The Border-Kei Chamber of Business (BKCOB) have published the fourth edition of the Corporate Social Investment (CSI) booklet, an initiative which aims to bridge the gap between the beneficiaries, business and other constituents of the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) sector.
The 2021 edition of the CSI booklet consists of 30 registered NGOs, which have been vetted for credibility by the BKCOB’s CSI Task team, a subcommittee of the Employment Relations Forum.
In its inception in 2014, the CSI booklet was produced in partnership with the Eastern Cape NGO Coalition, and has since been done purely within the Chamber, under the guidance of the CSI Task Team. The initiative was started with the aim of providing the private sector with a comprehensive document through which they can find credible organisations to support in their CSI initiatives.
Seven years later, the booklet still remains a vital source of information for any business / organisation seeking to support a local NGO.
With Covid-19 hitting the entire continent last year, the effects have been dire for both the public and the private sector, leading to huge cuts in funding, even for CSI spend. Consequently, many NGOs have had to either limit their operations, or close down altogether. The ultimate impact of this is that the main beneficiaries of CSI which include children, learners, and the elderly from disadvantaged communities, are left destitute.
In a province where over 50% of the population are dependent on social grants to survive, NGOs play an impeccable role in supplementing what income those households get, if any. This is why the BKCOB felt the need to update and make the CSI booklet available for business in order for the NGOs to have access to any form of funding which may be available.
The updated version of the Booklet is accessible digitally on the BKCOB website under useful links. Alternatively, you can go directly to www.bkcob.co.za/csi-guide/ to access the booklet.
Businesses are encouraged by the Chamber to make use of this resource, and to continue ploughing back to the community, as the wellbeing of society translates into the success of businesses themselves.
For further information on getting involved with the CSI projects of the Chamber, send an email to communications@bkcob.co.za.