South Africa’s largest private sector employer, the Shoprite Group, has been honoured for its outstanding contribution to the ‘Social’ component of ESG at the Youth Employment Service (YES)’s inaugural Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) Awards this week.
The YES programme is a business-driven initiative in partnership with government and labour to build economic pathways for black youth to reduce unemployment.
Since inception of the partnership in November 2018, the Group has created 9 454 youth opportunities through the YES programme.
Participants receive 12 months on-the-job training with exposure to various facets of the retail industry. On completion of the programme, successful YES learners are skilled to work in retail or to initiate their own entrepreneurial journeys.
“With youth unemployment at a staggering 63.9%, the Group’s talent attraction and development strategy places a strong focus on offering early careers to youth interested in pursuing a career in retail.” – Leigh Adams, Head: Group Talent & Learning Solutions
The Group’s own Retail Readiness Programme is understood to be the largest and most successful skills development initiative undertaken by a South African retailer. The seven-week programme equips unemployed youth with the basic skills required to work in a retail environment or to start their own business. Successful participants receive NQF-level 3 qualifications.
Over the past three years, the Group has invested more than R384.5 million into skills development and training of 18 513 unemployed youth.
