Collaborative partnerships between the private, public and development sector has the potential to create great impact and momentum to effect change in our country. One such example is a recent project that saw four companies get together to support 30 SMMEs on their development journey towards growth in the chemical industry.
Intertek, a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide, made an enterprise development contribution through SAICA Enterprise Development (ED), a national entity under the Learning and Development unit at SAICA, to host an advisory board session for the SMMEs on the CHIETA Business Development Programme.
About the programme
CHIETA (the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority) contracted The Hope Factory, also an entity under the Learning and Development unit at SAICA, to implement a 12-month business and finance development programme for 30 SMMEs within the chemical industry, which commenced in October.
The programme focuses on individual and business development that contributes to improving the living conditions of the business owner and driving local economic growth at a community and industry level. The aim is to assist these SMMEs to access new market opportunities and access funding to grow their businesses in the chemical industry.
Multi-level partnerships for impact
One of the mandates from this CHIETA-sponsored strategic project is to ensure multi-level stakeholder partnerships to the benefit of the chemical industry and more specifically the growth of SMMEs in the industry. Intertek’s enterprise development contributions enabled SAICA Enterprise Development to offer a value-added service to the SMMEs. The SMMEs presented their business cases to a panel of advisors who analysed and assessed each providing professional advice according to their area of expertise in business.
Says Jolandi Snyders, Senior Business Development Manager for The Hope Factory: ‘The exponential development effect that is seen when industry (Intertek) collaborates with the development sector (The Hope Factory and SAICA Enterprise Development) powered by the public sector (CHIETA) is profound and has the potential to catalyse lasting economic growth not only for the SMMEs but for the industry and our country. We are grateful to companies like Intertek that choose to partner with organisations like SAICA Enterprise Development to ensure intentional SMME development.’
This platform offered Intertek the opportunity to support the growth and development of each of these SMMEs, which was evident in the feedback received by the SMMEs.
Thobeka Mkhwebane, Human Resources Business Partner (Skills Development and BBBEE) for Intertek, says: ‘It has been absolute pleasure partnering with SAICA ED, CHIETA and The Hope Factory on the Enterprise Development Project. I was extremely impressed by the range of business cases presented by the SMMEs; the ED sessions were indeed fruitful and inspiring. At Intertek, we have a very clear purpose – to bring quality, safety and sustainability to life. The ED project allows us to play a role in creating sustainable growth in the local economy and truly make a positive impact in the community. We are proud to help our local SMMEs Build Back Ever Better in the challenging business landscape.’
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Author
Jolandi Snyders is Senior Business Development Manager at The Hope Factory and SAICA Enterprise Development
