MESSAGE FROM ROBERT VENTER, ALTRON CHIEF EXECUTIVE STATEMENT
Transformation remains one of our Group’s key focus areas. Through our business operations and the supply of products and services, we play a role in supporting government and NGO initiatives and other players in programmes and projects identified to improve the lives of the people of South Africa.
While these are externally focused activities, we are equally mindful of our responsibility as a South African company to the upliftment of the previously disadvantaged members of our community, having embraced transformation in the early 1990s leading to our Vision 2010 manifesto which was published in 2005.
The recent publication of the BBBEE CoGP by the dti set goals and targets and are an extension of activities already taking place in the Altron Group. As such, Altron Group operations have adopted the codes, incorporating these in their strategic objectives and striving towards the achievement of BBBEE, thereby unlocking value for all stakeholders.
Following the adoption of the codes of good practice that brought about some certainty regarding transformation as seen by government, the Group’s Vision 2010 policies and targets have been aligned to these codes. This publication sets out the Altron guidelines and targets for transformation, following a five-year horizon for our Group, through to 2012.
Our transformation strategy is founded on an unwavering commitment to achieve a workforce representative of the demographics of our country, matching available skills and business requirements. Management is committed to ongoing monitoring of our progress against target with the codes providing the guidelines. This transformation strategy is driven by Altron’s Transformation committee (“Transcom”), a subcommittee of the Group’s executive committee, and board which includes representatives from the underlying operating companies.
To ensure a thorough understanding of the codes across the Group, Altron has embarked on an extensive programme to educate and train management and transformation practitioners about the codes. Implementation guidelines have been developed to assist the Group operations in meeting their targets against the scorecards for the different codes. At a senior level, transformation targets also play a role when assessing performance.
Overall the Group’s strategy for transformation, having adopted the codes, is to strive to achieve a superior contribution to BEE. This will see our companies target to achieve on average level 3 to level 1 contributions to BEE by 2012. The achievement of any goal does not happen overnight and requires balancing of resources in order to deliver the many outcomes expected by all stakeholders. There are many challenges to be faced, however, with the commitment of the Altron Executive and employees directly involved in the transformation process and the progress made over the past decade, I am confident that the targets will be achieved.
Robert Venter
Chief Executive