Gijima improves BBBEE status

South Africa based Gijima Holdings, the JSE-listed information and communication technology company, has improved its BBBEE status from AA level 3 to AAA Level 2, following a verification process conducted during November and December 2011 by Empowerdex, the SANAS Accredited independent rating agency.

Gijima’s improved rating comes as a result of progress made in various areas, including procument procedures, ownership, employment equity, socio-economic development, skills and enterprise development.

The improved scorecard puts Gijima’s procurement recognition level at 125%; it will also contribute to existing and prospective clients’ BBBEE scorecards.

“We will continue to strive to realise the company’s full vision of broad-based black economic empowerment, and will continue to focus on transformation at all levels in the organisation to ensure that we achieve the maximum possible.

We are committed to developing an organisation that supports equality amongst all employees, and we will continue to deliver world-class ICT services and solutions to our clients,” said Michael Ferreira, Gijima Human Resources: Managing Executive.

The company has a combined black shareholding of just over 46%, a 60% black representation at board level and 40% at executive management level.

Gijima currently spends more than 30% of its total measured procurement spend with  black-owned enterprises, and 20.49% on enterprises owned by black women.

“BBBEE is supported and practised within all we do, further showing our commitment to fostering sustainable empowerment among our clients, suppliers and employees. Affirmative procurement is concerned with the sourcing of goods and services from historically disadvantaged categories of society, with a view to equalising market accessibility for them in order to ensure their meaningful participation in the mainstream of the economy,” says Ferreira.

Staff writer