Inspired Testing Head of People Louise Lowman
Inspired Testing, a Dynamic Technologies group company, is proud to announce that it has achieved Level 2 on the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) scorecard, reinforcing the expert software testing company’s dedication to driving meaningful change for communities and clients alike.
Louise Lowman, Head of People at Inspired Testing, was one of the key players in driving the company’s move from B-BBEE Level 3 to Level 2.
She says, “Meeting this goal in 2024 is cause for celebration for good reason. Achieving a higher level of B-BBEE compliance underscores our management’s strong commitment to transformation.”
“This advancement not only aligns us with key national and industry standards but it also enhances our ability to access new opportunities, build trust, and expand our partnerships.
For us, this progression is more than a numerical improvement – it reflects the hard work, strategic decisions, and collaborative efforts that drive our sustainable growth.”
Level 2 compliance grants companies doing business with Inspired Testing the advantage of claiming a procurement recognition of 125% versus 110% at Level 3.
This means that for every rand spent with Inspired Testing, their clients can claim R1,25 on their procurement scorecard.
This can result in a better enterprise and development score, and potentially positively impact their overall level of compliance.
Improving a company’s B-BBEE compliance is no simple task. It’s an extensive endeavour that requires absolute buy-in from the company and a team of people determined to make it happen.
Lowman explains, “The process involves several critical stages. The audit, for example, includes preparation time throughout the financial period, a one-week document review process and a one-week audit period. Ultimately this results in the review and release of the final B-BBEE Certificate. This certificate is both a testament to our compliance and a reflection of the commitment and hard work of our entire team throughout the year.”
The process entails a thorough analysis and testing of the supporting evidence required to validate each area of the scorecard.
This includes black ownership, payroll-related documents, training and development assessments, the supplier database, assistance provided to uplift black-owned SMMEs, and social development for designated communities.
It further includes the assessment of legislative and financial data that forms the basis of the compliance requirements of Inspired Testing.
A strong proponent of diversity by inclusion, Inspired Testing believes in the value of attaining Level 2 B-BBEE compliance and understands the greater social importance of this achievement. B-BBEE addresses the South African government’s goal of national empowerment, targeting historically disadvantaged people.
It is a moral obligation as well as a logical and practical growth strategy to enable the country to reach its full economic potential by redressing historical exclusions and ensuring fair and equitable participation in the country’s economy.
Lowman acknowledges challenges as well as the successes of this journey.
She says, “Some of the challenges we faced included the long administrative and maintenance aspects of the audit process, but I would say these were more than worth it.”
She adds, “One of the contributing factors to this success was the implementation of a formal training strategy, including qualified resources created to add sustainable value to the trainees.”
These internal programmes are available to employees through the internship programme and help to increase skills in different sub-sectors.
This results in a direct positive impact on transformation within the business as it relates largely to designated groups that form part of the EE goals.
Lowman says, “Another success was the tracking of the various elements on a continuous basis to ensure risk areas were identified and minimised efficiently and timeously, removing potential obstacles before they impacted the process. We believe the long-term value resulting from CSI programmes, such as the 4IR4Her programme run by Dynamic DNA, that were implemented during this process will have a lasting impact. In addition to this, the level of support for this process across the board and the buy-in from everyone involved are certainly positive outcomes that we can be proud of.”
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Editorial contacts:
On behalf of Dynamic Technologies
Linda Wilkins (Wilkins Ross Communications)
[email protected]
Karin van Blerk
Marketing Manager, Inspired Testing
[email protected]
