AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

AFFIRMATIVE ACTIONOn the agenda of responsible leaders

South African ContextNo economy can grow by excluding any part of its people, and an economy that is not growing cannot integrate all of its citizens in a meaningful way DTIApartheidLegacy of inequalityUnequally distributed labour marketPrior discriminationPerpetual discriminationAction is required

Affirmative ActionThere should exist among the citizens neither extreme poverty nor again excessive wealth, for both are productive of great evil PlatoRedress past discriminationEducationEmploymentPromote opportunitiesWidespreadDeveloping countriesDeveloped countriesSuccess of Affirmative Action

South African Responsible LeadershipIn some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility Nelson MandelaSouth African Success 20 years since Apartheid

Government can only do so much

HOW DO WE AS RESPONSIBLE LEADERS NEED TO APPROACH AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND EXECUTE IT SUCCESSFULLY?

SO THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE EQUAL REPRESENTATION THROUGHOUT OUR WORKFORCE AND ECONOMY

Leadership for what purpose?The ultimate purpose of leadership is to shape a future that is visionary, inclusive, and enables all members of society to fulfil their needs, dreams and potentials. Ethical Leadership Centre

Obama on Affirmative Action

Benefits of Affirmative ActionWe have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic.Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings,different hopes, different dreams. Jimmy Carter

Corrective actionLevel the playing field

DiversityOpportunities for the previously excluded study and work

Realign the balance of power and opportunity by affirmatively including the formerly excluded

DiversityDiversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another's uniqueness." Ola Joseph

A business success depends on diversity and its benefits

Benefits to organisations:Greater adaptabilityBroader service rangeVariety of viewpointsMore effective execution

Opportunity for the previously excludedNo culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive.Mohandas K. Gandhi

Crucial to address risky if ignoredPositive effects of economic growth are not enoughJustice for pastEquality of citizen participation

Affirmative Action allows these individuals to have the same access to education and employment as those with more resources

Affirmative Action in SAThe business of business should not be about money. It should be about responsibility. It should be about public good, not private greed. Anita Roddick

The Employment Equity Act 1998

Aims to ensure the legacies of apartheid in SA are corrected.

Promotes equal opportunity and fair treatment Eliminates unfair discriminationImplements affirmative action measures to advance: Black peopleWomenPeople with disabilities

Successful AA implementationCountriesDescriptionUSADespite poor targeting the was a positive promoting of minorities and women and the no strong evidence existed about the decline of productiveness.AustraliaWomen in were regarded as previously disadvantaged and AA was legislated and supported by The Affirmative Action Agency (AAA) which provided guidelines, monitoring and evaluation programmes. The process has thus far proved successfulCanadaApplied the Australian AA context to greater successMongoliaEvidence suggested that women were missing out on the potential benefits associated with a booming mining sector, AA policy and legislation has since raised female participation in the large scale mining sectorNorwayAlthough women were better represented, policy-makers and researchers noted that the market based process was surprisingly slow. But after the introduction of equal opportunity legislation, a renewed focus and strategies for achieving equality resulted in greater equality.

What it tookManagement policy on AA;A person responsible for the implementation;Consultation with unions and employees across the board;Collection and Analysis of data;Objectives and forward estimates;Monitoring and evaluations of programmesReview of policies and practice (Equity reviews)In most countries, inequality of opportunity is a fact, and these inequalities are intertwined with the underlying socio-economic hierarchies UN

Traditional ApproachTOP DOWN APPROACH1Enforced Through Legislation2Power Primarily Obtained Through Personal Advancement (Empowerment 10% shareholders)3Productivity & Work Standard not Prioritised During the Empowerment of the Disadvantaged4Government Driven5Positional Empowerment More Important Than Work Skills6Reactive Intervention

Recommended ApproachBOTTOM-UP APPROACH

Recommended ApproachBOTTOM-UP APPROACH

Practical ReferencesLeadership through recruitment policiesDeloitteKPMGAudit firm bursariesEmpowerment Entrepreneurial InitiativeSAB Young Entrepreneurs Kick Start ProgrammeAnglo Shiela DitseleImprovement of the quality of education school levelTraining Systems FET to enhance skills developmentKey skills not sourced from PDIPolicy should continually be reviewedCreating a strong business and building a better world are not conflicting goals they are both essential ingredients for long-term success William Clay Ford Jr.