Stakeholder engagement

As outlined in the CEO’s introduction on page 1, our engagement with stakeholders takes place in the context of both short and long term strategic considerations.

Stakeholders in the group include investors, potential investors, providers of finance, employees, trade unions, clients, contractors, suppliers, franchisees, franchisors, motor manufacturers, media, communities, civil society, regulators and government.

We are committed to transparent communication and the development of consultative relationships with all stakeholder groups. Our divisions are well equipped to communicate with stakeholders in so far as it affects them directly.

The table contains a summary of our key stakeholders, how we engage with them and the material issues relating to each group.

The Integrated Annual Report and the Imperial Sustainable Development Report at www.imperial.co.za aim to address the key material issues.

		Who is included in this group		How we engage them		Their material issues
	CLIENTS
		> Purchasers of goods and services supplied by the group, including individuals, companies, government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)		> Individual engagement > Written communication > Regular meetings and long term communications plans > Service questionnaires and surveys > Contracts and service level agreements > Traditional and social media > Call centres > Advertising campaigns		> Client service > Protection of client rights > Protection of client health and safety > Safeguarding client privacy
	EMPLOYEES
		> Employees		> Day-to-day management > Development and training programmes > Health, safety and employment equity committees > Operational forums > Wage negotiations through bargaining councils > Regular roadshows and presentations > In-house magazines > Ukhamba Trust		> Payment of salaries and benefit > Training and career development > Labour rights > Skills development > Employment equity > Occupational health and safety > Human rights
	SUPPLIERS
		> Motor and industrial equipment manufacturers > Goods and service suppliers > Contractors		> Dealer forums > Individual engagement > Contracts > Franchise agreements > Ongoing engagement to communicate the group’s requirements and needs > Distribution agreements		> Settlement security > Volume growth > Preferential procurement > Client service
	BUSINESS PARTNERS
		> Shareholders in group businesses > BBBEE partners > Financial and other joint venture partners		> Business meetings > Board meetings and committees > Regular reporting > Long term individual relationships		> Return on investment > BBBEE and transformation
	INVESTMENT COMMUNITY
		> Shareholders > Financial investors > Providers of finance > Investment analysts		> Integrated Annual Report > Annual and interim results presentations > Local and international investor roadshows and one-on-one engagements > Conferences > General meetings > Media and regulatory releases > Analyst reports		> Past and expected financial performance > Delivering sustainable return on invested capital through the cycles > Exposure to cyclicality in new vehicle sales > Depth around management and succession > Vulnerability to Rand weakness
	GOVERNMENT AND REGULATORS
		> National and local government > Johannesburg Securities Exchange (JSE) > Regulatory bodies > South African Revenue Services > South African Reserve Bank		> Regular liaison with various government departments at a group and company level and through industry bodies > Statutory reporting and regulatory releases > Input on new legislation > Regulatory submissions		> Taxation > Compliance with all laws and regulation > Corporate citizenship
	MEDIA
		> Print media > Electronic media > Local publications and broadcast platforms		> Individual engagements > Media conferences > Media releases > Communication agencies > Social media > Electronic communication > Branding programmes > Individual relationships		> Issues of public interest, including corporate governance and environmental and social performance > Financial performance
	CIVIL SOCIETY AND COMMUNITIES
		> People affected by our various businesses, both positively and negatively		> Individual engagements > Media publications > I-Pledge campaign > Ukhamba Trust and the Imperial and Ukhamba Community Development Trust > Engagement with and participation in civil society programmes, including school, training initiatives and clinics > Socio-economic development projects > Employee volunteerism		> Employment opportunities > Education > Environmental impact > Social investment > BBBEE and transformation > Human rights

The material issues of the group’s stakeholders have been assessed and included in the consideration of the group’s risk process.

The key group risks are outlined on page 102, together with the strategies implemented to address these issues.