Johannesburg, – Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) has forged strategic partnerships with I Am an Entrepreneur (IAAE) and Henley Business School Johannesburg to provide comprehensive support and specialised business skills to its suppliers. These collaborations aim to empower CCBSA suppliers, particularly those who are at least 51% South African black-owned enterprises, exempt micro-enterprises, or qualifying small enterprises. 

Nozicelo Ngcobo, Director of Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability (PACS) at CCBSA, highlights the significance of these partnerships: “Our primary objective is to empower small, micro, and medium enterprises, enabling them to make substantive contributions to the mainstream economy.” 

CCBSA has commenced a series of BizConnect Expo supplier development roadshows across the country in partnership with IAAE as part of its efforts to enable economic inclusion.

There are two BizConnect Expos in April in Polokwane in Limpopo and Elgin in the Western Cape. Further roadshows will follow in Durban, Gqeberha, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg.

The BizConnect Expos underscores the company’s commitment to holistic supplier development. This three-tiered event provides a platform for suppliers to engage, collaborate, and access critical resources to enable their business’s growth. 

The programmes and partnership objectives can be summarised as follows: 

• Providing support for the advancement of CCBSA suppliers, prioritising black-owned enterprises and qualifying small enterprises
• Enhancing suppliers’ capabilities to improve their service and goods offerings
• Addressing challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMMEs) to facilitate their meaningful participation in the mainstream economy
• Assisting suppliers in growing their annual revenue, expanding their customer base, generating jobs, and upscaling their businesses
• Offering entrepreneurs opportunities to acquire essential business skills, enabling the growth and expansion of their enterprises

The 2024 CCBSA-Henley Business School Supplier Development programme commenced on 17 January at the Henley Business School Africa campus. Twenty qualifying suppliers are undergoing a rigorous 12-month curriculum, culminating in a Postgraduate Diploma in Management

Practice, recognised at NQF-8 level. This comprehensive course encompasses Systematic Management Practice, Innovative Wealth Creation, Managing Value Streams, and Synthesis and Integration, among other modules. 

Reflecting on the initiative, Linda Buckley from Henley Business School stated: “This partnership signifies a pivotal opportunity for small business owners to ascend the empowerment ladder, amplifying their economic impact through growth, job creation, and sustained livelihoods.” 

Ngcobo emphasised the importance of nurturing small businesses, acknowledging the inherent risks faced by their owners. “We are committed to fostering entrepreneurship by providing opportunities and imparting essential skills through mentorship and training,” she affirmed. 

Furthermore, Ngcobo highlighted the broader impact of this initiative, stating: “By investing in the capacity-building of our supply chain, we not only strengthen our operations but also contribute to the broader economy. We firmly believe that the tools provided to these small business owners will enable them to drive socio-economic growth and inclusion.”