Banks has worked at ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ for over 10 years and is passionate about helping ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ customers drive innovation through the use of the latest technologies.

Mabotja is focused on cementing ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄β€™s commitment as an enabler and exemplar of purpose-growing awareness and scaling the impact of ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄β€™s purpose and sustainability offerings and initiatives.

In this episode of What’s Next, Banks and Mabotja discuss the importance of sustainability in the South African business space.

Banks begins the conversation by unpacking why South African businesses in particular should be concerned about climate change.

He then discusses the lack of appropriate legislation for how businesses handle climate change on the continent – noting that businesses that do not take climate change seriously face big challenges when trying to export their goods.

Mabotja explains how African businesses can begin their sustainability journeys so that they become responsible players in local and global markets.

She also unpacks the role that business leaders must play in leading efforts to build more sustainable organizations, and shares statistics in terms of how expectations are changing for these key stakeholders.

Banks then explains how ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ is a leading enabler of sustainability through its technology solutions, before Mabotja discusses what ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ is doing to reduce its own carbon footprint – both locally and internationally.

Both Banks and Mabotja close by outlining their three key takeaways that businesses should consider to accelerate their sustainability journeys.

The full interview with Colin Banks and Kwena Mabotja can be watched below.

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The post What’s Next β€” ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Experts on How South African Businesses can Accelerate Their Sustainability Journeys appeared first on ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Africa News Center.

β€œIn essence, sustainability is a resource management issue, and ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ has specialised in helping companies optimise their resources for more than half a century,” says Bolton. β€œThe challenge is to make sustainability profitable, and to make profitability sustainable. Technology provides companies with the opportunity to leverage technology and bring transparency to their operations through improved measurement of Environmental, Social and Governance KPIs across their entire value chain. This can help African enterprises identify areas for greater efficiency to bring business processes onto more sustainable paths.”

With a growing population that is expected to triple in size by the end of the century and relatively underdeveloped infrastructure, Africa is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Recent data also indicates thatΜύΜύunless there is a drastic change in business practices.

Enabling enterprise and SME sustainability

ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ takes a two-pronged approach to sustainability by acting as an exemplar of sustainable best-practices, and an enabler.

β€œAs a business that sits at the heart of global enterprise, ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ is uniquely positioned to enable more sustainable business practices for our customers,” says Bolton. β€œAs an enabler, ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ provides access to business networks and technologies that can help companies meet their sustainability targets while also driving profitability.”

ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄β€™s Ariba Network, for example, is the largest of its kind in the world, facilitating 5.3 million organisations to trade more than $3.75-trillion in goods and services per year while also bringing greater transparency to enterprise supply chains.

β€œWe are building sustainability capabilities into a broad range of our business solutions,” says Bolton. β€œThe ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Cloud for Sustainable Enterprises Portfolio gives business leaders access to a comprehensive suite of solutions that can be leveraged for quicker progress in achieving sustainability KPIs across their organisations, while the Sustainability Navigator provides an easy entry point into which solutions are most relevant to each customer’s sustainability efforts.”

Key solutions in ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄β€™s Cloud for Sustainable Enterprises Portfolio include:Μύ

• ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Product Footprint Management, a cloud-based application used to calculate product footprints periodically and at scale across the entire product lifecycle;
• ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Responsible Design & Production, which enables organisations to achieve their Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reporting obligations to governments and regulatory bodies accurately and on a global scale; and
• ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Rural Sourcing Management, a multi-faceted solution that connects value chains from the most vulnerable – for example small scale farmers or waste pickers – through to global agribusinesses and consumer product companies.

β€œCustomers can use the ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Sustainability Control Tower to set and track their sustainability KPIs using data pulled from ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ and non-ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ systems to harmonise sustainability efforts across every aspect of their business, from finance, HR and real estate to operations and procurement. Our sustainability dashboard gives decision-makers easily understandable information about their sustainability performance, with actionable insights that can help drive continuous improvements in an organisation’s sustainability efforts without sacrificing profitability.”

Every company potentially an exemplar of sustainable practices

ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ has made a global effort to be an exemplar of sustainability through leading by example in our own sustainable business operations and practices towards a net zero world. This entails achieving zero emissions through better carbon tracking and a smaller environmental footprint, zero waste through adopting circular economy principles, and zero inequality through balancing social responsibilities in its workforce, sourcing, and procurement practices.

ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ is currently on track to achieve carbon neutrality by 2023, two years ahead of its initial goal.

Kwena Mabotja, Global Director: Purpose and Sustainability Marketing at ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄, says ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ is considered as one of the global sustainability leaders due to its commitment to running its business sustainably. ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ has the products, people, partnerships and programs to drive sustainable impact at scale. β€œBringing Profit and Planet together. That’s Economics.”

β€œOur Corporate Social Responsibility practices improve access to economic opportunity, education and employment, and the green economy. Such programmes are supported by a network of social partnerships, employee engagement, social impact management and the technical and business expertise of our global workforce.”

Mabotja cites the impact of initiatives such as ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄β€™s Procurement with Purpose program as an example of how companies can be exemplars in creating economic equity as part of their core business operations to achieve zero inequality. β€œWe drive social and inclusive entrepreneurship by supporting social enterprises that are working to solve key sustainability issues by redirecting a set portion of our own spend their way. As part of our contribution to achieving net-zero waste, ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄β€™s local facilities team is also working to optimise water and electricity consumption at ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ offices using IoT and ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄β€™s Analytical Cloud. Data and insights gathered this way will be used to educate work-from-home staff to optimise water and electricity use at their own homes, further embedding sustainability across every level of our organisation.”

The post ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Closes Gap Between Sustainability and Profitability with Solutions for Africa appeared first on ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Africa News Center.

According to Ilka Wiskemann, ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Global HR Business Partner, participants in this year’s programme had to contend with the disruption of a global pandemic. β€œThis year’s participants showcased their ability to be agile and flexible in the face of immense disruption. The skills, tools and resources each participant developed over the past year was invaluable as they rose to the challenge brought by COVID-19.”

AFRIKA KOMMT! is a joint training initiative for young professionals from Africa that was founded in Germany in 2008. The programme trains young future leaders from Africa on-site at up to 19 leading German companies. The participating companies bear all costs of the programme and provide scholarships that cover the living expenses of all participants.

A total of 47 candidates participated in the latest programme, hailing from countries including Burkina Faso, Cameroon, CΓ΄te d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ chose eight candidates from this year’s talent pool.

β€œThe quality of applicants is increasing every year,” says Wiskemann. β€œIt’s incredible to see the talent that we can hire through the programme. For the first time, we also had more female candidates than male ones, with very strong female leadership potential in this year’s contingent. In a really positive sign, ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ has retained the skills of 88% of this year’s participants, and outstanding achievement considering the disruptive impact of the pandemic.”

Candidates adapt to disruption

One such candidate is Nigerian-born Taiwo Ladipo. After being accepted into the programme following a rigorous selection process, Ladipo headed to Bonn in Germany in August 2019.

β€œWe all took part in three months of intensive German language training before we left to join our companies, and visited different parts of the country to immerse ourselves in the culture. Arriving at the ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ head office in Walldorf was a truly memorable experience. And despite the sheer size of the campus, we were amazed at the warm and welcoming atmosphere and the culture of friendliness that ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ embodies.”

However, midway through this year’s programme it was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, forcing a change in format. β€œLuckily, many of the participants had already settled into their new roles when lockdown measures were first implemented. With a clear understanding of our roles and what is expected of us, we could quite easily continue working from home,” says Ladipo.

A software developer by trade, Ladipo joined the ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ SME innovations team after graduating from the programme. She now works in a team that develops new innovations to support small and medium-sized businesses.

Launchpad for long-term success

As a founding member of AFRIKA KOMMT!, ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ has employed a number of graduates of the programme over the past few years. Kwena Mabotja is one such graduate. The Mandela-Washington Fellow and current Director at ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Purpose and Brand Experience joined the programme in 2013 with a vision of helping African companies run better and become more successful.

β€œPrior to my time with AFRIKA KOMMT!, I had no previous exposure to the tech industry,” says Mabotja. β€œMy experience on the programme allowed me to develop an interest in technology, especially its potential to transform businesses in Africa through greater efficiency and scaling. Following the programme, I wanted to be part of the ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Africa growth story as it worked to support the success of businesses on the continent.”

While the programme does focus on technical aspects of the job roles each candidate is meant to fulfil, Mabotja believes its true value lies elsewhere. β€œNetworking is one of the most important aspects of the programme. Some of the people I met during my time in Germany have played invaluable roles in my career development, and greatly helped me find a place in the business where I could make a positive impact.”

Ladipo agrees. β€œYou need to use the opportunity to build leadership competencies, management skills and more, which all require interaction with a wide range of people. An amazing benefit of working at ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ is how accessible everyone is: you don’t need a special title or connection before reaching out to someone. There’s a culture of helpfulness and openness that makes it easy toΜύbuild great relationships.”

After eight successful programme intakes, AFRIKA KOMMT! continues to produce outstanding results with many of the participating companies taking on more candidates than before.

β€œFormer participants also continue to play a guiding role as mentors to new candidates,” says Wiskemann. β€œIn addition, the work over the past twelve years has laid a foundation for greater sustainable economic development and partnership between Germany and several African countries. We look forward to building on the success at our next intake.”

For more information about AFRIKA KOMMT!, please visit

The post Young African Professionals Make it Big in Germany appeared first on ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Africa News Center.

• Findings from recent CodeTheCurve hackathon by ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄, IBM, UNESCO to be shared via webinar on World Creativity and Innovation Day

ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ has launched the ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Purpose Network Live with a virtual discussion around Innovation for COVID-19. The ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Purpose Network Live is a virtual platform that connects change makers who are committed to addressing the complexity caused by COVID-19.

Kwena Mabotja, Regional Director for Purpose and Brand Experience at ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Africa, said: “The platform offers virtual conversations to connect with likeminded individuals, and stimulates the exchange of ideas to support the initiatives presented by various organisations in the hopes to lay the foundation for a more sustainable future. In light of the ongoing disruption and uncertainty brought by the global pandemic, discussions will focus on β€˜Innovation for COVID-19’ and will seek to highlight innovative thinking and ideas around how organisations can develop sustainable strategies for dealing with the fallout from the coronavirus.”

The ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Purpose Network Live focuses on specific themes, including Responsible Business, Health and Wellbeing, Everyday Heroes, Work from Home, and the World After COVID-19.

The platform is coming to the African continent. In the first Africa-led virtual session taking place on April 21st from 5:30pm-6:30pm CAT, the findings and insight gained from the recent CodeTheCurve hackathon that was co-hosted by ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄, IBM and UNESCO will be discussed.

β€œThe CodeTheCurve hackathon that was launched in early-April encouraged youth to use digital innovation to address the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mabotja. β€œRepresentatives of ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄, IBM, UNESCO and ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Africa Code Week will share insights into challenges related to youth skills development, youth innovation, responses to COVID-19 and how public-private partnerships can support the achievement of key sustainable development goals.”

The hosting of the first Africa-led virtual session coincides with the United Nations’ , which aims to raise global awareness of the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development.

Speakers for the virtual session include Alexandra van der Ploeg, ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Head of Global CSR; Sunil Geness, ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Africa Head of Government Relations; Mustapha Diyaol Haqq, Africa Code Week Youth Ambassador; Melissa Sassi, Global Head of IBM Z Global Student Hub and IBM Hyper Protect Accelerator; and Davide Storti, Coordinator of the YouthMobile Initiative at UNESCO.

Registrations are still open! Click to sign-up for the ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Purpose Network Live Platform and to join the conversation.

For more information, please visit .

ΜύVisit the ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ News Center. Follow ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ on Twitter at

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To all entrepreneurs, innovators, accelerators, experts and co-working spaces across the Silicon Savannah, from Nairobi to Lagos, Kigali to Accra: get your nominations in now and make sure you’re included in the first-ever Startup Guide Africa Series 2020, a project highlighting social impact in four of the continent’s most purposeful cities in East and West Africa!

Startup Guide, which was founded in 2014, is a creative content and publishing company that produces guidebooks and tools to help entrepreneurs connect with communities and resources.

Cathy Smith, Managing Director at ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Africa, believes that supporting the growth of a thriving startup ecosystem is a powerful means of fostering greater digitisation. β€œAs described in UN Sustainable Development Goal 17, partnership is a vital component to solving some of the defining challenges of our time. By fostering a stronger and more dynamic startup ecosystem in our key East and West African markets, we hope to inspire and equip a new generation of African innovators as the Fourth Industrial Revolution gathers pace across the continent.”

According to Sissel Hansen, founder and CEO of Startup Guide, those wishing to form part of the guides, or who know of a role-player that needs to be included, should submit their nominations now. β€œWe are calling on all entrepreneurs, innovators, hubs, universities, experts and contributors to the thriving startup ecosystems in Nairobi, Lagos, Kigali and Accra to submit their information and become part of an invaluable resource that connects local startups with communities and resources across the East and West Africa regions. In particular, we want to shine a light on the local success stories of companies and creators that are working towards making their cities thrive in impact driven entrepreneurship.”

Startup Guide’s global footprint covers some of the leading startup cities around the world, including London, New York, Berlin, Tel Aviv, and Stockholm. After launching in Cape Town and Johannesburg in 2019, Startup Guide has now shifted attention to the key innovation ecosystem players in Nairobi, Kigali, Lagos and Accra with the support of global partner ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Next-Gen, a purpose-driven innovation university and community for the ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ ecosystem that connects companies, partners and universities around innovation activities linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Kwena Mabotja, Africa Regional Director for ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Next-Gen, says the launch of the new Startup Guide Africa Series in 2020 will establish a helpful tool for facilitating the growth and success of the local purpose-driven innovation communities. β€œThe Startup Guides will provide practical information, in-depth interviews and insightful tips to accelerate the growth of local impact startups by connecting them to corporate innovation initiatives, accelerator programs and useful business resources. Our ongoing global partnership with Startup Guide also creates opportunities for local entrepreneurs to tap into the global ΒιΆΉΤ­΄΄ Next-Gen β€˜innovation with purpose’ network including more than 3,800 educational institutions in 118 countries around the world.”

There has been growing investment in building effective startup ecosystems across Africa, with GSM data showing the number of active tech hubs across Africa totalled 618 in 2019, up from 442 in 2018. Nigeria has overtaken South Africa as the country with the largest number of tech hubs with 85, while Kenya (48) and Ghana (25) both have healthy and growing startup ecosystems.

Nominations for the East and West African Startup Guides are now open and will close on the 7th February 2020. If you are a startup, entrepreneur, program, space, accelerator or expert – or know of one – and would like to be included in the book, please visitΜύΜύto submit your nomination.

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