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Sage Gives 5 Tips SME Should Consider When Setting Up CSI programme

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For many business builders, corporate social investment or philanthropy is an imperative, writes Joanne van der Walt, Sage Foundation Programme Manager for Africa.

There are many good reasons for businesses to roll out a formal corporate social investment programme, from complying with black economic empowerment (BEE) codes to building employee morale and to simply giving something back to the community.

However, the challenge is to ensure that the funds and time you invest in charity deliver the impact you are expecting.

Here are five tips for rolling out a social investment strategy that is meaningful for your business and for the organisations and communities you work with.

Don’t Let It Be About Compliance Alone
If you’re a busy entrepreneur, you might be tempted to simply donate some money to a charity to get a tax break, build relationships with a client or comply with the BEE code for your sector. However, programmes that make a difference are as much about your time and commitment as they are about your money.

Be strategic in your thinking – look at the resources you have available and how you would like them to make a difference. Decide which causes you are most interested in supporting – if you are a supplier of baby products, visiting local orphanages is a great place to start donating to. Or you might be passionate about education or healthcare, and have expertise that can help non-profit organisations (NPOs) in these sectors.

Once you have done that, you can put together a strategy that outlines what resources you will mobilise, to what end and how you will measure success. This gives us a framework where we can make a real impact.

Focus On Measurable Influence
If you are serious about using your resources to make a difference, try to invest in measurable outcomes. Ask your NPO partners what they could achieve with the time, skills and money you are able to donate, and work with them to reach their goals in a sustainable manner.  It’s easy to write a cheque, but more meaningful to leave a real legacy.

For example, don’t simply donate R5,000 to a community school – work with the principal and teachers to set up a small library and perhaps partner with local organisations to donate books on a regular basis.

This will also be an opportunity for you to ensure that the library is always well-maintained. Rather than donating a computer, make the goal to ensure that the charity’s administrator can use an accounting package and send marketing mailers to donors.

Listen to your NPO partners
Entrepreneurs and businesspeople often step into a charity or a community with preconceptions about how they will help and what their partner should be doing.

They often think that their strategic insights and business skills mean that they should dictate how an NPO conducts its business.

However, it’s best to start by listening. Ask the people in the community or the people who work full-time in the NPO about their problems, their experiences and their approach.

You’ll usually find out that there are good reasons why they do things in a way that seems strange to a businessperson, or that your ideas about where their problems lie are incorrect.  It’s best to approach each engagement in a spirit of humility and partnership.

Get Your Colleagues Involved
Your corporate social investment programmes will deliver the most value to your business and your NPO partners if you get your people involved.

Volunteering makes your colleagues feel good about themselves and proud to be part of your business. It can even help you to retain or attract staff. Millennials, especially want to work for companies that is part of something meaningful.

Be Committed
Effective social engagement is about long-term relationships and commitment. Rather under-promise and over deliver than make commitments you might not to be able to keep.

Many NPOs are badly let down when a company promises them funds or help, then fails to follow through. For example, in some cases, volunteers lose interest before they finish painting the building or planting the garden.

These programmes are not just about Mandela Day or Christmas. They should be long-term investments in helping to make the world a better place. It takes time and sustained effort to make a real difference to the organisations with which you partner.

For us at Sage, we are committed to doing business the right way, by investing and supporting non-profit partners that are helping people reach their true potential.

 


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E-Business

Microsoft Server Hack Likely Solo Actor, Thousands at Risk

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A widespread cyberattack targeting Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) server software used by thousands of government agencies and businesses for internal document sharing was likely orchestrated by a single actor, a cybersecurity researcher said on Monday.

Microsoft Server Hack Likely Solo Actor, Thousands at Risk

Microsoft issued an alert on Saturday warning of “active attacks” on on-premise SharePoint servers.

The company clarified that SharePoint Online, part of the Microsoft 365 cloud suite, was not affected by the exploit, which is considered a “zero-day” vulnerability due to its previously undiscovered nature.

“Based on the consistency of the tradecraft seen across observed attacks, the campaign launched on Friday appears to be a single actor. However, it’s possible that this will quickly change,” Rafe Pilling, director of Threat Intelligence at Sophos, a British cybersecurity firm.

That tradecraft included the sending of the same digital payload to multiple targets, Pilling added.

Microsoft said it had “provided security updates and encourages customers to install them,” a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

It was not clear who was behind the ongoing hack. The FBI said on Sunday it was aware of the attacks and was working closely with its federal and private-sector partners, but offered no other details.

Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Washington Post said unidentified actors in the past few days had exploited a flaw to launch an attack that targeted U.S. and international agencies and businesses.

According to data from Shodan, a search engine that helps to identify internet-linked equipment, over 8,000 servers online could theoretically have already been compromised by hackers.

Those servers include major industrial firms, banks, auditors, healthcare companies, and several U.S. state-level and international government entities.

“The SharePoint incident appears to have created a broad level of compromise across a range of servers globally,” said Daniel Card of British cybersecurity consultancy, PwnDefend.

“Taking an assumed breach approach is wise, and it’s also important to understand that just applying the patch isn’t all that is required here.”


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Flaw in Microsoft SharePoint Sparks Global Cybersecurity Concern

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A Microsoft SharePoint server software flaw is causing widespread concern across the global cybersecurity landscape, exposing thousands of organisations to hackers exploiting a new vulnerability.

This critical vulnerability exposes government agencies, universities, and energy firms who are at risk of cyberattacks. The flaw, now being actively exploited by unidentified hackers, allows attackers to gain deep, remote access to on-premise SharePoint servers.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has confirmed that the vulnerability can enable malicious actors to access internal files, change configurations, and even execute remote code, effectively giving them high-level control over compromised systems.

Microsoft has also acknowledged the breach and released a security patch aimed at stopping the ongoing attacks. The firm urged users to apply the patch immediately, saying it is working to roll out additional protections, according to a statement reported by Bloomberg.

Despite these efforts, cybersecurity researchers warn that systems may remain vulnerable if attackers have already infiltrated networks, stolen authentication keys, or implanted persistent backdoors before patches were applied.

The United States hosts the highest number of these vulnerable systems, followed by the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

The Washington Post reported that the breach has already impacted a range of institutions, including U.S. federal and state agencies, academic institutions, energy companies, and a telecommunications firm in Asia.

This latest incident adds to a growing list of cybersecurity challenges facing Microsoft. In March, the company revealed that Chinese state-backed hackers had targeted its cloud-based services to infiltrate both U.S. and international organisations.

Last year, the U.S. Cyber Safety Review Board sharply criticised Microsoft’s internal security culture as ‘inadequate’ after a separate breach compromised its Exchange Online mail systems and exposed communications of high-level officials.


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NIMC Enrolls 122m for NIN, Cuts Extortion by 40 Percent

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National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said that it has reduced incidents of extortion and unofficial charges in the identity enrolment process by over 40 per cent.

NIMC Enrolls 122m for NIN, Cuts Extortion by 40 Percent

Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC,

Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director general of NIMC, who disclosed this  at an event in Lagos at the weekend, attributed the drop to improved transparency in fee structure at the commission.

The CEO was represented by Lanre Yusuf, director, Information Technology and Identity Database, NINC.

The workshop, organised by the identity regulator in partnership with the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, focused on repositioning Nigeria’s digital identity landscape and combating misinformation.

According to Coker-Odusote, the sharp reduction in illicit charges is a direct result of reforms introduced by NIMC to curb racketeering and unauthorised payments, which have for years plagued the national identity registration process..

“Enrolment for the National Identification Number remains free. We have standardised modification and authentication fees, and these are publicly disclosed. Our enforcement of a transparent fee structure has resulted in a 40 per cent drop in extortion and unofficial charges,” the regulator said.

She explained that prior to her assumption of office, complaints about exploitative fees at enrolment centres were widespread, fuelling public distrust in the system.

However, she noted that the commission had since prioritised transparency and stakeholder accountability, ensuring that Nigerians no longer have to pay above the legally mandated fees. “We are addressing deep-rooted issues that once undermined public confidence in the enrolment process,” she said.

The NIMC chief added that the commission had introduced digital tools to reduce human interference in the registration process.

These include the NINAuth mobile app, the Self-Service NIN Enrolment and Modification app, and Contactless Biometric Solutions, all designed to make the system more efficient, secure, and user-friendly.

Coker-Odusote also reiterated the commission’s commitment to inclusion, stressing that no Nigerian should be left behind in the country’s digital identity transformation.

According to her, over 7,167 front-end enrolment agents and partners have been revalidated and retrained to serve the public professionally, with strict monitoring mechanisms now in place.

In addition, NIMC has deployed grievance redress officers across all 36 states to handle complaints from Nigerians about enrolment centres and agents, with a 24/7 toll-free line available to report any misconduct.

The reforms are part of broader efforts by the Commission to build a unified, secure, and people-centred digital identity system that facilitates access to government services, financial inclusion, social protection, and national planning.

Coker-Odusote called on media partners to support the Commission in disseminating accurate information, countering misinformation, and raising awareness about the benefits of digital identity.

“We are asking our partners in the media to help us combat fake news and promote transparency in the identity ecosystem. We need to ensure every Nigerian understands their rights and knows that their identity is key to accessing opportunities and services,” she said.


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