When Samsung entered the African continent through the establishment of the South African office in 1994, the company committed itself to empowerment initiatives that demonstrate real impact. Samsung’s profound, long-term and impactful dedication to transformation which transcends mere compliance – is a clear indication of its ongoing commitment to driving meaningful and sustainable economic renewal, diversity and inclusion within its businesses and the wider South African business landscape.

This top-tier rating reflects Samsung’s substantial investment in supplier development, youth employment and education initiatives, including its R280-million worth Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP). Over the years, Samsung has continued to explore new avenues of implementing its crucial transformation programmes. To this effect, the company has ensured that there’s continued investment in B-BBEE initiatives that drive meaningful transformation. This remarkable milestone is therefore a showcase of Samsung’s diverse workforce, partnerships with black Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), investments in workplace training and graduate programmes as well as its education-based Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

The B-BBEE level rating is used to measure the extent to which local companies comply with a points-based B-BBEE system. As an electronics giant, Samsung belongs to the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector and is measured on the ICT sector scorecard.

The ICT scorecard is made up of key pillars that include Ownership achieved through Samsung’s EEIP, Management Control (Local Board & Executive Committee, Employment Equity, Skills Development, Enterprise and Supplier Development as well as Socio-Economic Development (Social Responsibility) ¹. All these scorecard pillars contribute to the overall score that can be achieved. On an annual basis, Samsung’s target is to maximise performance for all the score card elements to achieve Level 1 status.

This 8^th year achievement is a demonstration of Samsung’s commitment to continued development and growth. And, this is evident in the strategic partnerships with both government and private sector that have, over time delivered on the country’s transformation objectives. This certification showcases Samsung’s focus on operational excellence alongside meaningful, long-term contributions to South Africa’s socio-economic landscape.

Nicky Beukes, Samsung EEIP & B-BBEE Manager said: “Our achievement of the Level 1 B-BBEE rating for the 8th consecutive year is another recognition of our continued drive and commitment to genuine economic empowerment in South Africa. This consistent accomplishment is a clear indication of our unwavering dedication to creating a more inclusive and equitable business environment. For us at Samsung, this is not just a tick box exercise but a continued drive to genuine economic transformation in South Africa and our sustained investment in the various pillars of the scorecard.”

And in particular, the EEIP project contributes to the Ownership scorecard element which comprises of 25 points. There is a requirement to ensure that the EEIP project is in good standing which in essence means that there needs to be adequate investment as per targets and meaningful implementation progress. Further to Samsung’s EEIP agreement with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) – four developmental areas of investment need to take place. These include Black Industrialisation through e-waste recycling, ICT and Service Centre entrepreneurship, Software Development trainings with previously disadvantaged universities as well as Technician training in underserved provinces.

In addition, Samsung’s efforts when it comes to enterprise development include its re-direction of existing spend to qualifying Black-Owned and Black-Women Owned Qualifying Small Enterprises (“QSEs”) and Exempt Micro Enterprises (“EMEs”). The company has ensured that these small enterprises were included in the existing procurement value chain of Samsung with a focus on the following, approved areas: Marketing, Services, Sales, Logistics and Recruitment. Employment Equity and Management control, which comprises of a local Board and the Executive Committee, are representative of the demographics of the country.

And furthermore, as part of its contribution to socio-economic development: Samsung has invested in education-focused initiatives that include the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) which teaches Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) skills to students in higher learning institutions. Also, Samsung has over the years ploughed further resources into the global Solve For Tomorrow (SFT) competition targeting grade 10 and 11 learners from disadvantage schools across the country to solve community problems through Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM).

Over and above this, Samsung’s Learning and Development (L&D) portfolio delivered a focused pipeline of talent development initiatives, aligned to both organisational capability needs and broader socio-economic impact. These include:

• A key milestone for the year was the launch of a ground-breaking initiative – Samsung’s Employee Dependent Bursary Scheme. The inaugural cohort supported 17 beneficiaries, reinforcing the company’s commitment to employee wellbeing, education access and long-term socio-economic upliftment.
• Also, Samsung’s External Bursary Programme funded 24 students in 2025, contributing to the development of scarce and critical skills beyond the organisation. This initiative strengthens the external talent pipeline and aligns with national priorities around education and skills development.
• The Technical Support Learnership in 2025, comprised of 15 learners, placed a deliberate focus on youth living with disabilities. This programme reflects a targeted approach to inclusive development, ensuring that opportunities are extended to underrepresented groups while building relevant technical skills within the ICT support environment.

Overall, the L&D interventions demonstrate a balanced approach between internal capability building, graduate development, social impact and inclusion. The outcomes reflect steady progress in developing a sustainable talent pipeline while contributing meaningfully to transformation and skills development objectives.

Beukes concluded: “All of these transformation-focused initiatives are aligned to Samsung’s business objectives and are an indication of our genuine and sustained commitment to B-BBEE. Samsung’s execution of its B-BBEE initiatives delivers tangible results in the areas of job creation, business growth, youth and women empowerment as well as technical skills. And holistically, our efforts combined have consistently indicated a deep and enduring dedication to a meaningful economic transformation in South Africa.”

Samsung has retained its Level-1 B-BBEE status for six (6) years in succession. This is a true testament of Samsung’s 30-year commitment and the positive impact its continuous investment has had, to the country’s transformation agenda.

This Level-1 B-BBEE achievement complemented by its continued investment in the country, places Samsung in a firm position where it remains a strong supporter of economic transformation and an active contributor to the future of the South African economy. Since the dawn of democracy when Samsung entered the African continent through the establishment of the South African office, the company has been pushing its transformation agenda by investing in a number of empowerment programmes for the future, which have now led to positive social changes within the broader African continent.

The B-BBEE level rating is used to measure the extent to which local companies comply with the system of B-BBEE, driven by key pillars that include Ownership through EEIP & Management Control (Indirect Empowerment), Employment Equity & Skills Development, Preferential Procurement & Enterprise Development as well as Socio-Economic Development (Social Responsibility). Even though there may be all kinds of complexities to implementing B-BBEE, Samsung has made incredible strides forward in its long-term vision for the country and its overall B-BBEE philosophy and strategy.

Driven through the company’s landmark R280-million Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP) which was launched in May 2019 in partnership with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (Dtic), Samsung is now celebrating five years of this programme’s sustained success. This EEIP programme is projected to have a measurable impact on job creation and a contribution of nearly R1-billion to the South African economy at large.

Five years in and Samsung’s EEIP programme has managed to rise to the challenge of achieving its ambitious goals. Measurable outcomes include an accumulative investment of R138-million to date in SME development and capacity building in the ICT sector. With environmental sustainability being one of the major focus areas for Samsung, one black-woman-owned E-waste business was supported.

Samsung believes that entrepreneurship is vital to combating youth unemployment. To this effect, two Software Development enterprises were assisted. Also, to give marginalised communities better access to electronic repair services and encourage a culture of entrepreneurship, Samsung provided support to two Accredited Service Centres.

Lenhle Khoza, B-BBEE & Transformation Manager at Samsung Africa said: “As the company enters its second phase of EEIP programme, its investment in the socio-economic development of the country and its people will remain as one of the main focus areas. To improve our reach and impact, the expansion plan of Samsung’s EEIP programme is now focusing on provinces beyond the initial areas that included Gauteng, Western Cape and KZN. The roll-out plans have now been extended to other under-privileged rural provinces such as the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.”

And through ongoing investment, the EEIP programme aims to deliver measurable impact and a lasting legacy for generations to come. As part of the second phase of the Enterprise Development programme which was launched towards the end of last year, a further investment of over R30-million is planned over the next three years. A well-considered and integrated approach has enabled Samsung to partner with universities and SETA accredited training providers to train 1440 software developers and accredited technicians to enhance their prospects of securing employment, starting their own businesses and further training.

By the end of March this year, 595 unemployed youth had been trained. This addresses a key need in the South African ICT sector and has resulted in a marked increase in female software developer and artisan graduates. Increasing female representation in ICT training is ultimately vital to reverse the market trend of lower gender representation in this sector. Employment is a fundamental component of Samsung’s EEIP training plan and Samsung is working closely with its partners to achieve a target absorption rate of 100%.

Importantly, to prove that its transformation agenda is not just a tick box exercise – Samsung has increased its focus on unemployed learners through its internship and learnership programmes, supported by an emphasis on creating work experiences during and post the learnership or internship period. This skills development programme is geared towards ensuring that Samsung increases the employability of the country’s young hopefuls.

This year, Samsung has re-affirmed its commitment to not only providing external bursaries, but also plans to continue investing in youth on a larger scale. Samsung’s bursary fund supported a diverse pool of 49 students in fields that varied from finance, law, supply chain, HR, IT to marketing. Internally, Samsung has an impactful employee development programme.

In the case of Management Control, the representation in both Samsung’s Board and Exco reflects the demographics of the country. Samsung has also been driving employment equity through the progression and appointment of employees at each occupational level. In addition, the company has also been re-directing existing spend to qualifying Black-Owned and Black-Women Owned (BWO) Qualifying Small Enterprises (“QSEs”) and Exempt Micro Enterprises (“EMEs”) to include them in the existing procurement value chain of Samsung South Africa with a focus on the following areas that have been approved: Marketing, Services, Sales, Logistics and Recruitment.

This is supplemented by the continued focus on the development of black talent in the business through the provision of grant and preferential loan funding to qualifying Enterprise and Supplier Development beneficiaries, with the possibility of graduating them to become suppliers to Samsung. These empowerment efforts have a strong focus on SME development and are in-line with Samsung’s transformation plans which aim to address key developmental aspects linked to the National Development Plan (NDP) and the overall transformation of the economy.

And as a good corporate citizen that has consistently supported the country’s transformation agenda in the last three decades, Samsung has invested in a number of education-focused, corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes. These education-focused Socio-Economic Development initiatives that include the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) and Solve For Tomorrow (SFT) competition are re-affirming the company’s commitment to STEM education and the upliftment of underserved communities.

“As a passionate supporter of the country’s transformation objectives, we have consistently been striving to adhere to the country’s legislation. This sixth-year, as a Level-1 B-BBEE compliant organisation is indeed an accomplishment worth celebrating. With our combined efforts, we have managed to exceed almost all the requirements of the pillars of South Africa’s B-BBEE system,” concluded Khoza.