Each of the two days began with a plenary session, after which breakaway groups engaged on such issues as holistic community development, youth development, school-based solutions, enterprise support and project metrics.
The conference was opened by Cathy Duff of Trialogue, the conference organisers. She presented the results of Trialogue's annual research into CSI methodologies and effectiveness, which is conducted in 108 companies and 182 non-profit organisations. This was followed by a presentation on Partnering with Government by Louis Taylor, the director of Partnerships in Education at the Department of Education, and then by the keynote address, Innovation in Social Investment, by Dr Francois Bonnici, director of the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UCT's Graduate School of Business.
"Transnet, as a truly South African company, is keenly aware of its socio-economic development responsibility in the context of our developmental state," says the Transnet Foundation head, Cynthia Mgijima, "and we therefore take great pride in partaking at this conference. This event not only presents us with the opportunity to network and exchange ideas with other people working in the field, but also to showcase the wide ranging impacts of the innovative CSI work we're doing."
The Transnet Foundation, a specialist CSI unit of Transnet SOC Limited, invests over R180 million annually into social and community development projects nationwide.
"Addressing the vast needs in South Africa remains a daunting task. However, as Transnet we believe in making the greatest possible impact by identifying critical areas of need. Our attention is drawn into projects that will empower individuals to empower their own communities. By investing in our people and our institutions, we will create the foundation for economic success and sustainability in our country as a whole," concluded Mgijima.
For further information about the Transnet Foundation, go to www.transnetfoundation.co.za. For further information about the Trialogue CSI Matters Conference 2013, go to http://csimatters.co.za/.
