By Zandile Nyathi, Head of Human Resources: SPM
Social impact is increasingly recognised as a cornerstone of modern business strategy—one that shapes reputation, resilience, and relevance. For companies operating in dynamic and unequal contexts, contributing to economic inclusion, environmental sustainability, and social progress is not only a moral responsibility but also a strategic necessity.
SPM’s corporate social impact strategy is built around this understanding. Rather than treating social investment as a standalone initiative, we integrate it across our governance structures, operating model, and organisational culture. This allows us to create long-term value not only for our stakeholders but for the communities and environments in which we operate.
The Strategic Role of HR in Social Impact
Human Resources plays a critical role in shaping how our social impact strategy is implemented and sustained across the business. From aligning purpose with performance to enabling leadership accountability and fostering a culture-building environment, HR ensures that impact is not only discussed but also delivered.
We do this by:
- Embedding strategic enablers that connect talent development with community outcomes
- Integrating social impact KPIs into leadership assessments.
- Enabling cross-functional collaboration on shared goals that extend beyond profit.
This approach ensures that social value creation is tied to professional growth, innovation, and operational excellence.
Our Strategic Focus Areas
SPM’s social impact strategy is structured around three long-term commitments that reflect our business strengths and stakeholder priorities:
a) Economic Empowerment through Skills Development
We invest in future-focused capabilities within underserved communities. This includes supporting digital literacy, entrepreneurship ecosystems, and vocational training partnerships with local institutions. These interventions are designed to address systemic barriers to employment and enterprise development.
SPM is dedicated to driving socio-economic development and making a lasting difference in the lives of individuals and communities. Through its ongoing support to non-profit organisations such as Zenzeleni Networks NPC, LVL X Youth, and Hand of Hope Special School, SPM helps to provide valuable resources and opportunities for those in need, fostering empowerment and transformation. In addition, SPM is proud to sponsor learnerships for deaf students in partnership with Employ and Empower Deaf (Pty) Ltd, creating pathways for education, skills development, and employment for individuals who face unique challenges. These efforts are a testament to SPM’s commitment to inclusivity, social justice, and the belief that every person deserves the chance to thrive and contribute meaningfully to society.
b) Social Infrastructure and Inclusive Growth
In the future SPM plans to expand its social impact by addressing foundational barriers in education, healthcare, and basic infrastructure. We’re particularly interested in working alongside civil society partners, schools, and community organisations to develop solutions that respond directly to local needs. Our vision is to design initiatives that are practical, measurable, and capable of growing over time—anchored in long-term collaboration and community ownership.
c) Environmental Stewardship and Resilience
As environmental challenges become more urgent, SPM recognises the need to integrate environmental resilience into its long-term impact strategy. We’re exploring initiatives that promote energy efficiency, waste reduction, and climate adaptation—particularly through partnerships that raise environmental awareness among youth. We’re also keen to explore the potential of innovation labs and circular economy pilots that align with our operational capabilities and commitment to sustainable growth.
Governance, Accountability, and Measurement
Our strategy is guided by cross-functional leadership structures that report directly to the executive committee. Progress is reviewed quarterly and reported annually through our ESG performance scorecard. Key indicators include:
- Social return on investment (SROI)
- Number of community members impacted
- Employee engagement in impact initiatives
- Contribution to national development goals
Our commitment to transparency and continuous improvement ensures that our impact evolves in tandem with community needs and stakeholder expectations.
Embedding Impact in Organisational Culture
We recognise that sustained social impact requires more than funding. It demands cultural alignment and leadership at every level. At SPM, we cultivate a culture of service, empathy and shared responsibility. This is reflected in how we recruit, develop, and retain talent—and in how we engage with clients, partners, and regulators.
Employee participation in social initiatives is voluntary but strongly encouraged, supported through structured time-off policies, skills-based volunteering platforms, and storytelling initiatives that showcase impact.
Strategic Alignment with Global Insights
Our strategy is informed by these insights and continually refined through analysis of global benchmarks, stakeholder feedback, and cross-sector learning.
Companies like Ørsted (Denmark), Enel (Italy), and Exxaro Resources (South Africa) offer compelling examples from the power and energy sector:
- Ørsted transformed from a fossil fuel-intensive utility into a global leader in offshore wind energy. Its sustainability-driven turnaround is underpinned by a clear commitment to climate action and local community engagement.
- Enel integrates shared value by co-developing renewable energy projects with communities, focusing on local economic development, digital education, and environmental stewardship.
- Exxaro Resources drives inclusive growth through youth employment, local supplier development, and Just Transition partnerships that align with energy sector transformation.
Closer to SPM’s operating model, companies like Actom, ABB, Bambili Energy, and Seriti Resources demonstrate how organisations in engineering, power infrastructure, and energy-intensive sectors integrate social impact into core operations:
- Actom supports technical skills development through engineering academies and partnerships with local TVET colleges.
- ABB invests in sustainable energy education and workforce readiness programmes aligned with industrial innovation.
- Bambili Energy prioritises localisation and equitable energy access through inclusive innovation in hydrogen energy.
- Seriti Resources embeds community development into its operational model, particularly in education and infrastructure initiatives in coal-affected communities.
In other sectors, companies like Unilever, Discovery, Woolworths, and Salesforce also offer valuable precedents. Discovery leads in shared-value health innovation, Woolworths integrates sustainability into retail operations, and Salesforce advances impact through its 1-1-1 philanthropy model.
By staying informed and agile, we ensure that our efforts remain responsive to the evolving needs of the communities we serve and the broader societal landscape.
Global Best Practice and the Road Ahead
Our approach is informed by leading global frameworks and best practices, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and the World Economic Forum’s Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics. These benchmarks help ensure our strategy is not only locally relevant but also globally aligned.
We benchmark our initiatives against those of peers and thought leaders to ensure that they reflect the highest standards of effectiveness, inclusivity, and transparency. We aspire to participate more actively in international forums, learning exchanges, and cross-sector alliances that shape the evolving role of business in society. This will enable us to enhance our contribution to global development discussions and incorporate broader perspectives into our strategy.
As we look to the future, our focus is on deepening our impact and institutionalising practices that make it durable. This includes:
- Scaling flagship programmes through regional hubs.
- Strengthening data-driven impact management.
- Embedding social innovation into core business units.
Social impact is not an adjunct to business performance—it is central to long-term value creation. At SPM, we understand that the strength of our business is directly linked to the well-being of the communities we serve. This strategy reflects SPM’s commitment to ensuring that our people and practices are consistently aligned with a purpose that extends beyond profit.
A socially responsive business is one that understands its future is inseparable from the future of the society in which it operates.