The strategy aims to help a generic law firm achieve B-BBEE Level 4 compliance by enhancing management control, improving skills development, and boosting enterprise and supplier development. For management control, the strategy focuses on diversifying executive positions by including previously disadvantaged individuals and setting clear diversity targets. This involves regular diversity training, mentorship programs, and tracking progress through bi-annual audits. An example would be incorporating diversity goals into management KPIs to ensure accountability.
On skills development, the strategy emphasizes creating tailored training plans and partnerships with accredited institutions to assist underrepresented groups. Allocating 6% of the training budget to black employees and offering in-house mentorship are crucial actions. An example includes providing bursaries for eligible candidates to pursue further studies.
To boost enterprise and supplier development, the firm should engage with black-owned businesses and maintain relationships with small enterprises. This is achieved through developing a rolling plan for investments and hosting events to connect with potential suppliers. An example could be providing legal services at reduced costs to selected black-owned enterprises.
The strategies
⛳️ Strategy 1: Enhance management control
- Review and diversify executive positions to include previously disadvantaged individuals
- Establish clear targets for senior management diversity
- Implement regular diversity and inclusion training for leadership
- Develop a management mentorship programme for underrepresented groups
- Track progress on management diversity with bi-annual audits
- Incorporate diversity goals into management KPIs
- Align board diversity with B-BBEE requirements
- Regularly update diversity policies and communicate changes to the team
- Seek external consultation to improve diversity strategies
- Engage with professional networks focused on minority leadership
⛳️ Strategy 2: Improve skills development
- Create a skills development plan targeting black staff and associates
- Allocate budget for training and education programmes for underrepresented groups
- Partner with accredited institutions for tailored training sessions
- Implement continuous professional development opportunities for all employees
- Measure and report on skills development impact semi-annually
- Encourage employees to attend industry-specific workshops and conferences
- Offer in-house mentorship and coaching for skills enhancement
- Ensure at least 6% of training budget is spent on black employees
- Provide bursaries for external study to qualifying individuals
- Set up an internal committee to oversee skills development initiatives
⛳️ Strategy 3: Boost enterprise and supplier development
- Identify and engage with black-owned service providers
- Maintain ongoing relationships with small black-owned businesses
- Develop a three-year rolling plan for ESD investments
- Track and report annual spending with qualifying small enterprises
- Set goals for increasing procurement from black-owned businesses
- Foster partnerships with incubators for start-up law firms
- Provide legal aid and services at reduced costs for selected black-owned enterprises
- Ensure supplier payment terms are mutually beneficial
- Organise events to connect with potential black-owned suppliers
- Monitor compliance with procurement ESD mandates quarterly
Bringing accountability to your strategy
It's one thing to have a plan, it's another to stick to it. We hope that the examples above will help you get started with your own strategy, but we also know that it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day effort.
That's why we built Tability: to help you track your progress, keep your team aligned, and make sure you're always moving in the right direction.
Give it a try and see how it can help you bring accountability to your strategy.
