Page 28 - Winning Women 2017

28 BWASA

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ALISON VISSER
THE ASSOCIATION AT A GLANCE
oes your business need a boost?
Do you need someone to bounce
Dideas off? Are you wanting to The Businesswomen’s Association is Boys to Men programmes aim to
give back? the largest, most prominent transform young women and men
There is a reason why the non-profit association of business into responsible adults [See Pages
Businesswomen’s Association has been and professional women in South 32 and 33].
growing for nearly four decades. The Africa. It has more than 15 000 • Mentorship programmes offer a
value of signing up is worth far more members and 23 000 subscribers and chance to be guided and mentored
than the annual membership fee. affects more than 15 000 people a by those who have “made it” [See
Members cite the amazing year through its programmes. Page 37].
networking opportunities, the support The organisation has five focus 4. Awards and recognition
structure they inherit as a member areas: These include the Regional Business
and the member directory they have 1. Skills development and training Achiever Awards and the national
access to as some of the highlights of High-impact programmes are held to Businesswoman of the Year Awards
their membership. equip members with the right tools [See Pages 9 and 30].
The association caters for women at to better understand the business 5. Corporate social investments
all stages of their careers. From the world and improve their skills. • Sanitary Sisters distribute sanitary
student to the informal trader to the 2. Research and advocacy towels to schools [See Page 35];
woman on the top of the corporate The organisation’s highly anticipated • Stationery Start-up (packs are
ladder – there is a membership Women in Leadership Census 2017 donated to Grade 1 children); and
category tailored for you: will be released later this year [See • Corporate wear programme, where
Pages 38 and 39]. underprivileged young women are
General or full membership (R550) 3. Leadership given clothes to confidently enter
This is the original class of • Businesswomen of Tomorrow and the job market [See Page 36].
membership.
“When the Businesswomen’s
Association started, it was for awards, on Pages 10, 11 and 12] most Honorary membership (free)
women in business or business of our finalists were at executive level This is granted to women of
owners, so this was particular to – their needs are different to those of distinction who have made significant
women running their own businesses,” women who are mid-level in their contributions to the association.
says executive director Matshepo careers, so we customised an offering It includes retiring presidents and
Msibi. that is specific to the needs of women vice-presidents, regional chairpersons,
General or full membership is who are in those very senior positions and people of distinction “such as our
granted to someone who: is a – or who aspire to be in those lifetime achievement recipients like
business owner or entrepreneur; is a positions,” said Msibi. Mama Graça Machel, who was last
professional woman who holds year’s recipient”, said Msibi.
a position in a company; is in Corporate membership (R40 000) “This membership type is granted
the public or private sector; is This type of membership is granted to from time to time as the board
recognised as a leader in her field; a company or organisation that has chooses. Honorary members do not
or has contributed to the more than 51 members registered on have voting rights.”
advancement of women in business the association’s database.
and the community. “These are all kinds of Cooperative member (R350)
organisations – private companies, “We called this a cooperative member
Executive membership (R2 000) state-owned enterprises, government – because it was an inclusive title –
Executive membership is granted but has a maximum limit of 150. It’s it focuses on women in the
to someone who: is a successful not about the money – it’s about informal sector or rural areas;
business owner (more than 10 years getting women to be part of the women who are farmers or run
in business), holds a senior leadership association, and getting them involved,” small businesses in the townships,”
or executive position; is recognised as said Msibi. said Msibi.
a leader in her field; or has “This is a new category. We
contributed to the advancement of Group membership (R25 000) realised that we have neglected the
women in business and the This is similar to a corporate women in the informal sector, in
community. membership, but is granted to a the townships and the rural areas –
“This is a new category. When we company or organisation that has that’s where most of the support is
looked at the corporate category [of between two and 50 members required.”
the Businesswoman of the Year registered on the database. . TO PAGE 29