CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
OUR STRATEGIC APPROACH
Innscor Africa Limited (IAL) undertakes Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives through the Group’s corporate office and through its various subsidiary and associate companies. Collectively, the Group and its businesses, contribute millions of dollars in the development and training of small-scale farmers enabling them to enhance household livelihoods, building and rehabilitation of schools in rural and developing communities, supporting the educational needs of underprivileged children, sponsoring various sporting disciplines, supporting health and disability centres, old people’s homes, orphanages, prisons, the arts and animal welfare organisations.
Investments into vulnerable Groups
IAL provides material and ad hoc capital support to Emerald Hill Children’s Home and Runyararo Children’s Home. During the last year, IAL refurbished the kitchen at Emerald Hill Children’s Home, whilst Kidzcan Zimbabwe continues to receive financial support from the Group.
Cultural and Arts Support
IAL has been associated with e National Institute of Allied Arts since 2012 through the annual sponsorship of the National Institute of Allied Arts Visual Arts Festival. The National Institute of Allied Arts was formed over a century ago in Bulawayo with its first one-day festival held in May 1913, which started off as The Society for the Advancement of Music and Art, but was later changed to The National Institute of Allied Arts. The National Institute of Allied Arts seeks to promote artistic creations by young people in Zimbabwe, ranging from Grade 0 to Form 6 and the transfer of creativity and talent from one generation to the other.
Natural Disaster Relief
Cyclone Idai brought devastation to the Eastern parts of Zimbabwe, as well as affecting two of our neighbouring countries; Mozambique and Malawi. The Group and its businesses rallied together with assistance in the form of food and other materials support worth over ZWL400,000 which was officially handed over by the Innscor Bakeries Chief Executive Officer Mr Ngoni Mazango to the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, the Honourable Mr July. G. Moyo. The Group’s management, staff and vehicles provided much needed logistics to ensure that donations from other well-wishers during the disaster reached the intended beneficiaries.
Cyclone Idai Donations
ZWL 400,000
The Group and its businesses rallied together with assistance in the form of food and other materials support worth over ZWL400 000 which was officially handed over by the Innscor Bakeries Chief Executive Officer Mr Ngoni Mazango to the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, the Honourable Mr July. G. Moyo.
Investment in Our Environment
IAL in partnership with Friends of the Environment (FOTE) over the years have provided much needed funding to support the annual planting of trees across our country. FOTE have set themselves a target of 500 million new trees in 10 years, and do this through providing funds and expertise at selected primary and secondary schools to grow Tree Seedling Nurseries across the country. FOTE’S focus is to develop a youth that is conscious of its environment and to raise awareness within the communities on the significance of conservation and preservation of our environment. To date over 27 million trees have been planted and IAL is proud to be associated with this initiative.
Investment in Sporting Activities
During the year, IAL sponsored the Under 14, Under 15 and Under 17 Zimbabwe Junior Cricket Teams' participation in tours to South Africa. The Group is proud to be associated with this initiative which is key to the development of Cricket in Zimbabwe.
IAL also sponsored the Zimbabwe Men’s Hockey Team comprising several players from disadvantaged backgrounds; this sponsorship allowed the team to play at the Africa Olympic Games Qualifiers held in Cape Town in August 2019.
Investment in Animal Welfare
In support of animal welfare, IAL supported The BLUE CROSS event towards fundraising for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). The event involved a relay, walk, run, cycle and horse ride covering 500 kilometres from the lowest part of the country in the Save Riverbed to the highest point in the country at Mount Inyangani. The funds raised from this successful event were disbursed to the Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Kwekwe, Marondera, Kadoma, Chegutu and Zvishavane’s SPCA offices to help them in their animal welfare activities.
Investment in Employees
The Innscor Africa Employee Share Trust (Private) Limited (EST) was established in December 2013. The Trust was established with the aim and objective to make provision for the welfare, advancement, general improvement and empowerment of the beneficiaries of the Trust by enabling them to participate in the shareholding of IAL and by using the capital and income of the assets of the Trust for the benefit of the beneficiaries in accordance of the Trust for the following manner:-
- Acquiring and or developing low-cost housing for the accommodation of Innscor employees
- Funding and improving health and medical aid schemes
- Funding and improving employee funeral assurance and assistance schemes
- Funding educational assistance for employees and their dependants
- Distributing money to employees
To date, the Trust has distributed over ZWL 1,9 million by way of a dividend to all qualifying employees. Over 70 % of qualifying employees have been able to access funding from the EST Revolving Loan Fund and these funds have assisted them in developing their own houses, purchasing residential stands, paying school fees and providing funeral assistance among other things.
The EST has also embarked on arrangements with housing institutions resulting in a number of employees securing own houses.
