Merit-based growth is BEE target

ALAN PEAT WHEN ADOPTING black economic empowerment (BEE), this should be achieved by merit only. That’s a basic policy at Cargocare Freight Services, according to MD Roland Raath. “We are serious about BEE. No window dressing - no “co-operations” - and no joint ventures.” What this basically boils down to is that ownership will come once the identified individuals have met very specific company and industry targets and earned their shares based on performance. Cargocare, Raath added, is committed to internal growth of its staff by means of merit, training and a policy of progressive compliance over the next five years - and this in line with the industry norms. “The vehicle to achieve this,” he said, “is an employees’ shareholder trust of merit-based individuals with a target of 25.1% of economic benefit - both direct and indirect.” This procedure has been guided by the Council of Ten (COT) - the industry’s advisory body for BEE, and represented by major logistics, airline and shipping companies. It has devised a 65-point “scorecard” - considered, said Raath, to be in phase one of a 5-year plan. And Cargocare already has a sound base score on this scorecard. Under locally based operational management, the company has achieved a 43% level of female representation where the current required rate is 10%. For black people in executive positions, its present ratio is 28.6% - chasing a 40% total. And, with skills development currently 1% of payroll, the company is fully-compliant.