KWV taking the lead with BBBEE
Wednesday, 22 September, 2010
KWV
KWV has confirmed its position as one of the leaders in BBBEE in the wine and spirits industry by achieving a level 4 rating during its recent evaluation. The company started out as a level 7 contributor in 2007, and was on a level 5 last year.
KWV made its most significant improvements in the past year in the areas of learning and development and preferential procurement. It remains a very solid performer in the areas of ownership, socio economic development and enterprise development.
Khutso Mampeule, KWV board member and chairman of Withmore 1 (previously known as Phetogo), KWV's broad based consortium shareholder, said of the rating: "We are proud of KWV's contribution to empowerment and transformation since our investment in 2004 as a 25.1% shareholder in the company. In partnership with KWV, we have given back to our broad based shareholders over R300m to date. This rating bears testimony to the fact that KWV is serious about transformation and empowerment."
KWV's biggest challenge going forward will in the categories of employment equity as well as management and control. This is one of the reasons why KWV is focusing a major portion of its socio economic development activities in the area of skills development. Through its Khula programme, KWV is focusing on training unemployed youth in the Paarl and Worcester areas for the hospitality sector. 76 students completed the four month training programme and at the moment 20 are permanently employed.
Although KWV remains predominantly an exporter of wines, its footprint in the local market is growing continuously. "We hope to leverage our BBBEE status even more in the local market, where KWV is strongly associated with its 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 Year Old brandies", says Barry Matthews, KWV's human resources executive.
KWV's rating was done by AQRate verification services. The rating confirms the leading position of the company among its peers in the wine and spirits industry.
KWV is one of the leading wine and brandy producers in South Africa. Its head office is located in Paarl, in the Western Cape region - one of the country’s top wine producing regions. The company sources wines and grapes from the best and most sought after viticultural regions in South Africa. The company owns internationally recognised brands such as Roodeberg, KWV wines, Laborie, Cathedral Cellar, Café Culture, Imoya, Wild Africa Cream and the range of KWV 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 Year Old brandies. KWV is a founding member of the ARA (Industry Association for the responsible use of alcohol) and encourages the responsible use of its products.