The Table Bay goes for Level 2 BBBEE

The hotel is stepping-up efforts to ensure that 80% of its procurement is from compliant, empowered suppliers by the end of 2015, aligned to Sun International's focus on promoting meaningful and sustainable change in its supply chain.

"Under Sun International's revised Code of Practice, The Table Bay is working to ensure that 80% of products and services procured are from small, empowered, black-owned enterprises.

"We have identified a number of opportunities for transforming our supply chain, from service providers and operating equipment suppliers, to maintenance providers, equipment rental, and food and beverage suppliers," said Sherwin Banda, the GM of The Table Bay.

The Table Bay utilises Sun International's in-house, automated BBBEE reporting system to interrogate its supply chain to identify areas where improvements can be made, and highlight areas of opportunity. Currently, The Table Bay is considering known empowering suppliers with a black ownership of over 51%.

Online tendering portal

Recognising that there are challenges around attracting empowered providers, The Table Bay will use an online tendering portal called Tendersure to connect with potential BBBEE providers, and assess responses against BBBEE and pricing criteria.

A third party, B1SA, will collate and maintain all of Sun International's supplier certificates, and ensure the validity and authenticity of the documents.

"These mechanisms will help to ensure integrity in the process of selecting appropriate suppliers and providers. This is crucially important not only for ensuring that our suppliers are compliant with our BBBEE requirements, but also to ensure that we are able to manage a large number of smaller suppliers in our supply chain effectively," said Banda.

Up-skilling and nurturing BBBEE providers in The Table Bay's supply chain will be emphasised to ensure sustainability. In line with Sun International's new Codes of Practice, The Table Bay is required to invest 1% of nett profit, after tax, in Enterprise Development programmes to up-skill qualifying potential suppliers outside of its supply chain. It will also invest 2% of nett profit in Supplier Development programmes for existing qualifying suppliers within its supply chain.

The Table Bay will be partnering Shanduka Black Umbrellas (SBU) for formal business development of the beneficiaries. SBU is a knowledgeable, established and well-connected enterprise and supplier development organisation with a proven track record. SBU has a national footprint of eight business incubators in six provinces, as well as an online procurement and skills development portal, Shanduka Blackpages, with a listing of over 6000 verified 100% black-owned businesses.

Banda concluded by saying that providers will be carefully assessed on their ability provide appropriate levels or quality, volumes and efficiencies.

"Any relationships we develop need to be mutually beneficial from a price and quality perspective. The Table Bay, as a luxury hotel, must remain efficient and we must continue to provide a premium level of quality in everything that we do, from our food and beverage right though to our printed communication," explained Banda.

Empowered BBBEE suppliers and providers can register as a potential supplier at www.suninternational.com/corporate/suppliers