Corporate social investment report
OVERVIEW
Our retail brands and manufacturing businesses support the Group's commitment to working towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to realise a better and more sustainable future for all. Our corporate social investment ("CSI") projects are aligned with the Group's purpose and mission, strategy and material issues, and are a combination of structured and ad hoc projects that arise from community needs in the areas in which we conduct our business. The common thread is to achieve shared value for the Group and our local communities. Most of our projects fall within the spheres of education, sports and environment.
Ceramic Industries
In the year under review, good progress was made with our CSI programmes in our communities in the Vaal, Hammanskraal and Krugersdorp.
Our educational projects covered the spectrum, from early childhood to employment level and enterprise development.
As part of our early childhood development Read for Meaning programme, Ceramic orchestrated a teacher training session for early care education practitioners at the Boiketlong Catholic School and Setlabotjha Primary School, aimed at addressing the literacy gap within township-based early care centres.
Our Vitro and Support Centre employees helped transform the Bona Lesedi Early Care Centre, establishing a mini-library, providing essential equipment to facilitate the addition of a new classroom, and donating therapeutic educational toys. This crèche is adjacent to Lebohang High School, where some of the top achievers were previously young learners at the crèche. Lebohang High School is also one of our five TRAC Maths and Science partner schools.
Our flagship Maths and Science TRAC programme, aimed at encouraging young people to consider and prepare for careers in science, maths, engineering, and technology has had tremendous success for our 10 partner high schools. Established in 2019 in Hammanskraal, the programme has expanded to the Vaal. Through TRAC we assist the schools with highly experienced facilitators and equip mathematics and science learners in Grades 11 and 12 with calculators and study guides. The programme also ensures each matric learner is assisted with applying to three higher learning institutions and accessing bursaries and to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. More than 1 500 of our TRAC Maths and Science learners over the past five years have gained admission to higher learning institutions, with some having been absorbed in our Company apprenticeship programmes.
Ceramic's Career Awareness and Factory Visit Week was hosted by Betta Baths and Betta Sanitaryware. At the Mogale City Naga Lipudi Career Centre, our technical team and engineers educated the TRAC 2023 learners about careers in manufacturing baths and bathroomware. Each day concluded with an informative factory tour. Since its inception in 2016, the programme has directly benefitted over 1 000 students from local secondary schools.
Our support for bridging the gaps in under-resourced schools extends beyond TRAC's traditional classroom activities. Our Vaal Triangle factories hosted visits for more than 200 learners from our five Vaal partner high schools namely, Eskowazi, Mohloli, Lekoa Shandu, Maxeke and Lebohang. Calculators and study guides were also provided to each learner.
We recently established our Enterprise Development Pilot programme for Tilers and Transporters with the aim of incubating and supporting small and medium enterprises to drive economic growth and social inclusion, by creating opportunities for their sustainable development in Hammanskraal and the Vaal. In our Hammanskraal programme, 41 beneficiaries, comprising 14 transporters and 27 tilers, graduated from the programme, which delivered an impressive average revenue growth of 198%. We have also recently launched our Vaal programme with three prospective beneficiaries in the construction and fabrication sector. The beneficiary businesses of both programmes are 100% black-owned.
Notably, seven of the Hammanskraal graduates progressed to our Supplier Development programme, designed to offer support and resources to assist fledgling businesses to overcome regulatory and other barriers and achieve sustainable growth.
MANDELA MONTH PROJECTS
For the annual Ablution Dignity Project, Samca Wall, Samca+ and Ceramic's factory shop employees, partnered with Mammotse Primary School in Hammanskraal, Gauteng. All the tiles, toilets and basins used in the project are manufactured by our factories. Our team, which incorporated our Tiler and Transporter Enterprise Development beneficiaries, revamped the school's bathrooms, ECD class and playground.
Ceramic continued to partner with the Sedibeng District Academy at the Ulusha Elite Sports Centre, Vereeniging, to upgrade the previously dilapidated centre to reach more youths, introduce additional sports and help develop future sports stars. Ceramic has donated tiles, bathroomware and construction labour to the ongoing project. Today, 150 male high school student-athletes attend the institution. Ceramic is also currently helping to further revamp the facility to accommodate young female soccer athletes.
Employees from Pegasus, Vitro, Gryphon and Support Centre helped to clean the newly renovated facilities and raise funds for soccer kits for the academy's youngsters. We also participated in a 67-minute charity soccer game, which Team Pegasus won. Pegasus made a R10 000 donation towards the sports kit fund, which earned them the title of Champions of the 2023 Ceramic Industries Employee Community Involvement Programme.
Ceramic is an active participant in the Sedibeng District Municipality Air Quality Implementation Task Team, working collaboratively with the municipality and surrounding communities to address air quality concerns transparently. In 2023, the municipality approached the company for support with equipment for their Expanded Public Works programme project, aimed at clearing illegal dumping sites and enhancing cleanliness in local townships while creating employment opportunities. We donated 300 rakes and T-shirts to aid their efforts.
The Group has played a significant role in addressing period inequality over the years by distributing new, environmentally-friendly reusable sanitary pads on an annual basis. Each year during Women's Month, Ceramic combines these efforts with a confidence-building programme for girls who have started menstruating.
At the two-day roadshow, students from the 10 TRAC Maths and Science schools in the Vaal and Hammanskraal participated in an immersive, internationally recognised workshop with qualified instructors. The students also received care packs and educational literature.
Italtile Retail
2023 was the sixth successful year of the Italtile-University of Pretoria Student programme, a collaboration between Italtile and the University of Pretoria's Marketing Department. Third-year students participated in a series of modules developed to test their marketing, branding and sales promotion knowledge through practical challenges. Prizes were awarded for Best Groups, Top Student and Highest Marks. The warmest applause was for the 89 students who won internships at Italtile showrooms. Through this programme, Italtile and the university demonstrated the rich rewards of collaboration between the world of work and the domain of academic study.
The Little Optimist Trust is an organisation that focuses on uplifting and supporting marginalised children. Italtile Retail has been a proud sponsor of the Little Optimist Boat Race since 2018. This year, the event enabled 50 at-risk youths to experience the V&A Waterfront, the Two Oceans Aquarium and learn how to sail.
Italtile Retail and ITD partner with marine biologist, Dr Sara Andreotti of Stellenbosch University, on the Italtile SharkWise project. Italtile supports Dr Andreotti's extraordinary work, helping to fund her students and raise awareness of the importance of a working ocean ecosystem. Our valued customers make a meaningful contribution when they purchase an ITD Tivoli tap: for every Tivoli tap purchased, R2 is donated to the fund. The total sponsorship raised to date is R469 618.
Over the past two years, the Trust has also coordinated an extensive renovation at the Astra School for physically disabled children in Montana, Cape Town. The school caters for 300 learners with special education needs and disabilities, 45 of whom stay in the hostel. The R1 million project included the complete revamp of the school's bathrooms. The project was successfully concluded with the collaboration of Italtile Retail, the Italtile Foundation, AMF Construction and Flyfleet, as well as the Back a Buddy campaign. All tiles, baths and basins - valued at over R340 000 - were donated by Italtile stores across the country. The Italtile Foundation contributed funds towards the labour costs.
Partnerships with The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa ("WESSA")
Through our sustainable LiveGreen mandate, we partner with like-minded eco-conscious businesses and sustainability pioneers. This year, we worked with WESSA during its immersive learner education programme at Reshomile Primary School in Diepsloot, Gauteng. The activities were designed to contribute to National Water Week, encouraging children to put water conservation at the heart of each day. On the final day, artworks created by the learners, focusing on a water conservation theme, were showcased. A community clean-up was held and the programme concluded with the art competition prizegiving.
To celebrate Africa Day, the students of Phomolong Secondary School in Gauteng presented a beautiful cultural showcase of South African traditional dance and clothing. The outdoor event extended to the vegetable garden created by the learners, where they recycled and painted tyres to double as planters for the medicinal plants and herbs that WESSA introduced to them. In support of the eventful day, we contributed to the vegetable garden.
Ctm
CTM's Pad Dignity Drive project, in collaboration with our implementation partner, distributed 1 700 new reusable biodegradable sanitary pads to girl learners. As part of the initiative, the girls were afforded the opportunity to engage in a safe, accepting environment on the subject of menstrual health, the reproductive system, the various menstrual products available and puberty.
As a leading retailer of tiles and sanitaryware, our business is committed to restoring dignity and enhancing learning conditions through improved sanitation for schools in need. Umthambeka Primary School in Tembisa, Gauteng, was selected as the recipient of the 2023/24 CTM Bathroom Dignity Drive project. We renovated four bathroom blocks and a double classroom that also serves as the school hall. CTM has pledged to improve sanitation and hygiene in schools, one school at a time.
Arbour Month is celebrated each year in September, with activities dedicated to planting indigenous trees and raising awareness of the environmental and social benefits that trees provide. In support of this important initiative, CTM, in partnership with WESSA, held an Arbour Month Challenge, whereby all CTM stores were encouraged to plant 10 trees each, to reach the goal of 1 000 trees planted by the CTM network.
We hosted the fourth annual Champions Cup at the CTM sports fields in Thohoyandou and Meadowlands in Soweto. These events promote health and fitness among the youth and raise awareness of the CTM sports fields for use by local communities. Sixteen schools each from Thohoyandou and Soweto participated and each participant received a new sports kit, shoes and related equipment. Tshivhulana Primary School (netball) and Pfunekeni Primary School (soccer) were the overall winners for Thohoyandou. The winners from Soweto were Sapebuso Primary School (netball), Shomang Primary School (soccer), Kwadedangendlale High School (netball) and Dr Beyers Naude Secondary School (soccer). The victorious schools each won R20 000 to address a critical need in their schools.
CTM Empangeni, in partnership with the Italtile and Ceramic Foundation and Dreamfields project, were proud sponsors of the Umbonambi Primary School's Under 13 girls' netball team. After being crowned provincial champions in May 2024, the young athletes from KwaZulu-Natal showed impressive talent and determination to win the SA Schools Netball National Championships in July. Having progressed from third place in 2023, the new champions demonstrated how unwavering passion for their sport, dedication and teamwork paid off.
CTM and Ceramic Industries partner with the Stop Rhino Poaching foundation to support rhino conservation in South Africa. Our commitment to protecting this endangered species is demonstrated by the donation of R5 per box for each box sold of selected Kilimanjaro tiles. Since the inception of our partnership, over R6 million has been donated to fund the foundation in its frontline fight against poaching.
TopT
Our charitable contributions to a range of worthy causes are centred on giving back to the communities we trade in, aimed at fostering community well-being and relationship building.
TopT Ga-Rankuwa, Gauteng, has formed a collaborative partnership with a local NGO and the Department of Social Development in the area to address the pressing issue of crime. Together, we have set up a range of sports activities, including athletics, aerobics, soccer and netball, with a specific focus on youths. The shared view is that sport is a positive influence to prevent youth crime, by providing structured, supervised activities that instil discipline and occupy free time, reducing opportunities for delinquent behaviour. The goal is to provide a sense of belonging, positive peer influence and mentorship for the youngsters.
Following the opening of our new store in Nzhelele, Limpopo, we formed a valuable partnership with the local municipality to arrange an impactful soccer tournament aimed at nurturing the talents of young players, while building unity among community members. This tournament served as a platform to empower these promising athletes, providing them with opportunities to showcase their skills and foster a sense of pride and camaraderie.
The local community centre in Atteridgeville, near our TopT store in Mabopane, is a vital hub for the community, accommodating learners receiving after-school lessons and artisan training, hosting various community events and providing crucial services, including counselling and medical check-ups. Our project to paint the centre to create a more welcoming and vibrant environment brought together volunteers and local artists, fostering a spirit of unity and enhancing the centre's role as a cornerstone of community life.
At TopT Rustenburg, North West, we partnered with Total to support a local school sports tournament, providing essential resources and sponsorship to ensure the success of the event and create an enriching experience for the learners. This investment in local sports promoted a spirit of teamwork and healthy competition among the young athletes, and highlights the positive impact of community partnerships.
In partnership with a dedicated NGO, our TopT Vanderbiljpark store in Gauteng contributed R44 000 to purchasing Christmas hampers for the Sibonile School for Visually Impaired and Disabled Children, helping to uplift the learners' spirits and create memorable experiences for them.
In the Eastern Cape, TopT Matatiele, donated 320 pairs of school shoes and socks, lunch boxes and water bottles to needy children at a local primary school, while our store in Lusikisiki demonstrated its commitment to community welfare by distributing over 50 blankets to local residents, providing comfort for the winter season.
Also helping to keep the cold at bay, TopT Tzaneen, Limpopo, donated school jerseys to the learners of three local schools, demonstrating in a modest, but meaningful way, our support for education and making a positive impact on the lives of young learners.
Corporate sponsorship
The Group is a Platinum Partner of the National Sea Rescue Institute, the local voluntary non-profit organisation whose mission is to save lives through drowning prevention. Since 2014, through its annual contributions, the Group has assisted with rebuilding and equipping several bases around the country and donated materials for the renovation of others.
