Last week Clover Mama Afrika was awarded the Trialogue Strategic Corporate Social Investment (CSI) Award which was received at the 2017 Trialogue Awards, held at the Southern Sun Hotel in Hyde Park. The Trialogue Strategic CSI Award recognises projects that exemplify best practice and aims to encourage CSI practitioners to think more strategically when planning and implementing their initiatives.
The Trialogue CSI Handbook has built a well-established reputation for providing comprehensive and reliable data and thought leadership on Corporate Social Investment (CSI) within South Africa.
Through the judge’s feedback, the key question is how the specific project links to the core business object. At an obvious level, there is a focus on cooking and baking in which milk is a core ingredient. At a deeper level, Clover is representative of a vast agricultural industry with deep rural roots, where far more work opportunities are afforded to men than women. Thus, the project addresses a gender issue, an economic issue and, moreover, a social issue in relation to wellbeing realised through participation in enterprises.
Prof Elain Vlok, Clover Manager Corporate Services and Founder of Clover Mama Afrika Trust explains, “The Clover Mama Afrika objective is “Ukwakha Isizwe”, which means “building and nurturing our nation. These remarkable women collectively care for over 14 000 children and 2 500 elderly people, many of which are abused, orphaned, homeless and vulnerable.”
During the awards ceremony the judges explained further, “the project is a mature one and is recognised by numerous partners within the dairy industry, thus enhancing its impact. This entry was the best example of developmental CSI, with some excellent leveraging to ensure appropriate company benefits in the form of employee engagement, strengthening of client relationships, BEE and brand development.”
Prof Vlok adds, “This is a prestigious award to win as it truly portrays that Clover Mama Afrika has set a strong and successful infrastructure that has proved to be a benchmark for CSI in South Africa. What a Way Better way to end off another proud year.”
