BACKGROUND
Born from an innate desire to assist and serve, Digicall has been delivering world-class outsourced and incident management services in South Africa since 2003 and expanded to the UK in 2012 and Australia in 2015. Digicall is committed to a B-BBEE strategy that is aimed at nurturing a sustainable transformation environment for our customers, suppliers and our employees.
In our effort to contribute towards the growth of small to medium sustainable enterprises in the services sector, Digicall identified black owned emerging organisations in the value chain that has potential for development. One of the companies we have supported, is SED Partners.
SED provides black owned contractors and contractors with a level 4 B-BBEE or better rating, access to preferential procurement and supply chain opportunities within the financial services sector. They achieve this by creating a central HUB and a network of qualified, experienced service providers to service our clients efficiently and effectively with quick turn-around times.
THE SED STORY
SED was launched through a strategic partnership with Digicall in December 2015.
The SED business was funded through a capital injection by Hollard, to the Black Artisan Trust and an equity contribution by Rashied Essop the founding shareholder of the business.
SED has more than 30 registered plumbers and electricians on its panel, deals with approximately 4 000 claims per annum and cover the following regions:
•Gauteng •Kwa-Zulu Natal •Eastern Cape •Western Cape •Free State
DIGICALL ENTERPRISE SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT FUNDING
Digicall initiated a process to evaluate our suppliers, specifically looking at the composition of black women ownership as well as support of smaller black owned entities.
Digicall has provided SED an interest free loan with the aim of supporting the growth of their business, while also providing strategic inputs and operational support. Digicall and SED has quarterly performance and financial review meetings.
A portion of this loan has been utilised for expansion of SED’s vehicle fleet, purchased for plumbing contractors while the remaining balance was earmarked for working capital.
SED COMMUNITY IMPACT
The success of SED’s Incubation programmes, is measured against the sustainability of the SMME beneficiary and the overall development of the South African economy. In the last three years SED has played a crucial role in uplifting the broader community:
•50 households supported by SED business
•16 permanent jobs created
DIGICALL GROUP SED PROCUREMENT SPEND
We have made deliberate changes to our operating models and systems to ensure that work allocations give preference to black owned entities, black women-owned entities, empowering Exempted Micro-enterprises and Empowering Qualifying small enterprises.
Through effective work distribution algorithms, we continue to ensure that critical volumes needed to support SMME’s exponential growth, are channeled, in a preferential manner, though our procurement spend.
CONCLUSION
Digicall has a long and successful history in the Business Process Outsourcing and Insurance industry. We are committed to supporting our suppliers and clients, contributing to a successful social and economic transformation of the South African landscape and collectively achieving our procurement and B-BBEE objectives.