Exploring the lived experiences of a South African community involved in a corporate sustainability initiative

Abstract

Often considered an integral part of successful business operations, corporate sustainability has come a long way from its inception as a reactive obligation. Companies demonstrate their commitment to corporate sustainability by investing billions of Rands towards sustainability initiatives and broadcasting the impact of the investments through integrated reports and corporate websites. However, there are stakeholders' voices that remain largely unheard. The current study aimed to explore the lived experiences of a community involved in a company’s sustainability initiative by conducting semi structured interviews, observations, and a focus group session as part of a qualitative case study research. Key findings revealed experiences of ‘community and company collaboration’, ‘improved quality of life’, ‘security in the relationship’ and ‘sustainable community development’. The findings clarify the relationship between the company and the community stakeholder from the community’s perspective by amplifying the voice of the community to inform the sustainability practices and strategies of corporates.

Ka ge gantši e bonwa bjalo ka karolo ye bohlokwa ya mešomo ya kgwebo ye e atlegilego, tšwetšopele ya go ya go ile ya dikhamphani ke kgale go tloga mola e hlongwago bjalo ka tlamego ya phetolo ya seemo. Dikhamphani di laetša boikgafo bja tšona go tšwetšopele ya go ya go ile ya dikhamphani ka go beeletša dipilione tša Diranta go masolo a tšwetšopele ya go ya go ile le go phatlalatša seabe sa dipeeletšo tše ka go diriša dipego tšeo di kopantšwego le diwepsaete tša dikhamphani. Le ge go le bjale, go na le maikutlo a batšeakarolo ao a dulago a sa theeletšwe. Dinyakišišo tše di ikemišeditše go lekola maitemogelo a bophelo a setšhaba seo se kgathago tema ka lesolong la tšwetšopele ya go ya go ile ya dikhamphani ka go dira dipoledišano tšeo dipotšišo tša tšona di bulegilego di nyakago maikutlo a bao ba botšišwago dipotšišo, ditekodišišo, le kopano le sehlopha sa nepišo bjalo ka karolo ya dinyakišišo tša boleng ka ga seemo. Dikutollo tše bohlokwa di utollotše maitemogelo a ‘tirišano magareng ga setšhaba le dikhamphani’, ‘boleng bja bophelo bjo bo kaonafetšego’, ‘tšhireletšego ka kamanong ye’ le ‘tlhabollo ya setšhaba ya go ya go ile’. Dikutollo di hlatholla kamano magareng ga khamphani le batšeakarolo ba setšhabeng go ya ka maikutlo a setšhaba ka go oketša maikutlo a setšhaba go laola ditiro tša tšwetšopele ya go ya go ile le mekgwa ya dikhamphani.

Ngokuvamile okubhekwa njengengxenye ebalulekile yemisebenzi yebhizinisi ephumelelayo, ukuzinza kwebhizinisi sekuhambe ibanga elide kusukela ekusungulweni kwayo njengesibopho esisebenzayo. Izinkampani zikhombisa ukuzibophezela kwazo ekusimameni kwebhizinisi ngokutshala izigidigidi zamaRandi ezinhlelweni zokusimama nokusabalalisa umthelela wokutshalwa kwezimali ngemibiko edidiyelwe namawebhusayithi ezinkampani. Nokho, imibono eyethulwa ngaba babambiqhaza kodwa eshaywa indiva. Ucwaningo lwamanje luhloselwe ukuhlola izimpilo zabantu eziphilwe umphakathi obambe iqhaza ohlelweni lokusimama kwenkampani ngokwenza izinhlolokhono, ukubhekwa, kanye neseshini yeqembu okugxilwe kuyo njengengxenye yocwaningo lwendaba esezingeni eliphezulu. Okutholwe okubalulekile kwembula okuhlangenwe nakho okuthi ‘ukubambisana komphakathi nenkampani’, ‘izinga lempilo elithuthukisiwe’, ‘ukuphepha ebudlelwaneni’ kanye ‘nokuthuthukiswa komphakathi okusimeme’. Okutholakele kucacisa ubudlelwano phakathi kwenkampani nabathintekayo bomphakathi ngokombono womphakathi ngokukhulisa izwi lomphakathi ukwazisa izinqubo zokusimama namasu ezinkampani.