Conglomerates

Barloworld Case Study, October 2006 Author: Kimon Phitidis

Barloworld Case Study

A study of Barloworld’s approach towards contributing to societal change in South Africa from the 1970s to today.

October 2006 Author: Kimon Phitidis

1

Barloworld Case Study, October 2006 Author: Kimon Phitidis

Contents

1. Abstract

4

2. Company profile

5

3. 1970s: Opposition can surface in different ways

6

4. 1980s: Creating order out of chaos

13

5. 1990s: The road to democracy

18

6. Corporate social investment and South African challenges into the 2000s 26

7. Engaging in the global debate

35

8. Conclusions

37

9. Glossary

39

2

Barloworld Case Study, October 2006 Author: Kimon Phitidis

This study considers Barloworld’s approach to, and involvement in, supporting societal change in South Africa since the 1970s. South Africa’s history is enormously complex and this is not an attempt to create an all-inclusive view of the past. This story is based on a series of interviews with people who either worked for or had dealings with Barloworld during this period. It is based largely on their recollections and anecdotes, and this has been supplemented by further research.

Barloworld has been involved in many projects that, in one way or another, were intended to contribute towards building a better South African society. This study looks at a selection of these, and focuses on the big social initiatives and the experiments that the company either started or contributed to as South Africa moved towards and beyond a 1994 democracy.

Barloworld is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact which seeks to promote corporate citizenship by asking companies to adhere to 10 universal principles of business practice that consider human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption. While the Compact was launched in 1999, the study demonstrates a corporate view of human rights and labour standards that have been consistent with this compact for many years....