Corporate Social Investment (CSI)
Corporate social investment is a vital part of our values, founded on our commitment to invest in the future growth of the African continent. Our robust approach to social investment also complements GIBB’s progressive Empowerment Charter, which ensures that transformation is embraced in the overall strategy of the company.
We recognise that our contributions through our holistic approach to social investment will make a difference – to the communities in which we are active; to our business and the visibility of our brand; and also to ourselves.
Our corporate social investment is particularly focused on the development of technical skills greatly needed to support the economic development agenda of Africa and her people.
We are proud to be accelerating CSI by implementing a national campaign for 2009/2010 that will reach as many fundamental areas as possible. We are embarking on a massive drive to change the lives of people in South Africa and hopefully we will help bring about meaningful change. By giving back, we commit ourselves to making South Africa a better place for all.
NATIONALLY
WETSA (Water Education Techniques South Africa).
GIBB is a proud sponsor of WETSA who take geoscience and water wisdom straight to learners in urban and rural schools and science education-centres across the country. The road show, consists of a 1.5 hour interactive geoscience presentation, featuring stunning visuals on a touch screen donated by GIBB, with authentic sound effects on topics like tsunamis, earthquakes and other weather wonders, as well as valuable water transfer schemes. WETSA also details careers in various science, engineering, technology and geoscience’s fields, allowing youngsters to interact with inspirational and motivational role models working in these industries.
GIBB HR Bursaries
We provide bursaries to help build the engineering and scientific capacity of the country. GIBB’s bursary scheme is available to staff as well as full time students wanting to pursue a career in engineering.
WESTERN CAPE
Thusano Learnership Programme.
This project operating from Stembele Matiso High in New Crossroads since 2005, is designed to introduce talented but disadvantaged learners to the world of engineering. The project selects schools where a need for additional, quality tuition in English, mathematics and science has been identified, assisting the learners involved by facilitating extra-classes, tuition and guidance in these areas, with the aim of preparing them for entry into tertiary education.
SAWomEng. (South African Women Engineering) focuses on identifying female mentors within GIBB to share work experience with female tertiary level engineering students. The mentorship programme focuses on establishing good relationships, guidance and assistance throughout various aspects of the student’s professional careers. The main aim of this programme is to increase the advancement and education of female engineers, increase gender equality and to address skills shortages by promoting progressive thinking.
EASTERN CAPE
Thusano Learnership Programme.
This was started at Walter Sisulu Technikon for the first time in 2008. 219 learners were sourced form surrounding schools. According to the matric results obtained, learners had a 96% pass rate with 48 Maths (A) exemptions and 24 Science (A) exemptions.
GAUTENG
Young Professionals Forum (YPF).
GIBB has been actively involved with the YPF of Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA), which consists of Young Professionals in the Built Environment under the age of 35 years, who are passionate about the engineering industry and are interested in ensuring the sustainability and promotion of the profession. The Forum involves the training and development of Young Professionals and will contribute extensively to an holistic platform for networking opportunities, geared at retaining young professionals, increase knowledge sharing, support, training, and various mentorship programmes.
CESA Job Shadow Day.
This initiative, which is undertaken in conjunction with the Young Professionals Forum (YPF), designed to introduce learners from previously disadvantaged communities to the wide-ranging opportunities within the engineering sector. On 21 July 2009, GIBB participated in the Annual CESA Job Shadow Day, by inviting the Diepsloot Secondary School in Diepsloot to the Johannesburg Office. Lize de Beer, Senior Engineer Traffic and Transportation to the BRT system, gave the learners an overview of the workings of the ReaVeya BRT System. The focus of the presentation was to demonstrate the duties of an engineer, onsite and in the office. The learners were also taken to one of the BRT stations in down town Johannesburg for a practical demonstration associated with engineers and what they do.
African Academy.
The African Academy was established to ease the shortage of trained draughts persons and reduce unemployment by enabling disadvantaged people to move into rewarding technical careers. This initiative has been supported by GIBB for a number of years. The Academy offers a range of qualifications, software training courses and skills programmes to cater for the needs of individuals and companies. Priding itself on its exceptional pass rates and placement of students in employment. GIBB supports the Academy financially, as well as by enrolling employees in relevant developmental courses.
HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVES
REFILWE
Refilwe, a Tswana word, meaning ‘Gift’, is a community incentivised project formed in 1991 offering professional nurse and health care clinics to meet the needs of the people in various communities. Today, the Refilwe Community Project is a multi focused, registered non-profit and public benefit organisation serving the communities within Johannesburg. GIBB is actively involved in the refurbishment of the living quarters for displaced and abused women and children. The home trains their inhabitants to become self sufficient and places abandoned and orphaned children into safe foster homes.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
Habitat for Humanity South Africa is a non-profit organisation that actively partners with community groups and similar organisations to help address the identified housing needs within townships and informal settlements. Habitat for Humanity assists with the building of RDP homes within these identified communities. GIBB will be actively involved in the Western Cape and Gauteng regions respectively.
MANGER MISSION
Another outreach programme we will be paying close attention to is Manger Mission, a care centre on the East Rand of Johannesburg, providing safe living conditions for displaced, homeless and abandoned people. During our recent move, we donated furniture to this worthy cause.
MES
On 23 July 2009, one of the coldest recorded evenings this winter, GIBB arranged for the donation of 625 blankets to an extremely impoverished Hillbrow community. The donation was made via Metro Evangelical Services (MES), a registered non-profit organisation which has for the past 23 years been providing food and other basic necessities to the homeless and destitute community in the Johannesburg inner city. Some of GIBB’s Sunninghill staff members accompanied MES to hand out blankets and serve soup and bread at three inner-city handout points. This is just one way that, with GIBB’s co-operation, MES was able to live up to its own vision: ‘To change the heart of the city.’
