Ricoh SA, formerly wholly owned by Ricoh Europe, has implemented a black ownership structure that achieves 52,4% black and black women ownership.
“Our new structure is the result of 18 months of dedication towards a representative shareholding and the sustainable development of previously disadvantaged communities,” says Jacques van Wyk, chief operating officer of Ricoh SA. “Ricoh SA’s commitment is further demonstrated through the achievement of B-BBEE Level 4 that provides customers 100% procurement recognition, as well as additional points for our designated group supplier status.
“We have appointed a permanent transformation executive as part of our commitment to further transform the business who will manage our on-going effort to maintain and improve the broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) scorecard and transformation activities.”
Ricoh SA’s Level 4 status is under the revised codes of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sector Scorecard and the company is one of only a handful in its market to have achieved its rating under the revised ICT sector codes.
Ricoh SA’s empowerment and ownership structure partners the organisation with Phakamani Foundation and Support Teacher Empowerment Trust (STET).
Phakamani Foundation is a public benefit organisation (PBO) that empowers poor rural women to succeed in their own micro-enterprises. The organisation provides an integrated programme of training micro-entrepreneurs to save to support their own micro-enterprises.
The Support Teacher Empowerment Trust (STET) beneficiaries are black South African teachers and trainee teachers. The organisation grants bursaries and training for students to study teaching as well as qualified teachers to further their studies. STET works with ORT SA to empower black South African women teachers.
