CIPS Africa Conference 2024 highlights the significant role the industry can play in empowering communities, protecting the planet and ensuring a better future for all
CENTURION, 3 September 2024—The CIPS Africa Conference 2024 delivered a powerful message that economies and societies across the continent can be transformed through the implementation of ethical and responsible procurement practices.
The two-day conference, hosted by the Chartered Institute for Procurement & Supply (CIPS) at Johannesburg’s Houghton Hotel in May, brought together industry leaders from around Africa to discuss how these practices can help nations develop and prosper.
It included expert panel discussions and exploratory sessions on why organisations and countries succumb to nefarious practices in procurement.
At the same time, it emphasised that significant strides are being made in the sector. This was exemplified by the continent’s leading procurement and supply professionals being honoured at the annual CIPS Africa Excellence in Procurement and Supply Chain Management Awards.
CIPS Fellow and Programme Director Stephen Ashcroft told delegates that not a single sector was unaffected by procurement. This presented a golden opportunity for the industry to shift the goalposts by not only delivering goods and services but also empowering communities, protecting the planet, and ensuring a better future for all.
He said this could be achieved by harnessing technology, enabling personal development, fostering innovation, and prioritising social and environmental responsibility.
Tsholofelo Tsholofelo, CIPS member and Chief Growth Officer at Procura Insights, has called for a “cultural reset” to promote integrity, transparency and accountability within procurement functions.
“This can be achieved through continuous training and education of procurement professionals, emphasising the importance of ethical behaviour and the long-term benefits of fair practices. Organisations should also foster environments where ethical behaviour is recognised and rewarded, and where whistleblowing mechanisms are in place to report unethical activities without fear of retaliation,” he said.
Tsholofelo cited Rwanda’s example, which has made huge gains in combating corruption through its zero-tolerance policy and public education campaigns that promote ethical behaviour.
Johnstone Makhubu, Deputy Commissioner responsible for Taxpayer Engagement and Operations at the South African Revenue Service (SARS), delivered the conference’s keynote address.
He said while data and big data were the “new gold”, ethics should be at the core of this transformation. “This will require a synthesis of people, data and technology because machines have proven they do not have the emotional intelligence required to make ethical decisions … at least not yet. This is what gives us as humans a competitive advantage.”
At the awards ceremony, Paul Vos, General Manager of CIPS Southern Africa, said honouring the continent’s most outstanding practitioners was not only about celebrating their achievements but the optimism of the industry as a whole.
The winners of the various categories were:
Team Category
- Best approach to risk mitigation – Safari.com
- Best collaborative teamwork project – DKT International Nigeria
- Best initiative to deliver social value through procurement – FNB
- Best public sector transformation programme – Transnet
- Best sustainability project of the year – Equity Bank Limited
- Best use of digital technology – Rohloff Group
- Outstanding people development programme – Rand Water
- Public procurement project of the year – Sentech
- Procurement team of the year (large organisation) – Builders
Merit Achievement – Leader of the Year
- Atoapem Frimpong Barimah, Senior Manager, Supply Chain Operations, Newmont Africa
- Joyce John, Group Procurement Manager, Coca-Cola
- Emmanuel Chisesa, Senior Procurement Operations Officer, African Development Bank
Merit Achievement – Team Category
- Best initiative to deliver social value through procurement – EY
- Best use of digital technology – Wartsila
Individual Category – Young Talent
- Janet Kamau, Group Supply Chain Category Manager-Technology, Equity Group Holdings Plc
- Faith Barasa, Direct Materials Purchasing, Bic East Africa
- Eric Mwendwa Kiamba, Contracts & Performance Analyst, Safari.com Plc
- Lungile Nkwanyana, Supply Chain Team Lead, ABB South Africa
Individual Category – Leader of the Year
- Vuledzani Nemukula, Chief Procurement Officer, Transnet
Individual Category – Leader of the Year Certificate of Merit
- Atoapem Frimpong Barimah, Senior Manager, Supply Chain Operations, Newmont Africa
- Joyce John, Group Procurement Manager, Coca-cola
- Emmanuel Chisesa, Senior Procurement Operations Officer, African Development Bank
