SA business challenges corporate SA to do business better, together

The Unlimited, one of South Africa’s most inspiring R1bn business success stories, today raised its voice and called on corporate South Africa to unite in a singular purpose: to lead with shared values and a common purpose to make a greater impact on the world around us.

At a launch event hosted on 2 August, The Unlimited challenged South African business to do better. If South Africa’s socio-economic circumstances are to ever be changed, business leaders must redefine their leadership by driving change through action and delivery in entrepreneurship and leadership development. Now is the time for business to focus on making an impact within their specific sectors to fill the void with a renewed commitment to civil society.

Since its inception in 1994 The Unlimited’s founder, Iain Buchan, has consistently challenged traditional views of how a business should operate. His commitment to placing people before profit has been unwavering – a strategy that has ultimately shaped a culture that delivers excellent returns.

“We built a business that challenges the status quo by daring ourselves and others to do better. And we now make this same call to others. When someone has the courage to take a stand, you empower others to do the same. We also know that people trust brands more than government, and as such we are taking a stand on leading with our values, creating employment, fostering a new way of leadership, and supporting Early Childhood Development (ECD), all towards building a better South Africa,” said Andrew Wood, The Unlimited’s CEO.

Only when an entrepreneur becomes an enterprise employer does growth begin

Wood believes a win-win outcome is possible for all - a philosophy resulting in the development of hundreds of successful entrepreneurs, many of whom started off on a zero base. The Unlimited’s business model is an exponentially scalable one through which 600 to 800 people are trained every month, and a salesforce of over 1 500 people is run.

After enabling more than a 50 millionaire success stories including that of Sydwell Khoza, once a bricklayer who today employs over 350 people. Zamaswazi Gamede, who went from place to place including living in a drug house now employs 30 people whilst Leo Van Niekerk, who grew up on church handouts now employs over 300 people. The company is confident that with the right leadership and drive it can produce another 5 000 successful entrepreneurs over the next five years.

“We believe that everything rises and falls on leadership. As we challenge ourselves and other businesses to do better, our focus at the core of everything we do is to find and grow leaders. We do this through personal transformation and a leadership programme unlike any other,” he adds. This is driving bold new business success stories that are not dependent on formal qualifications and training. Success stories that are reflective not only of who we are as a business, but as a country. Today, more than 65% of our leaders are of colour, with 35% being female.

Unlimiting dreams by enabling school-ready children

As the founding and operational partner of The Unlimited Child, an independently registered non-profit organisation operating in the early childhood development sector, the business is also committed to enabling the potential of tomorrow’s entrepreneurs by addressing South Africa’s education crisis. Founded in 2008, this initiative impactfully empowers future change-makers through its proven and scalable approach to ECD in under-served communities. The programme currently has 3 200 ECD Centres and has trained over 7 800 ECD Practitioners.

There are 215 000 children currently in the programme, with more than one million having been made school ready thus far. “We won’t stop here,” says Wood, as he affirms a commitment to The Unlimited Child’s goal to exponentially increase their impact, ensuring that no child is left behind.

Leading the shift from the front

Wood points out how powerful the change for good could be if Corporate SA and other local businesses join the current conversation. He says, “It is one that asks how we change the way we think in business, one that asks how we move towards making decisions through a lens of humanity rather than one of numbers and bottom lines.”

“If an unknown company can achieve all that we have, imagine the possibilities if we all worked together. If we approached the way in which we conduct business with an open mindset and the willingness to unlock dreams, Corporate South Africa could redefine industries and the future of the country. As a business, we’re here to do the right thing. We all need to stand for what is right, ethical and better for business outcomes and societal change,” concludes Wood.