William HughesImpahla Clothing
About the organization
• Privately Owned, African, garment manufacturing and branding company based in Cape Town, South Africa.
• Supplier to world class brands such as PUMA AG (the first World Cat Strategic Supplier in South Africa).
• Sales Turnover of just over Euro 2 million.
• Dec 2009 employee population of 176 employees (up from 88 in 2008).
About the organization
(- continued)
• The first Carbon Neutral Garment Manufacturer in South Africa due to an effective carbon foot printing exercise by Carbon Calculated, and an off-set partnership with Food & Trees for Africa.
• Recipient of a 2009 Sustainability Reporting Award (runner-up) from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Identifying stakeholders
• Brainstorming session.• List all individuals and organizations that have any contact with
or influence over your business, or who your business can impact.
• Examples: – Employees– Customers– Suppliers– Unions– Bargaining Councils– Government– GRI
Prioritizing key stakeholders
Issues to consider• All stakeholders are important, although
some are ‘more important’ than others.
• Identify your ‘Most Material Issues’.
• Identify key stakeholders who can impact, or are impacted by, your MMI’s.
Prioritizing key stakeholders
Issues to consider (- continued)• Rank stakeholders in order of importance.
• Identify the stakeholders-specific MMIs.
• Find common ground.
• Focus on these issues for the benefit of all concerned.
Dialoguing with stakeholders – how?
• Regular structured meetings.• Ad hoc informal gatherings.• Conferences.• Award Ceremonies.• Listening to…not just ‘talking at’…stakeholders.• Sharing of information…all information deemed ‘material’.• Effective sustainability reporting.
Dialoguing – Fundamentals
• Transparency.• Openness.• Honesty.• 3rd Party Interventions.
Main challenges and lessons learnt
• Time.
• Inexperience.
• Stakeholder buy-in.
• Keep it simple and flexible.
• Involve as many stakeholders as possible in the process.
• Tell it as it is.
• The importance and benefits of improved communication, particularly with employees and customers.
Conclusion
• Thank you all for listening
• Impahla Clothing would appreciate feedback on all matters relating to Sustainability Reporting.
• Please direct to [email protected]