Social and ethics committee report

My responsibility as chairman of Telkom’s social and ethics committee is to report on the matters within this committee’s mandate for the period ended 31 March 2015, in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act (71 of 2008, as amended).

In summary the committee’s duties include:

  • Monitoring the social, economic, employment and environmental activities of the group
  • Assisting the board in assessing certain aspects of governance, applicable to the committee’s function and terms of reference
  • Bringing matters relating to these activities to the attention of the board when appropriate
  • Ensuring Telkom is and remains a socially committed corporate citizen
  • Reporting annually to stakeholders

The committee met four times during the year. At each meeting we reviewed the quarterly reporting presented to us on:

  • Legislative compliance
  • Ethics
  • Enterprise risk management
  • Human resource development, employment equity and transformation
  • Safety, health and wellness
  • Environmental stewardship and climate change
  • Social development
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Asset protection and security

Together with the board audit and risk committees we monitor compliance with our code of ethics through quarterly reports we receive from the chief risk officer. This includes taking note of any relevant legislation, regulations and prescribed legal requirements or prevailing codes of best practice, with regard to matters relating to:

  • Socio-economic development, including the group’s standing in terms of the goals and purpose of the 10 principles set out in the United Nations Global Compact Principles; the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recommendations regarding corruption; the Employment Equity Act and the Broad-Based Economic Empowerment Act
  • Good corporate citizenship including the group’s promotion of equality, prevention of unfair discrimination and reduction of corruption
  • Our contribution to the development of the communities in which we operate and our products and services are marketed
  • The environment
  • Health and safety
  • The impact of our activities and products and services
  • Consumer relationships
  • Labour and employment including the group’s standing in terms of the International Labour Organisation’s Protocol on decent work and working conditions and our relationships with our employees
  • Our contribution toward the educational development of our employees