Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is a country in transition, and continues to develop new systems expected to positively shift the social and economic lives of 48 million people. Every sector of society is focussed on people’s upliftment. Corporations in South Africa have Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programmes as their contribution toward this goal. The Pentecostal/Charismatic Church is the fastest growing Christian denomination in the world, certainly even in Africa. Churches’ also have a responsibility to society’s upliftment, and since the Pentecostal/Charismatic church aspires to corporate principles this thesis explores the response of the Indian Pentecostal/Charismatic Church to social, economic and environmental issues of local and global magnitude. The theoretical framework proposes that a theology for social change in South Africa must be traced from the foundation of a theology of liberation from racial oppression, which is found in the Kairos Document; and combines this with CSI principles to present a composite framework for analysis. The study uses qualitative methodologies of loosely structured interviews and a focus group discussion with Pentecostal/Charismatic pastors from the Phoenix community, north of Durban. The findings suggest that the Indian Pentecostal/Charismatic Church i) has divergent viewpoints on what constitutes social responsibility, ii) does not have a set of guiding principles for funding social programmes, and iii) does not have a discernable liberation theology, which is a real challenge facing the Church as this study argues that is a core reason for the Churches’ inability to deal with social justice or sustainability issues effectively. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika is ‘n land in ‘n oorgangsfase, en is in die proses om nuwe sisteme te ontwikkel wat benodig word om ‘n positiewe verandering te bewerkstellig in die sosiale en ekonomiese lewensfasette van 48 miljoen mense. Bykans elke sektor van die samelewing is dan ook tans gefokus op die opheffing van mense. Om hierdie doelwit te bereik, en om by te dra tot sodanige opheffing, het korporasies in Suid-Afrika Korporatiewe Sosiale Beleggings (KSB) Programme. Die Pinkster / Charismatiese Kerk is die denominasie wat wêreldwyd, veral ook in Afrika, die meeste veld wen. Kerke het ook ‘n verantwoordelikheid ten opsigte van sosiale opheffing, en aangesien die Pinkster / Charismatiese Kerk daarna strewe om korporatiewe beginsels toe te pas, ondersoek hierdie tesis die reaksie van die Indiese Pinkster / Charismatiese Kerk teenoor wêreldwye sosiale-, ekonomiese en omgewingsfaktore. Die teoretiese raamwerk suggereer dat ‘n teologie vir sosiale verandering in Suid-Afrika gebaseer moet word op ‘n teologie van bevryding van rasgebaseerde onderdrukking, wat te vinde is in die Kairos Dokument; en kombineer dit met Korporatiewe Sosiale Beleggings (KSB) beginsels om ‘n saamgestelde analiserings-raamwerk voor te hou. Die studie maak gebruik van kwalitatiewe metodes, naamlik los-gestruktureerde onderhoude asook die besprekings van ‘n fokusgroep wat gehou is tussen Pinkster / Charismatiese pastore / predikante in die Phoenix gemeenskap, noord van Durban. Die bevindinge suggereer dat die Indiese Pinkster / Charismatiese Kerk: i) uiteenlopende menings het oor wat presies sosiale opheffing is; ii) nie ‘n stel grondbeginsels rakende die befondsing van sosiale opheffingsprogramme het nie; en iii) nie ‘n duidelike bevrydingsteologie aanhang nie, welke feit ‘n groot uitdaging aan die Kerk bied, aangesien hierdie studie die standpunt inneem dat dit ‘n fundamentele rede is waarom die Kerk nie in staat is om aangeleenthede van sosiale geregtigheid en volhoubaarheid effektief aan te spreek nie.

Thesis (MPhil (Sustainable Development Planning and Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The tensions in the definition and practical implementation of sustainable development are clear. A number of international codes outline the principles that are considered as good corporate citizenship, but are often based on the priorities of the developed ‘North’. Africa calls for a more development-orientated approach to sustainable development. The subject of this study, Angola, is emerging from a history of slavery, colonialism and civil war. Although richly endowed with natural resources and exemplifying one of the world’s fastest growing economies, Angola scores near the bottom of the Human Development and Corruption Perceptions Indices, thereby typifying the Natural Resource Curse. Understanding sustainable development in this context, multinational corporations involved in exploiting these natural resources, are able to contribute to the sustainable development of Angola through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. An extensive review of the literature, augmented by the author’s experiences (including a recent visit to Angola) as a participant in De Beers’ exploration process allows a number of observations to be made regarding the contribution De Beers can make to the sustainable development of Angola. De Beers, a world leader in the exploration, mining and marketing of diamonds. Recently De Beers has resumed exploration activities in Angola and is in a position, and perhaps has an obligation, to play a part in Angola’s reconstruction. This would obviously also have business benefits. As exploration is not an income generating activity the initial contribution will need to focus on conducting exploration activities in a responsible manner through identifying opportunities to collaborate with local communities and institutions on issues of common concern for mutual benefit. Focusing corporate social responsibility actions on core business activities within De Beers’ sphere of influence; linking with existing initiatives and prioritizing a specific sector or geographical area will have a meaningful and lasting impact. Legal compliance and supporting government institutions in their effort to regulate have also been identified as important opportunities. The most significant contribution that De Beers can make through their exploration activities is to the social and human capital of the areas in which they operate. The exploration CSR activities should lay the foundations for a possible future mine, which has the potential to add significantly to the manufactured and financial capital of Angola.

Thesis (MPhil (Sustainable Development Planning and Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The objective of this study is to test out the possibility of a synthesis between sustainable development, more specifically corporate citizenship, and customer value, a major focus of business strategy, which if correctly achieved nurtures customer loyalty. This synthesis as defined in this thesis is product stewardship. Product stewardship is the design and promotion of products and services that aim to positively impact the environment and society through the creation, consumption and disposal of such a product or service. In an increasingly competitive global environment, crafting business strategy that successfully nurtures customer loyalty is a vital component of long term business success. The delivery of products and services that customers trust and that fully satisfy customer expectations is a prerequisite for loyalty. Intense competition however squeezes profit margins and floods the market with homogeneous products and services. Competition now becomes price centred which drives both a decrease in product quality and a quest for operational efficiencies in an attempt to reduce overheads. Further, capturing a share of the consumer’s wallet becomes more difficult for corporations, forcing a heavy reliance on the brand and company image. In such circumstances, the delivery of customer value that fully satisfies expectations is hard to achieve and business strategy, concerned primarily with the delivery of exceptional customer value, becomes a major focus for most corporations. However, as all corporations strive for a similar end goal, competitive differentiation becomes harder to achieve. Simultaneously, in the context of greater environmental and social consciousness, including the progression of sustainability science, corporations have the added challenge or obligation to adopt these emerging themes. Scrabbling with these new ideas, few corporations are having a real profound effect in curbing the pending ecosystem crisis. Corporate social responsibility, corporate social investment and corporate citizenship have tended to focus on the company and how it is perceived; a kind of self-centredness that explodes into the gross exaggerations communicated by the brand. Product stewardship, as defined in this thesis, shifts the focus away from THE COMPANY and its BRAND, to the product being designed, produced, communicated, consumed and then wasted. The values of a better world articulated by sustainable development and the aspiration to find a better business strategy are fused into a focus on the product. The company and its brand, therefore is constructed not by a promotion of itself as ‘good’ but rather by the virtues and benefits of the product communicated relationally which, in turn, indirectly builds the reputation of the producer. Loyalty therefore is no longer loyalty to the brand, but to an experience of the product. A number of corporations, both local and international, in South Africa are displaying behaviour characteristic of a product stewardship approach. These behaviours or claims are recorded in case studies on four such corporations, namely; Toyota, Sasol, Woolworths, and the South African Breweries Limited. Each case demonstrates how the application of product stewardship can and does reduce negative impacts on both the environment and society while simultaneously nurturing exceptional customer loyalty. A number of critical questions about the design and promotion of short term domestic insurance products are raised to demonstrate how the application of a product stewardship approach could unlock the potential to nurture superior customer loyalty for corporations in the South African short term domestic insurance industry, a service industry plagued by a declining industry image, low customer loyalty and intense competition. The application of a product stewardship approach to a service orientated industry is significant as services are seldom analysed for their effects on the environment and society, as promoted by sustainable development theory. Instead, in an attempt to display the values of a better world, service industries expend huge resources engaging in activities peripheral to their core businesses, while adjustments as highlighted by a product stewardship approach, to their core offerings, their services, could deliver meaningful change for the environment, society, the corporation and ultimately the customer. Based on the real possibility of a synthesis between sustainable development and customer value as highlighted in this thesis, a further more in-depth study is proposed to determine the direct business effects, quantified, of improved customer loyalty nurtured through the application of product stewardship.

Thesis (MPhil (Sustainable Development Planning and Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / At the beginning of the new millennium, the world faces various challenges. Global warming is an all too familiar word, global terrorism is a threat to many countries that always felt safe and an ever looming oil crisis just does not want to go away. No longer can it be argued that nature is a never-ending provider of resources. In order for humanity to co-exist with nature, it is of great importance that we take our responsibility towards nature and other human beings seriously. In the midst of all these, the most prominent institution in the world, the corporation, plays a very significant role. They are the biggest traders in resources and they are also the institutions that affect our lives more than any other. It is because of the influence that corporations have in our lives and on the natural environment they operate in, that they need to take their social and environmental responsibility serious. This thesis focuses on the corporate social and environmental responsibility of two prominent corporations that operate in and around Stellenbosch: the University of Stellenbosch and Spier Holdings. The validity of the reasons behind corporate social responsibility is also investigated through literature before it is “tested” at the two corporations mentioned above. In terms of its findings, the thesis established the effectiveness of the way the university is dealing with social and environmental issues. Opposed to this, Spier is studied as a corporation that deals with the same challenges in an environmental and socially sensitive manner. The thesis also shows that there is a moral and business case for corporate social and environmental responsibility that is applicable to corporations in general and that those reasons are valid and relevant. The thesis found that becoming a more sustainable corporation is beneficial for the corporation, the society in which it operates as well as the natural environment.

Thesis (MPhil (Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / This project proposal has as its topic a communications and change management project within Anglo Platinum, called the G3 Project. It is being submitted as an integrated assignment for the MPhil programme on sustainable development in the Department of Public Management and Planning at Stellenbosch University and is also intended for consideration by the executive management of Anglo Platinum. The G3 Project proposal document has been drafted based on the logical framework analysis (LFA) approach and format envisaged by Örtengren (2004). LFA is a widely accepted methodology for setting out project proposals. It provides a basis for identifying a problem in society, and for analysing its causes and effects. This then provides a basis upon which to identify actions that will address the causes of the problem. This project proposal covers each of the nine stages of the LFA guidelines, as follows: context analysis; stakeholder analysis; problem analysis; objectives analysis; plan of activities; resource planning; indicators; risk analysis; and assumptions. The focal problem of the analysis is that corporate sustainable development reporting has become mostly a bureaucratic, “tick-box process” under Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 2002 guidelines. As Confino (2008) has alerted us, “There is a risk that sustainability reporting will not inspire deep change, but could become a dry bureaucratic diversion.” Therefore, the overall objective of the project is to ensure that corporations use their sustainable development reports to make ambitious commitments to sustainability, as a means of addressing global sustainability challenges. Its purpose is to ensure that Anglo Platinum’s sustainability reporting, compiled using the GRI G3 guidelines, is used as a vehicle for the company to make ambitious commitments to addressing the material societal sustainability issues over which it has control; and results in fundamental changes in the company’s business processes. The outputs of the G3 Project, which are designed to meet the project’s purpose, include compiling the 2008 Anglo Platinum sustainable development report in line with the requirements to meet the GRI’s G3 B+ self-declaration level;1 setting ambitious, sustainability-related targets and developing management plans to address Anglo Platinum’s material sustainability issues; and ensuring that the 2009 Anglo Platinum sustainable development report is structured and in line with GRI’s A+ requirements. For these outputs to be achieved, a budget of R8 million will need to be made available for the G3 Project over the next three years. Questions may be raised about what the business case is for doing such a project. However, according to a recent Globescan/SustainAbility survey of corporations, academics, NGOs and sustainable development experts, the reason why it is important for companies in general to address those social sustainability challenges over which they have control is that they are believed to be key players, more so than governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), in providing leadership on sustainable development over the next ten years. This was reiterated by Hart (2005), who states that corporations are the only entities in the world today with the technology, capacity and global reach required to lead us towards a sustainable world. This project proposal is directed at the executive management of Anglo Platinum, for its consideration in deciding the future path of sustainable development reporting -- and of sustainability itself -- within the company.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: ‘Going green’ draws its origins from the ‘green’ in politics, which was first used as a party name by the German Greens (Die Grünen) in the late 1970s, which, although not the first green party, through media hype triggered the conception of a green movement in the early 1980s. This was voiced through green parties across the globe. Green is now seen as a buzzword and is often used as shorthand for discussing sustainability. It has since gained support leading to the gathering of more than 100 heads of state at the Earth Summit, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992 and provided the necessary platform to launch a global campaign. It initially began in developed nations, in particular European countries, but has since spread to developing countries, despite receiving abundant opposition both from developed and developing nations, due to its impact on the oil and coal sectors. The purpose of this research is to determine the core motivation behind companies going green. The researcher does this through a qualitative study of the motivations and contextual factors that induce ecological responsiveness ranging from day to day business practices to the ecological design of their offices. The researcher tests the hypothesis, namely climate change mitigation, which is developed through the literature study and adopted to evaluate the four case studies selected. The researcher builds up his argument in chapters 3 to 5, which draw on the literature studied and first discuss Government’s response to climate change, then the interventions in place to address climate change and finally look at the four case studies. Climate change and its relevance to companies is the key motivation behind deciding on this topic and it is discussed throughout the thesis. Companies interviewed in this thesis expressed concern about it, although it was not always the primary motivation. Some had already introduced measures to address it and were continually looking at new ways of mitigating it. Similarly, the companies interviewed and others analysed were all concerned about introducing cost saving measures, which had the added advantage of being of benefit to the environment. Genuine reasons for mitigating climate change and concern over the future of the planet put forward by certain companies, while protecting profit margins were given by others. All served to achieve one goal to protect the environment through the sustainable use of natural resources and ultimately to enhance companies’ public images as being green companies. This study is divided into a literature review and case studies, where literature pertaining to climate change, renewable energy, sustainable building, corporate governance, green jobs and others was sourced from government gazettes, newspapers, academic studies, books, documentaries, journals, magazines and internet sources. These serve to develop and support the case studies, which take the form of interviews done with owners and workers from the selected companies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Om groen te wees is ‘n uitdrukking wat van die politiek afkomstig is. Die naam is eers deur die Duitse Groenparty (Die Grünen) in die laat sewentiger jaar gebruik en alhoewel dit nie eintlik die eerste groenparty was, het dit deur middel van die media gelei tot die totstandkoming van die groenbeweging in die vroeer tagtige jare. Die naam “groen” is deur groenpartye wêreldwyd gebruik en ‘groen’ word deesdae as ‘n bynaam gebruik as ‘n mens van verdedigbaarheid praat. In 1992 te Rio de Janeiro, Brazil het die groenbeweging sterk steun gevind toe meer as 100 staatshoofde by die ‘Earth Summit’ bymekaar vergader het. Oorspronklik het die groenbeweging in die ontwikkelde nasies, veral Europese nasies, begin maar het daarna tot die ontwikkelende nasies uitgebrei. Maar daar was heelwat teenstand van beide ontwikkelde en ontwikkelende nasies, weens die ekonomiese uitwerking op die olie en steenkool industriëe. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om te bepaal watter motiverende faktore maatskappye inagneem as hulle “groen” gaan. Die skrywer versoek om vas te stel deur middel van ‘n kwalitatiewe studie van die motiverende en samehangende faktore wat ekologiese antwoordendheid teweegbring. Hierdie faktore beweeg van daaglikse besigheidspraktyke tot die ekologiese beplanning van die kantore. Die skrywer gebruik die versagting van klimaatverandering as ‘n toets, wat deur die literatuurstudie ontwikkel is en wat verwys word as die sleutelmotivering wat tot groening lei, en wat gebruik word om die vier uitgesoekte studies te beoordeel. Elkeen van die studies word volgens hierdie kriteria bepaal. Die skrywer pas hierdie kriteria ook op voorbeelde wat gebruik word om die vier uitgesoekte studies te steun. Die skrywer bou in hoofstukke 3 tot 4 sy argument op. Daar word die regering se reaksie tot klimaatverandering en groot besigheid se antwoord op regeringsbeleid uiteengesit. Ons sien ook die bemiddelinge wat in staat gestel is om klimaatverandering teen te staan; daarna word die agtergrond oor die logiese gronde vir die verkiesing van die vier gevallestudies bespreek, en laastens word die eintlike gevallestudies behandel. Klimaatverandering en die relevantheid daarvan is die sleutelmotivering vir die keuse van hierdie onderwerp en dit word deurgaans in die proefskrif bespreek. Dit is die een gemeenskaplike faktor waaroor die vier ondervraagde maatskappye getoets is; hulle het reeds stappe geneem om dit teen te staan en soek aanhoudend om die uitwerking van klimaatverandering te versag. ‘n Oorsig van die algemene literatuur en sakestudies, die literatuur wat spesifiek op klimaatverandering van toepassing is, hernieubare energie, verduurbare geboue, maatskaplike beheer, ‘groen’ werk en klimaatverandering te versag. Inligting afkomstig van staatskoerante, koerante, akademiese studies, boeke, dokumentere studies, joernale, tydskrifte en internet bronne. Altesame het hierdie bronne bygedra tot die ontwikkeling en steun van die gevallestudies, wat hoofsaaklik die vorm van onderhoude met werkgewers en werknemers van uitgesoekde maatskappye gevat het.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main aims of this thesis were to focus on the restaurant system in Cape Town with a view to creating a support mechanism for a move to more sustainable practices. A review of the literature found that despite a growing global population, the pressure on resources and consumption has been driven by the global middle class. Over half the world lives in cities and dualistic urban systems reinforce access to resources by excluding the poor and favouring the wealthy. Resource flows and consumption have degraded ecosystems, created waste and emissions. We use resources faster than they can be replenished and have exceeded the earth’s regenerative capacity. Counter to this, there is evidence of decoupling resource use from economic growth. Similarly, the industrialised food system has been created on external inputs such as fertiliser and insecticides, largely derived from fossil fuels. Food produced in the system uses energy, produces waste, depletes the soil and thwarts biodiversity. The global food system counters local food economies. This thesis argues that a sustainable system would have the economy as a basis for a better and equitable environment for current and future generations within ecological and regenerative capacity. As a city Cape Town reflects the inequalities and unsustainability of the global system, with vast disparities in wealth and opportunity. Restaurants can control flows of energy, food and waste, support people and the environment, as well as communicate and educate consumers. By collaborative efforts they can lay the basis for local food economies. Restaurants connect consumers to their food and make decisions about where the food comes from, how it will be prepared and disposed of and who will engage in that preparation. The restaurant sector can contribute to sustainability in its use of resources as well as its employment, community engagement and communication practices. This in turn supports local economies and impacts on the broader sustainability of the city. Research into the restaurant system in Cape Town showed that there is consumer interest in sustainability. There is evidence of restaurants making efforts towards sustainable endeavours. Within Cape Town there is the opportunity to look for more sustainable energy, work around local and seasonal menus, support local food economies, and control wastage. Local food economies can be supported while staff can also be treated fairly and given growth opportunities. Endeavours can be communicated as a way of shifting current unsustainable consumption patterns. The conclusions drawn from the thesis suggest that like the Sustainable Restaurant Associations (SRA) and Dinegreen there is space for a support mechanism for the restaurant industry where individual restaurants can be helped to move to sustainability and collaborate with other stakeholders. The recommendations of the thesis are to create an organisation that can evolve into a co-operative that will bring restaurants together and map out the changes they make. They need to be supported with expertise and audits of their current practice so that they can set goals for the future with regard to their environmental and social actions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die hoof doel van hierdie dissertasie was om die restaurantstelsel in Kaapstad te ondersoek met die oog daarop om ‘n ondersteuningsmeganisme vir meer volhoubare praktyke te skep. ‘n Literatuuroorsig het getoon dat ten spyte van ‘n groeiende wereldbevolking, die druk op natuurlike en ander hulpbronne deur die wereldwye middelklas uitgeoefen word. Meer as die helfte van die wereld woon in stede en dualistiese stedelike stelsels versterk toegang tot sulke hulpbronne deur die armes uit te sluit en voorkeur te gee aan die reikes. Die vloei en verbruik van hulpbronne het ekologiese stelsels gedegradeer en afskeidings en afval vergroot. Ons verbruik hierdie hulpbronne vinniger as wat hulle vervang kan word en het die aarde se herstelkapasiteit oorskry. Aan die ander hand is daar bewyse dat die verbruik van hulpbronne ontkoppel is van ekonomiese groei. Insgelyks is die industrieele voedselstelsel gegrond op externe inset soos kunsmis en insekdoders, wat grootendeels van fossiele brandstof bekom word. Voedsel wat in hierdie stelsel geproduseer word verbruik energie, skep afval, put die grond uit en werk biologiese verskeidenheid tee. Die globale voedselstelsel is in teenstand teenoor plaaslike voedselekonomiee. Hierdie dissertasie redeneer uit die oogpunt dat ‘n onderhoudbare stelsel die ekonomie as ‘n basis vir ‘n beter en billike omgewing vir huidige en toekomstige geslagte, binne die ekologiese kapasiteit, sou he. Die stad Kaapstad weerkaats die ongelykhede en onvolhoubaarheid van die wereldwye stelsel, met sy ongelykhede in welstand en geleenthede. Restaurante kan beheer uitoefen oor hulle vloei van energie, voedsel en afval, kan mense en die omgewing ondersteun, sowel as verbruikers inlig en oplei. Deur pogings om saam te werk kan hulle die grondslag le vir plaaslike voedselekonomiee. Restaurante kan verbruikers verbind tot hulle voedsel en kan besluite neem oor waarvandaan die voedsel verkry word, asook hoe dit berei en afgedoen sal word en wie dit sal berei. Die restaurantsektor kan bydra tot volhoubaarheid in sy gebruik van hulpbronne sowel as inwerkneming, gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid en kommunikasiepraktyke. Dit sal op sy beurt dan plaaslike ekonomiee ondersteun en ‘n wyer impak he op die volhoubaarheid van die stad. Navorsing oor die restaurantstelsel in Kaapstad het getoon dat die verbruiker belang stel in volhoubaarheid. Daar is tekens daarvan dat restaurante pogings aanwend in die rigting van beter volhoubaarheid. In Kaapstad bestaan die geleentheid om te soek na meer volhoubare energie, rondom seisoenaangepaste spyskaarte, die ondersteuning van plaaslike voedselekonomiee, en die beheer van afval. Plaaslike voedselekonomiee kan ondersteun word terwyl werknemers regverdig behandel word, en moontlikhede tot vooruitgang het. Hierdie pogings kan oorgedra word as ‘n manier om die huidige onvolhoubare verbruikspatrone te verander. Die afleidings wat gemaak word in hierdie dissertasie stel voor dat daar plek is vir ‘n ondersteuningsmeganisme vir die restaurantindustrie, soos die “Sustainable Restaurant Associations” (SRA) en “Dinegreen”, waar die individuele restaurant gehelp kan word in rigting volhoubaarheid te beweeg en om saam te werk met ander belangstellendes. Hierdie dissertasie stel voor om ‘n organisasie te skep wat kan ontwikkel tot ‘n kooperatiewe wat restaurant saam kan bring en die veranderings wat hulle aanbring kan uiteensit. Hulle sal moet ondersteun word met kennis en ouditering van hulle huidige praktyke, sodat hulle doele kan stel vir die toekoms met betrekking tot hulle omgewings en sosiaal gerigte handeling.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: "Poverty is unnecessary. People are capable of getting themselves out of poverty. All they need is opportunities. They are not waiting for charity or handouts. Charity is good but it is not good enough. If you turn it into a business proposition, then it's very powerful, because it can run on its own steam" (Muhammed Yunus, Nobel Prize of Economics, 2006). It is widely acknowledged in current literature that business is one of the most powerful forces for change in the 21 st century. One of the major challenges is to harness this potential and to allocate it accurately to where it is most effective. Leaders globally are increasingly acknowledging that new business models are emerging that can effectively combine citizenship and profitability without unduly sacrificing returns to shareholders, but rather enhancing them. The term Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been abandoned by most South African firms in favour of the term Corporate Social Investment. This has been done in order to divert attention from calls on business to redress the results of the country's historical contribution to the apartheid system. Businesses have responded strongly to the pressures of CSR. CSR in South Africa has become an inherent aspect of any organisation's overall business strategy. For South Africa to achieve their goals of reducing poverty, accelerating economic growth, and providing better services to their citizens there has to be a strong focus on encouraging large corporate involvement. This thesis discusses the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes implemented by selected large companies operating in South Africa and the attempts they have made to close the poverty gap at the bottom of the pyramid. The second part of this thesis provides a closer and detailed discussion of South African Breweries enterprise development programmes, viz: Ukusa and Mahlasedi. The outcome of this thesis provides further evidence that poverty alleviation strategies can be effective and sustainable if they incorporate private sector approaches that promote entrepreneurial development within the target population in South Africa. It also emphasises that CSR programmes not only provide opportunity for the population at the bottom of the pyramid but directly influences the growth and sustainability of many businesses in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit word oral in huidige literatuur erken dat besigheid een van die sterkste kragte vir verandering in die 21 ste eeu is. Een van die grootste uitdagings is om hierdie potensiaal te benut en om dit akkuraat toe te wys na waar dit die doeltreffendste aangewend kan word. Leiers wêreldwyd erken toenemend dat nuwe besigheidsmodelle verskyn wat burgerskap en winsgewendheid doeltreffend kan kombineer sonder oormatige opoffering van winste aan aandeelhouers maar trouens eerder deur die verhoging daarvan. Die term Korporatiewe Maatskaplike Verantwoordelikheid (KMV) was deur die meeste Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye ten gunste van die term Korporatiewe Maatskaplike belegging verruil. Dit is gedoen om aandag weg te lei van beroepe op ondememings om die gevolge van die land se historiese bydrae tot die apartheidstelsel reg te stel. Besighede het heftig gereageer op die druk van KMV. KMV in Suid-Afrika het 'n inherente aspek van enige organisasie se oorkoepelende besigheidstrategie geword. Vir Suid-Afrika om hierdie doelwitte van armoedevermindering, versnelde ekonomiese groei en beter diensverskaffing aan burgers te bereik, moet daar 'n sterk klem op die aanmoediging van korporatiewe betrokkenheid wees. Hierdie tesis bespreek die Korporatiewe Maatskaplike Verantwoordelikheidsprogramme (KMV-programme) wat deur geselekteerde groot Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye geimplementeer is en die pogings wat hulle aangewend het om die armoede gaping aan die onderkant van die inkomstepiramide te vernou. Die tweede deel van hierdie tesis verskaf 'n fyner en breedvoeriger bespreking van die Suid-Afrikaanse Brouerye se Ondernemingsontwikkelingsprogramme, nl. Ukusa en Mahlasedi. Die uitkoms van hierdie tesis verskaf verdere bewyse dat armoedeverligtingstrategieë doeltreffend en volhoubaar kan wees indien dit privaat-sektor benaderings inkorporeer wat entrepreneurskaps ontwikkeling binne die teikenbevolking in Suid-Afrika bevorder. Dit beklemtoon ook dat KMV-programme geleenthede vir die deel van die bevolking aan die onderkant van die inkomstepiramide skep, en terselfdertyd die groei en volhoubaarheid van talle ondernemings in Suid-Afrika regstreeks beinvloed.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / The consumption of energy results in environmental costs, which include resource shortages, air pollution and radioactive wastes. Due to the economic cost associated, more and more Western industrial organisations are investing in innovative technologies to reduce energy consumption through improved thermal insulation of buildings, modifying equipment and by using energy-saving devices. The organisations are, however, not assured of any savings unless employees handle apparatus and equipment in a manner that conserves energy. Therefore, the important question to answer is how organisational behaviour can be changed to improve and enhance energy conservation efforts. Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) has identified that it needs to change its operations to conserve energy, thus ultimately conserving the planet. The company has identified an internal goal of reducing its energy consumption by fifteen percent, without sacrificing output, over a period of ten years from 2004. Current (2011) energy consumption at the Rustenburg Base Metals Refinery (RBMR) facility indicates that the mentioned goal does not seem achievable in 2014 as anticipated. The proposition to this phenomenon is that the prevailing culture at RBMR is not conducive to a conservation culture as required to conserve energy. Organisational culture is the pattern of values, norms, beliefs, attitudes and assumptions that shape the ways in which people behave and things get done. This hypothesis was tested with a culture survey in the form of an environmental questionnaire. The findings from the questionnaire confirm cultural barriers to achieving centralised targets and goals. Responses to the questionnaire indicated that the organisation does not measure energy conservation efforts accurately and that the information on how to attain the required conservation is not sufficient. The respondents further indicated that they have very limited input into energy conservation efforts and that trust issues present themselves as barriers to achieving set goals and targets. The prevailing perception by the respondents is that inadequate recognition systems are in place to drive the required savings. A surprising finding of the research is that the level of education of the respondents showed no significance with regard to energy conservation and the environment in general. A second interesting finding was that most respondents felt that they could do something to conserve energy and thereby conserve the environment. The challenge facing Amplats is to transform this awareness into a vehicle that will produce significant and sustainable results. Clear and decisive action will be required to bring about cultural change.

The South African economy is faced with a number of challenges as an upper-middle income country that is highly resource-intensive, with an open economy. It has a number of developmental goals that must be achieved in order to maintain environmentally conscious sustainable development. The country will have to find pioneering ways to address the poverty problems faced by a large proportion of its people, while still ensuring economic growth at a reduced cost to the environment. In an effort to promote the shift to a “green” economy, the South African state and its related entities have developed a number of incentive programmes aimed at easing the transition. These incentives primarily support businesses in their efforts to become more energy-efficient, or to convert to renewable energy sources. The objective of this study is to critically evaluate what the South African government is doing with regard to environmental instruments aimed at assisting the country to reduce carbon emissions. This case study follows a quantitative approach, considering the financial effects that the different environmental instruments could have on South African manufacturers. Through the study the researcher will be able to make certain recommendations to businesses in the manufacturing industry who are interested in investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The results of the study will also give the researcher insight into the South African environmental incentives, which will allow him to make informed comments on the proposals that government has tabled regarding future environmental taxes and incentives. The research questions that the researcher tried to answer were based on the current and future policy measures that the South African government has implemented, or will implement, in order to move the country to a low-emissions trajectory. These policies were then also compared to international measures in order to determine if the policies chosen by the South African government are appropriate for the this country’s economy. This study has led the researcher to discover a number of issues relating to the status of environmental policy in South Africa. These discoveries have allowed him to make certain recommendations to businesses investing in this realm, as well as to government which develops these policy measures. The main findings of the study are that with the assistance of the South African government and related entities, investments in renewable energy have become viable. When considering the current status of South African environmental policy, the researcher has also come to realise that the country is lagging behind the rest of the world with regard to policy development. The South African economy is unique, thus policies have to be structured in a way that will not be detrimental to the country.