Since 2004 South Africa has had in place legislation that regulates the
responsibilities of business to the transformation of society, and this
regulation includes an element that relates to corporate philanthropy. To
date, however, very little has been documented about the influence of this
legislation on corporate philanthropy. A new research report by Halima
Mahomed, A Tangled Web: The Perceived Influence of Broad-Based Black
Economic Empowerment Legislation on Corporate Social Investment in South
Africa, aims to partially fill this gap. The research explores the perceived
influence of the legislation on issues such as the extent, flexibility and
approaches to giving; highlights the limitations that arise from the
structure and framework of the legislation; and interrogates some of its
unintended consequences.
As discussions on the feasibility of regulatory mechanisms gain traction in
other places, questions around what kind of regulatory incentives are
appropriate; how best should they be located and targeted; and even, whether
they are productive or counter-productive must be asked. It is hoped that
this research on the South African experience will help to raise key issues
for consideration and exploration.
Click here to access the report.
For queries or feedback, please contact Halima Mahomed at halimamahomed@gmail.com
This research has been generously supported by the Rockefeller Foundation.