the achievement of Level 1 status.

“Accenture’s programmes to identify, recruit and train historically disadvantaged individuals who show potential to develop their skills pre-date government requirements,” said William Mzimba, Chief Executive of Accenture in South Africa and Chairman of Accenture in Sub-Saharan Africa. “Since the government formalised its expectations of empowerment in the private sector, we have exceeded them – not by chasing after statistics, but by embracing the ethos and intent of B-BBEE. We’re proud of our commitment to empowerment and of the way we do business with suppliers, partners and customers, and we are pleased to receive the level 1 status.”

Between 2011 and 2016, Accenture contributed over R124 million to programmes such as Excelling in High Performance, an interactive learning experience designed to provide best practices and techniques to enable employees to develop their careers; Driving Stronger Performance, designed to improve performance of consultants with ethnically diverse origins by providing them with tangible resources; Future Leaders, designed to develop and grow the leadership of the future; Internship Programme in Technology, an initiative that immerses students in training and projects from their first months of joining Accenture, as well as retaining the best talent; and Inclusion and Diversity programmes that empower and provide equal opportunities for women.

Accenture’s commitment to empowerment in South Africa includes a 30 percent sale of shares in its South African business a few years ago to the Akha Trust, a vehicle established for the benefit of black employees. The company’s global commitment to South Africa has been further demonstrated through the broader organisation’s support of this initiative.

“South Africa’s human resource wealth remains largely untapped, so empowerment efforts in the area of skills development are crucial to grow the pool of skills available to the South African market. These must underpin all other empowerment programmes if they are to be sustainable and ultimately, this talent will sustain Accenture’s success as a high-performance business in South Africa. Whether it is equity ownership, executive management, employment equity or preferential procurement, no empowerment initiative would be sustainable without a solid foundation of skills,” concluded Mzimba.

About Accenture

Accenture (NYSE: ACN) is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialised skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With approximately 384,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives.

William Mzimba
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