E-Business
Sage Gives 5 Tips SME Should Consider When Setting Up CSI programme
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.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) of Nigeria has launched a new digital identity verification tool called the NIN Authentication (NINAuth) application.
The initiative, which forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aims to strengthen the country’s national digital identity management framework.
The launch builds upon Nigeria’s comprehensive unified digital identity system that has been transforming access to financial services and government programs.
The NINAuth application introduces several key features focused on data security and privacy.
The platform requires explicit user consent before sharing identity information for Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, giving individuals greater control over their personal data.
The system provides seamless access to various government services, including SIM card registration, immigration applications, passport processing, tax filings, and financial transactions.
The development follows significant investment in Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure, including a $45.5 million support from the World Bank as part of the Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project.
As the official service for integration with NIMC’s backend infrastructure, NINAuth enables secure verification processes across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
The application is available for download on both the Google Play Store and Apple iOS App Store for users of the National Identification Number (NIN).
The rollout represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to digitize government services and strengthen identity verification processes.
“NINAuth is a cutting-edge suite of services including web, API, and mobile verification designed to enhance data security, protect privacy, and simplify access to government services,” said Dr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC.
“The platform introduces a robust layer of protection, empowering individuals with greater control over their personal information.”
The implementation supports the objectives of the recently established Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project Ecosystem Steering Committee, which oversees the country’s digital identity initiatives.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the launch of the NINAuth app and directed its use for verification and authentication across all MDAs.
The application provides a secure single sign-on solution for accessing government services and social protection programs while maintaining strict data privacy controls.
The centralized approach to digital identity management represents a significant step forward in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey and its commitment to modernizing government services.
Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has set in motion a machinery to checkmate the booming copyright piracy market in the country.
Copyright piracy is said to cost Nigeria an annual loss estimated at billions of naira.
Despite the absence of a coordinated or official statistics to gauge the quantum of loss, John Asein, director general, NCC, said as far back as 2019, Nigeria lost N918 trillion ($3 billion) annually to digital piracy.
The financial damages severely impact local businesses and innovation efforts.
The commission, in collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), has started a project to develop strategies and tools to address the menace.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on the WIPO project to address online copyright piracy in Nigeria, Asein said digital technologies have unlocked tremendous opportunities for the creative and innovation sectors.
The NCC boss said technology also poses serious challenges, including online piracy, which he said is growing rapidly.
He said: “Pirate sites continue to emerge rapidly, with statistics indicating a 6.7 per cent increase in user visits. A significant percentage of these users are students aged between 18 and 24, with social media and messaging platforms becoming major gateways for accessing pirated content.”
He added: “No industry is immune. The most affected sectors include television (43.6 per cent), publishing (27.5 per cent), film (12.9 per cent), music (7.0 per cent), and software (6.2 per cent).
“Far beyond mere statistics, the victims are no longer only foreign right owners. Many Nigerians in these sectors have also been bruised and their creative enterprises ruined.”
Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has signed an international mail partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for improved delivery access to over 200 countries without middlemen.
Tolani Odeyemi, postmaster-general and chief executive officer of NIPOST, described the deal as a “major milestone” for the country’s logistics and postal sector.
In a statement on X on Monday, Odeyemi explained that the new agreement marks NIPOST’s first direct international airline partnership for several years.
“For a long time, NIPOST operated without any direct partnerships with international airlines, relying heavily on multiple third-party handlers,” the Postmaster-General stated. This often resulted in delays, higher costs, and uncertainty around the delivery of packages.”
She explained that under the new arrangement, KLM will directly handle all outbound international mail from Nigeria, eliminating the need for intermediaries.
“This translates to faster and more reliable delivery, reduced risk of loss or damage, lower handling charges, and access to over 200 countries through KLM’s global network,” the Postmaster-General stressed.
According to Odeyemi, NIPOST’s breakthrough came after it began settling long-standing debts owed to international carriers, a step she said was key to “rebuilding global trust” in Nigeria’s postal system.
She revealed that talks were also ongoing with Ethiopian Airlines to bolster regional and continental logistics, particularly on African and Eastern routes.
“Our goal is clear and unwavering: to connect Nigeria regionally and globally, efficiently, securely, and affordably,” Odeyemi asserted.
The NIPOST CEO described the development as a significant win for Nigerian businesses and small and medium-scale enterprises that rely on international shipping, stating, “You now benefit from quicker, more affordable international shipping, greater peace of mind with improved reliability, and new potential to reach and grow in global markets.”
Odeyemi commended the teams behind the scenes and pledged continued improvements in service delivery, adding that the deal signals a turning point for the agency.
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