Finding opportunities within this new reality will be top of the agenda at the 2021 In Good Company Conference, on the mornings of 16 and 17 September.
Johannesburg, South Africa (03 September 2021) – The socio-economic challenges of the past 18 months have seen South Africa’s social investment and NPO sector needing to be more flexible, agile and sustainable, as it looks to support the country’s most vulnerable communities with limited resources, says social impact initiative Nation Builder.
Finding opportunities within this new reality will be top of the agenda at the 2021 In Good Company Conference, on the mornings of 16 and 17 September. Now in its seventh year, the event will be hosted virtually for a second year running, bringing together business leaders, social innovation experts and impact investment thinkers to explore ways for the social investment sector to take advantage of new trends and developments.
To book for the conference, click here.
The theme for this year’s event is ‘Light in the Tunnel’, says Nation Builder executive trustee Keri-Leigh Paschal. “We’ve seen significant negative impacts on our communities due to the pandemic, with vulnerable communities bearing the brunt of lockdowns, economic shocks and lack of infrastructure,” she said.
“But the increased pressure has also brought some incredible lessons and seen some highly innovative approaches surfacing in the sector. People have had to find new ways to serve and support our communities amid uncertainty and change. We want to know more about these solutions, and see how they can be used more broadly to shape new ways of thinking and supporting the most vulnerable,” said Paschal.
Hosted by Dr Michael Mol of Truth TV and Hello Doctor and Lesego Serolong Holzapfel of Bokamoso Impact Investments, the conference has attracted some of South Africa and Africa’s leading social investment leaders, along with a range of experts who will share their knowledge and practical expertise from their fields of work.
The speaker line-up includes:
- Abdullah Verachia, strategist and innovator, on ‘Gearing up for Disruption: Resetting the NOW and gearing up for the NEXT’
- Olefile Masangane, programmes manager at The Heartlines Centre for Values Promotion, on ‘Storytelling – a simple but effective tool for change’
- Bruce Whitfield, host of The Money Show on 702 and Cape Talk, on ‘How chaos and uncertainty breed opportunity in South Africa’
- Bridgit Evans, director of the South African Breweries Foundation, on ‘Strengthening the entrepreneurial eco-system’
- Richard Perez, founding director of the Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking at UCT, on ‘Embracing design thinking as a mindset to drive co-creation and innovation’
- Lesego Serolong Holzapfel from Bokamoso Impact Investment will be in conversation with Luvoyo Rani of Silulo Ulutho Technologies, Craig Stewart of The Warehouse Trust and Sindile Mavenga of Khaltsha Cycles, on ‘lessons we can learn from the Township Economy’.
- Keri-Leigh Paschal in conversation with Cathy Duff, director at Trialogue; Dr Frank Aswani, CEO at African Venture Philantrophy Alliance (AVPA); and Tracey Henry, CEO of Tshikulu Social Investments, on ‘Illuminating the social investment landscape and examining key trends’.
For more information and ticket booking click here. The first 300 delegates to book their spot will have a conference pack couriered to them to help them feel like they are ‘in the room’.
“We have all felt the impact of the pandemic, but by bringing together the collective lessons learnt and innovations that has been expedited due to the changing landscape, we have the opportunity to forge an even stronger, more collaborative social investment sector that can more effectively address many of the socio-economic challenges we face,” said Paschal.
This year’s sponsors include Growthpoint Properties, Momentum Metropolitan Holdings, the V&A Waterfront Cape Town, and Mergon.
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