13 August 2024
For immediate release
Absa Group, SACCI celebrate success of inaugural Women-in-Business Directors Training Programme
Absa Group is proud to have collaborated with the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI) to sponsor the inaugural Absa-SACCI Women-in-Business Directors Training Programme, which took place from 5 July to 2 August 2024 and culminated in ten (10) women completing the programme.
The board training programme, conducted by the Institute of Directors South Africa, was aimed at identifying and nurturing women who have the potential to excel in board roles, and equipping them with the essential knowledge and skills required to thrive as successful business leaders and board members. The content covered critical areas such as governance, strategic planning, ethics, compliance and risk management.
The training comes at a time when South Africa continues to struggle to achieve gender parity in business, and particularly at board level. The 2023 Status of Gender on JSE-listed Boards report showed that the proportion of women on boards increased to 32% from 23% in 2017. While there is no available data on unlisted companies, the representation of women on these boards is likely to be even lower.
According to Absa’s Lead Independent Director, Nonhlanhla Mjoli-Mncube, supporting the Women-in-Business Directors Training Programme is part of the Group’s commitment to being an active force for good in everything we do. “This programme has afforded us the opportunity to not only support the empowerment of women, but to also strengthen governance in our institutions and communities,” Mjoli-Mncube said.
She said there is a need for urgent and focussed efforts to increase women decision makers in general and women board leaders in particular.
It is for this reason that Absa Group and SACCI are delighted at the success of the programme and we celebrated the first cohort of board trainees during an event this women’s month. The candidates had an opportunity to share their reflections and insights on the training programme, while there was also a panel discussion looking at what it will take to increase gender equity and diversity on corporate boards.
ENDS
For media queries please contact:
Absa Group
PRMedia@Absa.africa
South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Tshidi Ndebele
076 935 5681
tshidin@sacci.org.za
About Absa Group Limited
Absa Group Limited (‘Absa Group’) is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups. Absa Group offers an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management and insurance.
Absa Group owns majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania (Absa Bank Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia and has insurance operations in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. Absa also has representative offices in China, Namibia, Nigeria, and the United States, as well as securities entities in the United Kingdom and the United States, along with technology support colleagues in the Czech Republic.
For further information about Absa Group Limited, visit www.absa.africa
About SACCI
SACCI remains the most broadly based representative national business body, not only in South Africa, but in Southern Africa, focusing primarily on national and international issues.
SACCI’s vision is to be the voice and preeminent business chamber organisation, by offering superior value to its stakeholders, lobbies for and represents the collective interests, domestic and foreign, of South African businesses. Our mission is to effectively protect and promote the interests of business.
For further information about SACCI, visit https://sacci.org.za/