Social performance
Our people
Basil Read is making significant process in creating an equitable
working environment for its people and developing their full
potential. The group is committed to playing a role in South Africa’s
transformation beyond legislative compliance, and this commitment
guides our corporate social investment initiatives as we embed
sustainable development into every facet of our business.
Individual development, equality and performance-based
advancement are the cornerstones of our approach to employing and maintaining a balanced and highly skilled workforce. Accelerated
opportunities for talented people are steadily eradicating past
inequalities and ensuring a pool of skills for the continued growth
of the group.
High-performance culture
Given the enormous growth of Basil Read in recent years – with
a staff complement rising from 600 to over 5 000 since 2005
– a performance enhancement programme was introduced during
the year to continue building the sense of pride and passion that
characterises this group.
Capitalising on the football fever that will mark 2010, the strategic
focus of this League of Champions programme is to instil a
high-performance culture through teamwork across the group.
Working from established benchmarks, teams set goals for
November 2009 and then new targets for March 2010. Winning
scores are based on elements such as performance improvement,
meeting deadlines and team spirit – all of which will be rewarded.
The purpose is to align the broader group’s vision and instil an even
greater pride in the Basil Read brand.
Training and development
Based on the long-standing approach that continuous development
unlocks individual potential, numerous opportunities are extended
to every member of our group. Diverse, quality training by
accredited providers covers a broad range:
- Management development
- Learnerships
- Foreman development
- Adult basic education and training
- Other opportunities for personal development include
mentorship programmes, on-site technical training, and
international exposure.
Basil Read has one of the best plant teams in the field and this
reputation is protected by closely monitoring the comprehensive
training programmes in place for all mechanics and plant operators.
Collectively Basil Read spent 2,81% of the leviable amount as
defined by the construction sector scorecard on training and
development, well above the requirement of 1,5%. In meeting our
responsibility to transform the workplace, the group aims to spend
over 70% of our annual budget on developing the skills of
employees from previously disadvantaged backgrounds.
In addition to formal training programmes, the group often
undertakes informal training in local communities near our various
sites in skills such as bricklaying and carpentry. In Nelspruit, where
the Mbombela Stadium was being constructed, some 70 locals were
trained as bricklayers, carpenters and shutter hands. This included
30 women who were trained as bricklayers.
Skills development in Cosmo City
During the review period, Basil Read Developments took the
initiative by contracting a professional training company to
develop the skills of 20 candidates from Cosmo City. This is in
line with the need and desire to use local skills wherever
possible.
Training was conducted in five modules:
- Introduction to the world of construction contracting (completed in September).
- Health and safety (completed in September).
- Quality and productivity on a construction site
(completed in November).
The remaining modules were completed in January and
February 2010. |
Bursary programme
In addition, the Basil Read bursary programme supports a number
of students entering our fields of activity each year. Candidates
can choose from a range of disciplines including civil engineering,
quantity surveying, building and financial management.
In 2009, 44 young people enrolled at tertiary institutions received
assistance with tuition, registration and accommodation.
Quantity surveyors play an extremely important role in this
industry, but they are becoming a very scarce commodity. While the
quantity surveying industry seems to attract a large number of
black women, the challenge appears to be long-term retention of
these candidates. Basil Read is taking steps to encourage people in
this direction through its bursary programme, raising awareness and
on-site training to encourage people within the company to
become quantity surveyors.
Basil Read takes an active interest in the candidates’ progress,
arranging help if required, and providing vacation work to enable
students to gain practical experience while studying theory. On
completion, graduates are guaranteed positions in the group, which
ensures that the skills base is constantly replenished with new
talent.
| |
Field of study |
Male |
Female |
| |
BEng Civil Engineering |
19 |
3 |
| |
BTech Civil Engineering |
6 |
– |
| |
BSc Civil Engineering |
2 |
– |
| |
BTech Construction Management |
2 |
1 |
| |
BSc Construction Management |
1 |
2 |
| |
BTech QS |
1 |
1 |
| |
BSc QS |
– |
1 |
| |
BSc Construction Studies |
– |
1 |
| |
BSc Property Studies |
– |
1 |
| |
BSos Psychology |
1 |
– |
| |
BCom Financial Management |
1 |
– |
| |
NDip Building |
1 |
– |
| |
Total |
34 |
10 |
Developing foremen
Our programme for developing foremen provides specialised
education for learners who have passed grade 12. While addressing
the shortage of middle managers in our industry, this course also
empowers learners in other fields. The first two-year programme
was completed in 2009, giving Basil Read 12 new foremen with the
appropriate skills to deploy on various sites. The next intake began
in February 2010 with 15 participants.
In an attempt to uplift educational standards, representatives from
the construction industry met with the Department of Education
to examine ways of addressing skills shortages in the construction
sector. The industry pledged its involvement in the country’s
Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges.
As part of this commitment, Basil Read became involved with the
Tshwane South College in Atteridgeville, Pretoria in support of
their three year National Certificate (Vocational) course, which
comprises classroom work, as well as practical, on-site training.
The complete three year course carries a National Qualifications
Framework (NQF) level 4 certification, which is the approximate
equivalent of a junior foreman. Each successful year of study is
equivalent to one NQF level.
Basil Read provided funding for 10 students to start this course and
takes a group of students each year for the practical component of the course. Each student is assigned to a Basil Read site to gain a
better understanding of how the theoretical knowledge they are
acquiring is practically applied.
Going beyond the bursary
During the year, Basil Read extended its corporate teambuilding
approach and activities to its bursars. The group of
over 40 students attended a three-day team-building trip at the
Vaal River, learning to interact and form stronger relationships
while having a great deal of fun.
This team-building event follows the December road trip when
the students were taken to sites that best illustrated Basil Read’s
range of activities – Chris Hani/Baragwanath Hospital, Mbombela
Stadium and the Atterbury road site. The purpose was also to
encourage and motivate the students to take full advantage of
the opportunities available and emphasise the importance of
studies and day-to-day learning on the job.
To emphasise that Basil Read is not just a funder for tertiary
studies, but a participant in lifelong learning, students received
feedback on psychological assessments conducted earlier in the
year. Each student has also been assigned a mentor, which will go
a long way in their further career development at Basil Read.
|
Building and civil engineering learnerships
More than 150 technical high school graduates from in and around
KwaZulu-Natal have been specifically selected by Basil Read to
enrol in a Building and Civil Engineering learnership with the Training Force Construction Academy in Pietermaritzburg and
Durban. The first intake will commence with their studies in 2010.
To test the suitability of candidates, Training Force teamed up with
School Trade, an adopt-a-school programme. As a minimum,
applicants were required to have successfully completed
Mathematics, Science, Engineering Graphic Design and a Workshop
related subject at matric level. Technical high schools in the area
were also approached to recommend suitable candidates.
Through this learnership, the group hopes to prove that technical
high schools continue to play a pivotal role in the development and
nurturing of future tradesmen and women and assist in addressing
the shortage of qualified artisans in South Africa.
Adult basic education and training
In 2007, Basil Read implemented formal ABET (adult basic
education and training) courses. Working with accredited providers,
employees acquire communication, numeracy and life skills to
prepare them for learnerships and further education and training
courses. The courses are proving their worth to people with little
formal primary or secondary schooling as well as those who have
been out of the educational environment for some time.
Through training provider Triple E, the group selected 40
unemployed previously disadvantaged women from the community
to commence with ABET level one courses. The two-month
programme started in October 2009. Additional levels are expected
to be undertaken in 2010.
The group also has four ABET programmes running at various sites
for employees. These programmes began in September 2009 and
will continue through 2010.
Industrial relations
Basil Read enjoys sound labour relations. At all levels of
management, our people ensure they understand the company’s
industrial relations policies and procedures, and implement them
fairly and correctly.
Basil Read has strengthened its internal resources to effectively
manage industrial relations by forming a dedicated employee
relations wing. During the review period, this team has focused
on creating awareness of the responsibilities and rights of both
employer and employee on site, and disseminating information
about current trends and practices in the field to management. This
has been supplemented by formal courses on industrial relations
developments and legislation to encourage line managers to assume
greater, but informed, responsibility for these issues at site level.
Black economic empowerment and employment equity
Black economic empowerment remains a key focus area for
Basil Read, reflecting the group’s support for the objectives of the
Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act and associated
Codes of Good Practice.
As the group is already black-empowered at ownership level,
we are concentrating on the other elements that make up true broad-based economic empowerment, with immediate focus on
management control and skills development. As the construction
industry scorecard has now replaced the current dti scorecard for
procurement on construction projects, Basil Read’s targets have
been aligned to the former and our progress reported in the 2009
financial year.
Basil Read became the first truly black-empowered construction
company in South Africa in 2005, when 51,9% of the company was
acquired by a consortium of Amabubesi Investments and Metallon.
Although Metallon has since sold its stake, the latest shareholding
analysis shows that over 30% of the group is held by black
shareholders with unrestricted voting rights.
Basil Read has been fully committed to meeting its BBBEE
objectives since the inception of the dti scorecard, which preceded
the newly promulgated construction sector scorecard. After a
concerted effort to have our suppliers and subcontractors certified,
in May 2008 we achieved level 4 to become a 100% contributor.
This was well ahead of our target of achieving level 5 status by early
2009. Following significant acquisitions during the review period, the
focus has been on consolidating and standardising processes to
ensure that our level 4 status is sustainable before aiming for a
higher level.
As a level 4 contributor, Basil Read is well placed to participate in
large contracts for major parastatals and state-owned entities.
We understand, however, that broad-based black economic
empowerment is a journey, not an event. While Basil Read scores
well in the areas of ownership, preferential procurement, enterprise
and socio-economic development, we continue to face challenges in
management control, employment equity and skills development.
Our interaction with other construction companies shows they
face identical challenges, yet these are the very areas on which the
transformation of the local construction industry rests. We trust
that the promulgation of the construction charter as a legislated
sector scorecard will facilitate an industry-wide effort to accelerate
this process.
Specific and ongoing interventions are in place to ensure our group
plays a significant role in empowerment:
- A comprehensive employment equity and skills development
programme was implemented in 2009.
- More black directors were appointed at operational level in
2009, with the first appointment taking effect in March 2009.
- 34% of bursary students employed in 2009 are from historically
disadvantaged population groups.
- Of 12 employees who graduated from our internal accredited
management development programme, five were black.
HIV/Aids
This year marks the 21st anniversary of World Aids Day – and
in South Africa the response to Aids has ‘come of age’, with
government fully committed to reducing the spread of this
pandemic and providing effective treatment to those infected. While
many of these changes are positive, the fact that two decades have
passed highlights how much more still needs to be done.
Acknowledging the seriousness of HIV/Aids in South Africa and the
workplace, the Basil Read group continues to work towards being a
model in the marketplace and to positively influence customers,
suppliers and competitors in their response to this challenge.
Each year, Basil Read participates in the Aids Week Bannerthon
with banners enveloping head office, Mbombela Stadium, Chris
Hani/Baragwanath and Paarl Hospital in Cape Town. The bannerthon
concept enjoys ongoing support from South African businesses that
want to be involved in a meaningful challenge to address the real
threat of Aids to business and the economy. It creates visibility and
awareness during the annual international Aids Week while raising
funds for selected Aids orphan homes.
Enterprise development
Building on a proven approach of identifying and developing suitable
companies through assistance and mentoring, Basil Read is making
steady progress with initiatives focused on enterprise development.
BR-Tsima offers quality construction services to the North West,
Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces. Previously 100% owned by
Basil Read, the group transferred 80% of BR-Tsima to a BEE
consortium to facilitate the genuine and sustainable transfer of skills
and knowledge. Basil Read also contributed an interest-free loan of
R1,2 million for BR-Tsima to continue operations while securing
further contracts and a 50% share in a R50 million contract.
The group is helping Bokhomo Mpha (Pty) Limited become a
sustainable stand-alone enterprise in the civil engineering and
building market. This addresses all aspects of the knowledge and
skills required to operate a construction company, including
financial mentoring, management, estimating and project delivery. By
focusing on the genuine transfer of skills and knowledge we will,
over time, build sustainability and hopefully create a wholly
black-owned civil engineering construction company, able to
compete equally with the larger players in this market. |
