How we can assist you.

SLP Challenges and Solutions:

If you’re facing challenges related to your existing SLP or need innovative solutions, we’ve got you covered. Our insights and strategies can help you overcome obstacles and achieve your social development goals. Explore our successful projects to see how we’ve helped other mining companies enhance their SLPs.

The next sections discuss more specific aspects.

We assist with new SLP’s or SLP Annual Updates

Whether you’re starting from scratch or need to update your current SLP, we offer tailored services. Our team will work closely with you to create a robust plan that aligns with industry standards and regulatory requirements. Given that the Social and Labour Plan is not the only aspect that requires attention, below we highlight the need to assist with the Mining Charter.

We can also provide a Mining Charter Score Assessment

The Mining Charter Score is crucial for demonstrating compliance and securing mining licenses. Therefore, we’ll assess your SLP against the charter’s criteria, identify areas for improvement, and guide you toward achieving a higher score.

Furthermore, we can provide assistance with specific SLP Elements:

In addition to the above, our expertise covers all critical Mining Charter elements:

• Ownership: We’ll help you navigate ownership requirements, including BEE (Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment) considerations.
• Human Resource Development (HRD): Enhance your HRD initiatives to empower local communities and build a skilled workforce.
• Housing: Develop sustainable housing solutions that benefit both employees and nearby communities.
• Mine Community Development: Create impactful community development programs that foster positive relationships.
• Procurement: Optimize procurement practices to support local businesses and suppliers.
• Employment Equity: Ensure fair representation and equal opportunities within your workforce.

In the block that follows, we discuss why are different.

Why we are different

The major reason that we are different is because we apply strategic thinking to Social and Labour Planning

Just like a business strategy that aligns your company with the external environment, a Social and Labour Plan (SLP) requires a strategic approach to ensure success. An effective strategy involves understanding the external factors affecting your business and making informed choices that drive positive outcomes. Our team helps you navigate the complexities of SLPs by providing clear, actionable insights and support.

• Here’s how our strategic approach to SLPs can benefit your business:

  1. Comprehensive Analysis: We start with a thorough analysis of your current SLP and the external environment. This helps identify opportunities and challenges that could impact your plan.
  2. Tailored Solutions: Based on our analysis, we develop customized solutions that align with your business objectives and regulatory requirements. We ensure that every aspect of your SLP is strategically designed to maximize impact.
  3. Informed Decision-Making: Our experts provide you with the information and insights needed to make informed decisions. We help you understand all your options and the potential outcomes of each choice, ensuring you select the best strategies for your business.
  4. Ongoing Support: Implementing an SLP is an ongoing process. We offer continuous support and guidance to ensure your plan remains effective and responsive to changing conditions. Our team is here to help you adapt and refine your strategies as needed.

In the following section we indicate some of our other expertise that we believe makes us different.

In addition to strategic thinking, we do the following

• Very few consultants today can calculate your own unique Mining Charter Score. Yes, post-High Court Judgment in 2018, many elements of the B-BBEE mining scorecard do not apply. One is therefore left with the solution of finding a mix of a scorecard between the older Mining Charters and your own Social and Labour Plan approvals. Read the following article if you wish. 
• In addition, we give you options with all the elements of your Mining Charter targets, not just cutting and pasting words onto your SLP.
• Furthermore, we compare your expenditure on your SLP with your peers based on a study that we undertook.
• In developing and updating your annual SLP, we use the exact template that the DMRE uses for auditing and reviewing your SLP.
• Also, we follow up with the DMRE if you so wish, as we found the DMRE to be very helpful. Read here our post on the DMRE being helpful.
• Then, don’t forget that we provide our software tracker for free should we update you annual Social and Labour or develop a new Social and Labour plan.

In the paragraph below we describe how we can assist you with tracking your commitments.

Tracking your Social and Labour plan commitments

You can click below to view how we can manage your commitments.

Clicking here takes you to our page that provides an overview of SLP4Good’s social and labour plan tracker, outlining key features and benefits.

Firstly, it offers a glimpse into the tracker through slides and graphics, highlighting its functionality in decoding commitments. Secondly, It integrates employee biodata, and managing procurement databases. Then, the tracker, presented in Excel and Smartsheet formats, allows for easy tracking and management of compliance tasks, including reminders and task allocation.

Mining Charter III

Additionally, the page discusses the challenges posed by new regulations like Mining Charter III and emphasises the importance of quick and cost-efficient compliance. It also promotes SLP4Good’s Excel spreadsheet gap analysis as a solution for measuring compliance. The page concludes by highlighting the use of Microsoft 365 software for compliance management, offering a demo of how it can be used for various compliance needs.

The section below shows how we calculate your Mining Charter Score.

Calculating you Mining Charter Score

To calculate a mine’s Mining Scorecard using the provided system, follow these steps:

Initial Assessment:

Utilise our Excel spreadsheet designed for gap analysis. Complete the questions in the spreadsheet covering all compliance aspects of the Mining Charter.

Data Capture:  </h6&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;h6&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;l in the spreadsheet with your mine’s data on scorecard categories, aspects, and commitments. Ensure to cover three main topics: scorecard categories, aspects, and commitments for B-BBEE compliance, report readiness and compliance status, and policy compliance with over 30 new issues identified.

Submit Data:

Send the completed spreadsheet back for analysis.

Analysis and Calculations:  

The spreadsheet will automatically calculate your compliance levels based on the provided data points. The spreadsheet will take into account weightings and targets specified by the Mining Charter.

Coaching and Support (if needed):

If you require more assistance, you can opt for coaching to understand and manage Mining Charter compliance better. Pivot Sustainability Software Solutions can be used for more comprehensive management of SMC compliance.

Software Solutions:

Depending on your needs, you might implement Pivot-systems’ software on your server to manage compliance. This includes the use of Microsoft Teams, Excel Spreadsheets, SharePoint databases, and a SQL database.

Detailed Calculation Breakdown:  

Use the provided elements and commitments (such as Employment Equity, Housing and Living Conditions, Human Resource Development, Mine Community Development, and Ownership) to input specific data points. The system will process these inputs to generate a scorecard reflecting compliance status and readiness.

Compliance Reporting:  

Generate the necessary reports (up to 24 as required by the Mining Charter) and manage actions based on the scorecard results. Ensure all elements like employment equity targets, housing conditions, HR development spending, community consultation, and procurement targets are met.

Continuous Improvement:  

Regularly update and review your data to ensure ongoing compliance with the Mining Charter. Use the calculated scorecard to identify gaps and areas for improvement.

By following these steps, you can efficiently measure and improve your mine’s compliance with the Mining Charter, ensuring you meet all regulatory requirements and contribute to sustainable development in the mining sector.

Below we turn to serving the niche mine sector in South Africa.

To start with, niche mines differ significantly from multinational mining corporations in various aspects, particularly in their approach to Social and Labour Plans (SLPs).

Limited Resources

Firstly, with limited resources, niche mines operate on smaller budgets and often concentrate their efforts on the immediate community. Consequently, they may have simpler compliance requirements due to their smaller scale and limited geographic reach, focusing primarily on local and national regulations.

Local Communities

Moreover, niche mines often have closer relationships with local communities, enabling more direct and personal engagement. This allows them to develop highly tailored programmes that address specific local needs.

Impact

Their impact is typically more concentrated within a specific community or region, and they tend to have lower visibility. As a result, this leads to less scrutiny but also fewer opportunities for widespread recognition of their efforts. In terms of SLP consulting, these mines should focus on highly specific local needs, implementing cost-effective and scalable solutions within budget constraints. Additionally, they should use simplified reporting mechanisms that meet local regulatory requirements without overburdening their limited administrative capacity.

In summary, while niche mines focus on localised, cost-effective, and tailored SLPs, multinational corporations need to develop broad, standardised, and comprehensive programmes that address diverse regulatory environments and stakeholder expectations.

With our Social and Labour Plan Consulting services we offer for free that few others can

Once we have updated your Social and Labour Plan, we add that to a compliance software to track your commitments. You can choose between your SharePoint, or our Smartsheet. They both work well; You can choose between your SharePoint or our Smartsheet. See a quick summary of each below.

SharePoint:

• Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem: SharePoint seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft tools like Office 365, making it easier to manage documents, collaborate, and communicate within your existing workflow. Moreover, this integration streamlines productivity and ensures a seamless user experience.
• Customizable Workflows: SharePoint allows for the creation of customized workflows, automating various compliance processes and ensuring timely task completion. Furthermore, these workflows can be tailored to specific business needs, enhancing efficiency and reducing manual effort.
• Robust Security Features: It offers advanced security features, including access controls and permissions, ensuring that sensitive information is protected. In addition, SharePoint’s security model provides peace of mind for organizations dealing with confidential data.

Smartsheet:

• User-Friendly Interface: Smartsheet provides an intuitive, spreadsheet-like interface that is easy to use, even for those with limited technical expertise.
• Real-Time Collaboration: It enables real-time collaboration, allowing team members to update and monitor compliance tasks simultaneously, ensuring everyone stays on the same page.
• Versatile Reporting Tools: Smartsheet comes with powerful reporting tools that help in generating detailed compliance reports, tracking progress, and identifying areas that need attention.

By choosing either SharePoint or Smartsheet, you ensure that your Social and Labour Plan commitments are tracked efficiently, promoting transparency, accountability, and compliance with regulatory requirements.

See our page on Compliance Software.