Black ownership
35.23%
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Black female ownership
5.46%
Our empowerment philosophy
Goede Hoop Citrus believes its success lies in its passion for two things – products and people. People are the heartbeat and the products form the soul of the business. Empowerment needs to be a decision of the heart in order to be successful. Goede Hoop Citrus decided in 2005 to give the employees in their operating entity the opportunity to obtain shares in the business. A Trust structure was set up to administer the initiative and each individual is a full shareholder with voting rights. We believe it is “the right thing to do” to award loyal and longstanding employees, permanent and seasonal, the opportunity of ownership.
INTERNAL INITIATIVES
Socio-economic initiatives
Applications for financial and other assistance or support are considered annually and all worthy cases are afforded a donation/contribution. These contributions are utilized for educational, social, developmental and recreational services. In a more tacit fashion expertise and services are rendered to transfer knowledge and skills to the various community organisations. Here are a few of our projects:
Financial assistance for housing;
Company subsidised membership of medical aid fund for all employees both fulltime and seasonal, funeral cover, bereavement counselling, as well as a full time on-site clinic.
Support to 2 crèches and various schools in town, availing of infra–structure and buildings for community centre with trauma care and aftercare facilities.
Donations to sport clubs, churches and other charitable institutions
Computer loans – interest free, assistance and support with establishment of Wi-Fi hubs in town
Training initiatives
GHC has a fully equipped training unit located in the company’s training and development centre. The company is well aware of and sensitive to South Africa’s history and is therefore very serious about developing employees from the previously disadvantaged sections of our community. To date we have had overwhelming success with our programmes. Almost 100% of our junior management, and 60% of middle management consist of employees previously employed as general labourers. A very generous training and development budget supports the development of our human capital. Some of our initiatives include:
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NQF levels 1 - 5, FoodBev Seta
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3 Tier Management Development Programme for all managerial levels
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Bursaries for secondary and tertiary education
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​Because this is a closed community, we have to empower individuals through the ranks instead of attracting new employees from other areas. We started 20 years ago with ABET, matric level, and gradually moved on to management development. We have reaped the benefits of this strategy and have increased the skills levels and subsequently the job levels of our employees.
Enterprise development initiatives
FA Verpakking
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For longer than a decade Goede Hoop Citrus has outsourced the company’s local market packaging function to FA Verpakking. This willingness to empower has made it possible for former Goede Hoop Citrus employee Allie Cloete to establish his successful business, FA Verpakking, and to provide jobs to about 40 local people.
Says Alie Cloete, “I have never looked back since starting my own business as it has been a very beneficial move for me. I have been able to pay off my house and have learnt to manage my finances better as a result of the business. I am grateful to Goede Hoop Citrus for the opportunity and trust that they placed in me to get this business going. The open door policy of management has meant that they have always been available for me to approach them for advice."
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Goede Hoop Citrus Agri Investments
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Goede Hoop Citrus (Pty) Ltd is continuously working on new ideas to increase their level of empowerment. The acquisition of agricultural land by the staff shareholders is the next goal. This type of backward integration in the value chain will enable the staff of Goede Hoop to participate in and influence the entire value chain of the industry.
The company’s endeavors in respect of the aforesaid is seen in the establishment of a company, GHC Agri Investments (Pty) Ltd, which is co-owned by the Goede Hoop Citrus Ltd Empowerment Trust.
Black shareholding in Goede Hoop Citrus
The shareholding initiative is based on the understanding that it should never be regarded as window-dressing or a front. The only way to prove this was to ensure that the first dividends were paid as soon as possible. Despite a healthy degree of scepticism about this the company was already able to pay its first dividend in the third year after the empowerment transaction was concluded.
Since that first dividend payment in 2008 the shareholders have received dividends annually for nine consecutive years.
In 2015 Goede Hoop took another innovative decision by extending the offer of shareholding to seasonal workers who have worked for the company continuously for at least 15 years
EMPOWERMENT FARMS
Goede Hoop Agri Investments
Black shareholding: 50%
Beneficiaries: 46 (29 male, 17 female)
Total surface hectares: 0 ha
Established: Trust established 2005, but land project currently being established
Funding method: Interest free loans
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Goede Hoop Agri Investments is a new initiative of GHC to empower its staff members by providing them the opportunity to become involved in primary production of citrus fruit. The acquisition of land is now the next step that needs to take place.
GHC'S LAND
REFORM FOOTPRINT
46
0
50%
2017
Number of land reform beneficiaries
Hectares of land empowered
Average black ownership of projects
Years since first project established
New horizons - watch this space!
We are planning these new ventures:
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Belê in Groei (BIG) – Investment in Growth – project to assist commercial farmers in joint ventures with their workers. Five new BEE projects which will result in 100 ha of agricultural land being empowered.
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The acquisition of agricultural land (farms) by GHC Agri Investments (Pty) Ltd is a priority. Achieving this goal will take already empowered staff members’ economic empowerment to the next level.
Goede Hoop Citrus (GHC)