ARTICLE BY: Gqeberha
PUBLICATION: Isuzu
PICTURE: Isuzu
As South Africa makes progressive strides towards social and economic transformation, ISUZU Motors South Africa is proud to announce a sustained transformation milestone, achieving a B-BBEE Level 1 (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) contributor status for three consecutive years.
As a leading and responsible corporate citizen in the automotive industry, the current Level 1 B-BBEE contributor certification demonstrates ISUZU’s continued commitment to driving the industry’s inclusive economic development and transformation. ISUZU’s leadership has deliberately aligned with South Africa’s transformation agenda and the objectives of the Automotive Production Development Programme (APDP).
“ISUZU remains committed to the growth and economic transformation agenda of South Africa. Our strategic plans continue to be implemented with a focus on driving initiatives that will further transform our business and our entire value chain. I’m proud to lead a company of team players committed to taking action to lead transformation in the automotive industry”, said Billy E. Tom, President of Isuzu Motors South Africa.
On ownership, ISUZU continues to actively participate in the Auto Industry Transformation Fund (AITF), established by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) under the stewardship of the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition. Regarding Management Control, ISUZU has a robust transformation-driven talent management strategy that focuses on key leadership and critical roles across all occupational levels, as outlined in the Employment Equity Act. Guided by these principles, the business focused on attracting key talent from top to junior management, resulting in ground-breaking senior leadership appointments. Adopting a two-pillar strategy, ISUZU is focused on the development of internal talent and the acquisition of external talent on the premise of balancing demographics, including gender diversity.
Mongezi Hermans, Senior Vice President of Human Capital & Corporate Affairs responsible for transformation, says, “Another key focus area for our business is our end-to-end skills development programme which is aimed at empowering not only our employees but the youth as the future workforce through leveraging the Youth Employment Service (YES) programme, all through targeted skills programmes and accredited training. This ensures maximum absorption of all our candidates when opportunities arise.”
This time around, ISUZU’s Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) element is the game changer in transforming suppliers up- and downstream while being deliberate in driving supplier and enterprise development initiatives. ISUZU leverages the Automotive Industry Transformation Fund (AITF) to drive supplier development and transformation by providing meaningful market access opportunities.