core sector communique

INCHCAPE SHIPPING SERVICES, SOUTH AFRICA

AWARDED BEE ACCREDITATION

19 January 2011

 

Within just two years of opening their offices in South Africa, Inchcape Shipping Services has been awarded the coveted Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Level 2 accreditation (See Notes to Editors below).

 

“This is a milestone in our growth and highlights the commitment that Inchcape Shipping is prepared to make towards the development of the South African economy and South African society,” said ISS Regional Senior VP, Allan Vermaak.

 

“In the South African context this is a huge achievement. It means we are now very well positioned to tender for government contracts as well as those of the large multinational companies in South Africa who are strictly regulated in terms of BEE accreditation.

 

“What makes this even more significant is that we have achieved such a high level rating. The minimum requirement to operate in South African ports is Level 4 but there was a strong commitment from amongst the team here to go for Level 2.”

 

Kirsty Fillis, ISS Business Development Manager for Africa, added: “We all worked very hard to achieve this accreditation and it is a credit to our whole team that we obtained it in such a relatively short time.”

 

Ends

 

Notes to editors:

The following definition of BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) is adopted by the BEE Commission:

• It is an integrated and coherent socio-economic process.
• It is located within the context of the country’s national transformation programme, namely the RDP.
• It is aimed at redressing the imbalances of the past by seeking to substantially and equitably transfer and confer the ownership, management and control of South Africa’s financial and economic resources to the majority of its citizens.
• It seeks to ensure broader and meaningful participation in the economy by black people in order to achieve sustainable development and prosperity.

Inchcape Shipping Services is the world's leading marine services provider. Through its proprietary network of some 255 offices employing over 3,500 people across 66 territories, ISS provides its customers with an unparalleled global resource delivered locally and tailored to each customer’s individual needs.

Its diversified customer base includes clients across the oil, cruise, container and bulk commodity sectors as well as serving naval, government and inter-governmental clients. Additionally, ISS provides landside commercial and humanitarian logistics, transit, offshore support and other associated marine services.

The Company also provides a growing range of outsourcing services. These include global crew and marine spares logistics; port agency management and commercial representation; and sophisticated Enterprise Resource Planning solutions through its subsidiary ShipNet and associated services.