Cape Brick is now fully BEE accredited!

Following its latest assessment by the BBBEE Rating Agency, Cape Brick is now a Level 2 Contributor with a Recognition Level of 125%. This is a huge jump from the previous year’s assessment where the company received a Level 8 Contributor rating, and is a remarkable indication of this small, family owned company’s commitment to helping to build a better South Africa.

What is BEE?

BEE, or more accurately Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) is the process by which the government is trying to ensure economic equity amongst race groups. It is governed by the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, act 53 of 2003. The act is intended to encourage transformation by including and empowering black people in the economy. It covers aspects such as equity ownership (shares in the business), management of the business, skills development, employment equity (staffing), procurement (where you purchase your supplies), enterprise development and corporate social responsibility.

How did Cape Brick score?

Cape Brick is and always has been a hands-on family business.  Owned and run by the same family since 1938 there is not much that they don’t know about making bricks. The only drawback to this structure is that there is not much room to cater for outsiders of whichever race in terms of ownership options or job opportunities at senior management level. Accordingly with no black shareholders and only 20% black representation at a senior management level the company had a relatively low score in these categories.

However from this point the picture changes dramatically. Of the balance of the company’s 70 employees a total of 63 are black (90%) and 15 are female (21%) resulting in a high score in terms of employment equity.

The company is determined to empower and uplift its staff through continuing education and training. Cape Brick is affiliated to CETA (the Construction and Education Training Authority) and has submitted its WSP (Workplace Skills Plan) in which it sets out its intentions with regard to skills development and training within the workplace.

Cape Brick is also committed to supporting other BEE compliant businesses and more than 25% of its total spend is with BEE compliant suppliers. This is all the more remarkable given the scarcity of BEE compliant raw material suppliers within the industry.

All in all an impressive result from a truly South African company!

Click HERE to see the BEE Certificate.