SAICA'S CSI: A clarion call to participate
The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) will officially launch its key Corporate Social Investment (CSI) flagship projects on 12 July 2006.
In so doing it will give concrete expression to its commitment to serving the development and transformation needs of the accounting profession and society.
“The launch is a clear indication that the accounting profession wants to lead by example in taking CSI initiatives to a new participatory level,” says Chantyl Mulder, SAICA's Senior Executive: Transformation.
Mulder maintains that the initiatives are ideal vehicles to directly impact society and realise the profession's CSI objectives, which include transforming the profession, increasing economic growth, building relationships with key stakeholders and promoting the accounting profession.
The launch will be marked by two new websites, www.saicacsi.co.za and www.thehopefactory.co.za, devoted to SAICA's CSI initiatives to create further awareness of how members can participate.
The website, www.saicacsi.co.za, is part of SAICA's drive to play a leading role in the transformation of the business landscape, and to build on its successes in the current Thuthuka projects. Themed “I am succeeding because you are giving”, it highlights working together and the leveraging of resources within the accounting profession to positively influence society.
The launch is an effort by SAICA to ensure that the profession embraces its key CSI flagship projects – the Membership Giving Initiative, the Black Entrepreneurship Initiative and The Hope Factory Thuthuka Wealth Creation Project.
The Membership Giving Initiative enables SAICA members to contribute to the Thuthuka Bursary Fund, thus transforming the profession's membership demographics, both in terms of race and gender. This allows members anywhere in the country to be involved in CSI initiatives by donating resources and finance online. The advantage of the programme is that it will assist firms or members too small to run their own CSI projects to participate through the interactive website.
The Black Entrepreneurship Initiative provides mentorship, training and consulting advice to black entrepreneurs in areas of accounting, tax, regulations and administrative systems. Chartered Accountants [CAs(SA)] in particular will be encouraged to register online to become mentors to budding entrepreneurs.
The Hope Factory Thuthuka Wealth Creation Project focuses on training and job creation. Training is provided in technical skills (sewing, patternmaking and various crafts), business skills (entrepreneurship and small business) and life skills (such as communication, CV writing, and HIV/AIDS). Once learners have graduated, they can choose either to start their own business, seek formal sector employment, study further or join The Hope Factory Job Creation Project. Graduates manufacture corporate gifts and conference materials, which are sold to a wide range of companies.
Members can participate by either sponsoring the training of a learner; donating items required; or purchasing the products.
Through the website, www.thehopefactory.co.za, SAICA members and other interested parties will be able to order and buy corporate gifts online.
“The website will enable SAICA to take The Hope Factory mainstream as a one-stop hand-made corporate gift shop for the accounting profession,” says Mulder.
“Growing The Hope Factory's sales will facilitate increasing resources so that more young people could benefit from the project.”
In consultation with accounting firms and SAICA members, all the key CSI flagship projects are developed and directed by the CSI committee and the SAICA Board. The CSI Committee, made up of firms and member representatives, oversees the projects.
Mulder expresses confidence in the launch: “This will not only increase member pride, morale and involvement in the profession, but will promote the accounting profession to the public and communities as a socially responsible industry.”
