Celebrating Three Years of Re.Bag.Re.Use and World Environment Day

Caption: Peg bags made from repurposed empty plastic bags featuring a cute elephant design, available at www.rebagreusehub.co.za. Over the past three years, Re.Bag.Re.Use has repurposed the equivalent of 92,124 empty bread bags, helping to keep 645 kg of plastic out of the environment. As we celebrate our third anniversary and World Environment Day, we continue our commitment to creativity and sustainability.

One bread bag weighs approximately seven grams. Over the past three years, the Hout Bay-based initiative, Re.Bag.Re.Use, has repurposed plastic equivalent to just over 92,000  empty bread bags! To put this into perspective, that’s the weight of about five baby elephants!

“Facebook reminded me earlier today that one of the very first Re.Bag.Re.Use meetups took place exactly three years ago at Hout Bay Harbour. At that time, I had started meeting with a group of ladies to share the basics of crocheting. On one of these occasions, for a bit of fun, I showed the ladies my experiment: crocheting with an empty bread bag. When I look at that memory shared by Facebook, it feels like I’ve blinked, and my bread bag experiment has snowballed into something extraordinary!” shares Regine le Roux, founder of the Re.Bag.Re.Use iniative.

One of the initial biggest frustrations was having enough plastic cut while crocheting. It’s such a pain to be in a crocheting rhythm and then have to stop to cut plastic. The initiative now has five ladies cutting empty plastic bags into strips, and there are ten ladies from the Hout Bay community and surrounds who crochet different multi-functional items.

Apart from creating the most beautifully creative and vibrant pieces, Re.Bag.Re.Use have also been involved in incredibly exciting art projects. These include the Waterfront’s annual Joy for Africa initiative last year—check out the beautiful dancing skirts still hanging from the ceiling at the Waterfront’s Watershed—and working closely with Ananta Design Studio’s creative design team on their products for Decorex and their recent design for the UPCYCLE exhibition.

“We are incredibly grateful for Blue Ribbon's phenomenal support of our initiative by providing us with empty bread bags for our projects,” adds le Roux.

Tapiwa Likona, who has been part of the initiative from the beginning, shares: "Looking back at our Re.Bag.Re.Use journey, we had no idea how far we would go. Over the past three years, we have met so many wonderful people and achieved significant progress in recycling. Our efforts to save the environment have grown into a large, dedicated group committed to this cause. This initiative has not only benefitted the environment but has also provided crucial support to our families in various ways. The work we do continues to make a positive impact on our community and our planet."

The community’s support has been incredible, with many people collecting bags for us and dropping them off at Fiddlesticks Haberdashery, the Hout Bay Library, and Pick n Pay in Hout Bay.

It all started with just one empty bread bag. This shows that with a bit of creativity and fun, you can make something out of nothing. Most importantly, something beneficial to all. Apart from 645 kg of plastic not ending up in our environment, the ladies earn some pocket money for groceries and school supplies for their children. With each sale, a percentage gets donated to the Neighbourhood Old Age Home (NOAH) and the SPCA, spreading the love even further.

For more information, please visit: www.rebagreusehub.co.za or email sales@rebagreuse.com or WhatsApp 083 302 1528

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Opinion Piece ~ Ethics in Africa: The Essential Role of Public Relations

Earlier this month, Reputation Matters presented the annual APRA / PRCA Ethics and Public Relations (PR) landscape in Africa survey results at APRA’s conference in Côte d’Ivoire.

Here is an opinion piece that I have penned down, including insights from Arik Karani, newly elected President of APRA, and Dustin Chick, chair of the PRCA Africa’s Ethics and Practices Network.

Ethics in Africa: The Essential Role of Public Relations

Africa is a magnificent, vibrant continent, with each of its 54 countries showcasing unique cultures and traditions, yet all united as one Africa. In this diverse fabric, the concept of ethics transcends national borders, raising the question: what does it mean to be ethical across different cultures? At its core, it is about respect—respect for oneself and others, all for the greater good. It begins with a set of non-negotiable values and extends to robust governance structures with clear guidelines, policies, and procedures. Importantly, it involves accountability and consequences for disregarding established boundaries. Respect for these boundaries is essential for fostering a culture of integrity and mutual respect across our beautiful continent.

Ethics and Public Relations are not mutually exclusive

“When we evaluate the annual African Public Relations Association (APRA) / Public Relations and Communication Association (PRCA) Ethics and Public Relations (PR) landscape in Africa, it becomes clear that ethics and PR are not mutually exclusive. We cannot build ethical societies without the support of PR and Communication professionals,” shares Regine le Roux, Founder and Managing Director of Reputation Matters. “One of the fundamental roles of PR and Communication professionals, and a key concept taught early in this field, is the responsibility to build mutually beneficial relationships with all stakeholders,” le Roux adds. Arik Karani, President, African Public Relations Association (APRA) affirms, “Ethics in PR is about being truthful, transparent, and accountable in communication, while respecting people's rights and privacy.”

From Ethical Individuals to Ethical Nations

The study examines ethics on individual, company, and country levels. People want to do business with companies they trust and resonate with—companies that share their values of mutual respect. Ethical companies, driven by ethical individuals, should ultimately build ethical countries.

Why, then, is there still so much corruption? “Corruption is driven by ego and selfish intentions. It is short-sighted and does not bring goodwill; it is solely about personal gain,” says le Roux. This raises the question: who is responsible for maintaining ethics and holding the unethical accountable? Le Roux continues, “Without question, leadership needs to set the tone and example when it comes to ethical behaviour. The PR and Communication Team is best positioned within organisations to communicate and uphold ethics.” Karani agrees saying that, “PR and communications should help professionals, CEOs, and organisations to behave responsibly and ethically. PR professionals should also serve as ethical counsellors to senior executives.”

Stop cutting PR budgets

“It is therefore clear, and supported by our research, that PR professionals should play an integral part in decision-making. Yet, PR is still underrepresented at the boardroom level, often called upon reactively in times of crisis or to win favour during dire times,” says le Roux. Moreover, PR budgets are among the first to be cut when financial constraints arise. This was one of the biggest challenges highlighted in the research, with 66% of responses indicating that budget cuts hamper their work.

“We can no longer afford to put a price on ethics. As we face tremendous economic headwinds which bring with them the temptation to cut budgets; we must pause to consider what the investment in ethics requires. From training, to systems and processes, to the investment in our people it is key that we distinguish between ‘cut’ and ‘gut’,” adds Dustin Chick, chair of the PRCA Africa’s Ethics and Practices Network.

PR needs a seat around the boardroom table

Amongst the respondents of the survey, comprising of PR/communication experts and top executives (CEOs, Managing Directors, Chairmen, Founders, Corporate Affairs Heads, and Chief Communicators), 45% stated that the role of PR and communications is not adequately appreciated at the board level. Despite 30% of respondents noting that CEOs and business leaders are relying on PR counsel more than ever, PR and communication professionals still lack a significant voice around the boardroom table.

Karani adds, “This research is important because it helps us to look at ethics from a governance, policies, and procedures lens.

“Governance forces us to examine organisational systems, whilst policies set the parameters for decision making. The procedures on the other hand, explains the “how” behind the decisions. PR professionals should use all three lenses to guide internal and external communication and it is therefore crucial for organisations to include PR and communication professionals at the boardroom table.”

Elevating PR as the Voice of Reason

Organisations can function more ethically and responsibly with the 'voice of reason' provided by PR and communication professionals at the boardroom table. A good PR professional should have credible qualifications and be a member of their industry association or body. These associations uphold a code of ethics and conduct that PR professionals must pledge to adhere to, and they facilitate knowledge sharing, valuable training, and cross-cultural insights. Recent conversations and encounters reveal that much work remains to be done to uphold the ethics of companies, and ultimately, of countries. There are insufficient governance protocols in place to ensure ethical behaviour and inadequate recourse for unethical conduct. While ethics statements in annual reports are commendable, it is the actual behaviour and trust that truly matters.

The future of PR and Ethical Communication

“Since the future of communications is about rebuilding trust and fighting disinformation, we will require new and creative ways of getting messages across to audiences. Getting the message across ultimately comes down to repairing trust through transparency and responsibility. But what does this look like in action? This means that the future of communications will require increased efforts to combat misinformation and disinformation,” concludes Karani.

Ethics: A Collective Responsibility

Although PR should have a seat at the boardroom table, it is not solely the responsibility of PR as an industry to uphold ethics, but rather that of each individual in Africa. Our research indicated that individuals view themselves as ethical, yet this does not always translate into the workplace, the country, or the continent. To change the narrative and ethics of Africa, it starts with the individual. Regardless of qualification, position, or culture, ethics should not fluctuate based on demographics but should be the consistent benchmark against which we measure and hold ourselves and everyone around us accountable.

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What do you perceive the ethics and PR landscape in South Africa to be?

“We face neither East nor West: we face forward,” ~ Kwame Nkrumah (the first President of Ghana).

The African Public Relations Association (APRA) and The Public Relations Communications Association (PRCA) are calling on all Public Relations (PR) and communication professionals to share their opinions on the ethics and PR landscape in South Africa.

For the third consecutive year, APRA and PRCA will be delving into the intricacies of the PR and communications landscape across the African continent. Once again, this study will be managed by Reputation Matters who will oversee the data collection and analysis of this industry research. 

The study will explore an array of pivotal subjects, encompassing business ethics, perceptions of PR, integration of artificial intelligence (AI), the paradigm of remote working, and the challenges poised to shape the industry's trajectory in the future. 

The Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA) is in full support of the research and is urging everyone within the PR profession to share their insights into the ethics and PR landscape of our country. 

Secretary-General of APRA, Henry Rugamba, shares, “This is an African wide research study, giving all African countries the opportunity to participate. It will serve as a bridge for mutual learning among African nations, offering more opportunities for cross-border collaboration and, practical insights for PR practitioners. I highly recommend all PR and communication professionals dedicating some time to participate in the survey to provide feedback on ethics and PR in your own country.” 

PRCA International Director Melissa Cannon MPRCA adds, “We are excited to collaborate with APRA once again in conducting this vital research for the African PR industry. Communications professionals have a unique opportunity to lead organisations in a dynamic era of innovation and growth across Africa. Yet, what potential obstacles stand in the way of PR becoming the predominant voice in every sector of business? Where does the industry excel, and what prospects lie ahead? This research is our chance to gain profound insights into the industry's trajectory. I urge practitioners across the continent to make their voices heard as we pave the way for the future of African PR in 2024”.

The feedback will help the industry to understand the different perceptions between the different African countries, and how we can learn from each other.

“We are incredibly excited to be a part of the research again this year. There has been such a major shift in the way that businesses communicate with the rise of AI technologies like ChatGTP. However last year’s research results indicated that people still highly value personal relationships. The insight suggested that as a relationship building avenue, PR was not going anywhere,” shares Regine le Roux, managing director at Reputation Matters. “It will be interesting to see how this holds true for 2024 and what the major PR trends are on the continent.”

The survey only takes a few minutes to complete, and all responses will remain anonymous. Questions are available in both English and French. To start the survey, follow this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EthicsandPRinAfrica2024 

The research results will be presented at the APRA conference in Côte d’Ivoire taking place from 13 to 17 May 2024.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact Reputation Matters: research@reputationmatters.co.za www.reputationmatters.co.za 

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Media contact:

Regine le Roux

regine@reputationmatters.co.za

#BizTrends2024: Your reputation matters: Building relationships through communication

 

[via Bizcommunity.com]

It’s that time of year again to look back and reflect on the year that was, to help us look forward and build successful businesses in 2024. The crux of building a successful reputation and business, ultimately lies in your communication skills with all your stakeholders.

Previously, and specifically the past three years, the key trend that we picked up across all our research studies, which included reputation quantification, brand identity-, customer satisfaction-, as well as employee engagement, was the definitive need to focus on internal relationship building and employee wellbeing through internal dialogue. This is something which is still an important component of reputation management and should continue to be a priority.

What has started to raise its head from our 2023 research studies, is that external stakeholders are starting to feel a disconnect with organisations. The main cause? Poor and ineffective communication.

Communication is therefore crucial to building successful internal and external relationships in 2024.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it is necessarily a lack of communication, but rather a lack of effective communication skills. Here are four tips to guide your communication in 2024 to build closer relationships with your stakeholders:

#1 Audience matters

More communication doesn’t automatically equate to a close relationship. There is a disconnect between the amount of communication being developed and the bonds being forged.

Step one in building successful businesses in 2024 is to understand your stakeholders before you can start communicating with them. Not enough time is being spent on understanding and unpacking the needs of audiences. Or even, who those audiences are. Your audience matters, understanding their needs is key to building strong relationships through communication. When last did you conduct an in-depth stakeholder mapping session with your clients to really understand their needs?

Do you know exactly who they are? If you had to share a crisis communique with your stakeholders right this second, how much fumbling around for the right database lists and latest versions would there be before the message is shared? Who would you phone, who would receive a WhatsApp and who would receive an email? The communication team would at minimum have a comprehensive media list, but are the lists for all your other stakeholders as easily accessible and up to date?

#2 Communication matters

What is quite interesting is that the reputation studies we conducted right after the pandemic in 2020 delivered the highest reputation scores to date. Not only were the overall reputation scores high, but the corporate dialogue component of a reputation (internal and external communication) had scored considerably higher than previous years, and has subsequently dwindled as people returned back to working in an office environment. The reason for this is that due to most people working from home, companies had to be very specific about their messaging and who to engage with. It seems that companies are reverting to generalised communication in the hope that a ‘spray and pray’ approach will be the magic wand to get their messages out there and foster a closer relationship with their stakeholders at the same time.

#3 Relationship matters

Authentic relationship building in an ever-growing artificial world will become even more crucial to your reputation. People want to do business with people, and nothing breaks trust or ruins a reputation as quickly as being unauthentic.

With the greater focus on and use of artificial intelligence (AI), refining your message is definitely much easier these days, but, you still need to understand your audience and plug in the right instructions and context to get a customised approach to engage with your stakeholders. AI certainly will continue to save a lot of time but it should be viewed as a facilitation tool, rather than a replacement for personalised messages. Nothing can replace human interaction and to build relationships that matter, you must connect with your stakeholders in a personalised, authentic manner.

#4 Insight matters

Talking about AI, we are fully aware that there are numerous tools and programmes out there that allows companies to conduct their own research, however, investing in expert advice is a necessity in building relationships in 2024. Research might look easy, but it is not that simple. We are definitely seeing an increase in the value of research, and anticipate even more companies wanting to be able to quantify their value; be it reputations, brand identity, employee engagement or customer satisfaction.

However, if you want to conduct your own research, there are great research support tools out there that will help you to conduct your own research, just keep these three key things in mind:

• Research is more than just asking questions; you need to ask the right questions. Shorter questionnaires are definitely the way to go, that’s why it is even more important to ask the right questions, to gain the most valuable feedback from respondents in a short period of time.

• Research isn’t just about pie charts and data analysis; insights are important to add value to your investment and the time your respondents are investing in providing you with their feedback.

• Research shouldn’t just be a once off exercise; conducting research on an annual basis is key to continuous growth and improvement. Use the results to make the recommended changes; measure your success and identify areas for improvement. It’s a great way to measure year on year performance and a powerful tool to present your success in percentages around the boardroom table.

May 2024 be a year filled with strong relationships to take your business to the next level! For more insights on the future and trends of reputation management, please make contact:

www.reputationmattters.coza research@reputationmatters.co.za

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Comment on Thabi Leoka

This whole Thabi Leoka situation is very sad, here’s my comment and opinion on the situation.

What an incredibly sad and unfortunate situation.

Well known economist, Thabi Leoka’s meteoric fall from grace was pretty much self-inflicted. It’s the old adage of ~ don’t tell a lie, you will be caught out.  However, this whole situation could have been prevented, and misconceptions cleared up years ago, had all the entities involved done their due diligence. The question surrounding the authenticity of her PhD should have been picked up and addressed years ago. The matter would have been cleared up very quickly, without tarnishing anyone’s reputation.

I have a few questions while Leoka scrambles around to get the necessary proof of her qualification in place; although, getting proof of your PhD, should surely not be too difficult to obtain?

Firstly, why has it taken the numerous boards so many years to only start questioning her qualifications now? Secondly, surely submitting a certified copy of your qualifications is a stock standard requirement for any position, especially for a board member for a listed company?

This does put a massive question mark on all these major entities’ governance structures and ultimately their reputation. This leads to another question; what other due diligence processes are not being followed? All the entities, that appointed Leoka, without the necessary qualification vetting or reference checks, need to be hauled over the coals.

I have come to learn, that not all positions require vetting, as in the instance with the Economic Advisory Council. Which, in my opinion, is problematic. Anybody being appointed into any role of an organisation, is representing that entity. You need to know who will be representing you, in fact, regardless of the position, you need to make sure that you have the right team on board, one who has your entity’s best interest at heart. Your team impacts your organisation’s reputation. Which ultimately impacts whether people want to do business with you or not. If it’s easy enough to lie about qualifications, what else is being lied about?

Values, such as truth, authenticity and transparency, form the cornerstone when it comes to building a solid foundation of a business that people want to do business with. However, starting off a relationship with a lie is like building a house on sand; it’s not impossible to build something beautiful, but it will need a lot of work and investment to rectify the unstable foundation that it was built on. You will however always worry about its sturdiness. If things start off with a lie, you are diminishing the respect for the other party. It’s not impossible to rectify but will take time to build a solid connection.

Aside from tarnishing one’s own reputation and that of the organisation you are affiliated with, it also makes a mockery of those who have actually put in the hard work to ethically obtain their qualifications and positions at work.

In summary: Regardless of the size or type of organisation, take the time to properly vet candidates and do your due diligence in order to safeguard your reputation in the long run.

How can you do that?

1. Make sure your governance structures are in place and up to date and that everyone in the organisation follows the same approach. Keeping everyone accountable to comply with these processes, procedures and policies are crucial.
2. Ask for certified copies of qualifications and take the time to follow up on references.
3. Ensure that each individual on your team resonates with the company’s values.

I suppose there is one good thing that has come from this miserable situation: the fact that the spotlight has been shone on entities that are not doing their due diligence when it comes to appointing people onto boards and in specific positions. This now hopefully encourages all entities to review and implement stricter governance processes across all spheres of their organisations to build ethical entities that people want to do business with.

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Re.Bag.Re.Use bags Silver at the International Stevie Awards® in New York!

 

Margaret Nyika, Re.Bag.Re.Use crocheter celebrating the Silver Stevie® Award that the team bagged in New York at the end of last year. It is for the Women in Business category: Startup of the Year ~ Consumer Products Industries

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business is an international competition and widely regarded as the world's premier business award. The 2023 competition attracted more than 1,600 nominations submitted by organisations and individuals across 26 nations.

“We are ecstatic to be recognised for the team’s hard work. It is a nod that we are heading in the right direction,” shares Regine le Roux, founder of the Re.Bag.Re.Use initiative.

There are currently 15 ladies involved in Re.Bag.Re.Use; five ladies cut empty plastic bread bags into strips and ten ladies crochet these strips into beautiful multi-functional items.  

Margaret Nyika, one of the first members of the Re.Bag.Re.Use team shares, “It is very special that we are recognised overseas for our talent of crocheting. This initiative allows us to be creative and at the same time keep the environment clean.”

“Apart from contributing socio-economically, less plastic is also landing up in the environment. In addition, for each product sold, a percentage gets donated to the Neighbourhood Old Age Home (NOAH) in Woodstock, and the SPCA, in that way we are spreading the love of this initiative even further,” adds le Roux.

This is Re.Bag.Re.Use’s second international accolade since the initiative was started mid-2021. The other award was the ECCO International Communication Network in 2022 for Campaign of the year. 

To view the beautiful products that the ladies make, please visit: www.rebagreusehub.co.za.

For more information, visit: www.rebagreuse.com / 083 302 1528 / sales@rebagreuse.com

The Stevie® Awards are produced by the creators of the prestigious International Business Awards® and American Business Awards®.

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Re.Bag.Re.Use Joy From Africa: Dancing Skirts at the Waterfront's Watershed

 

Absolutely obsessed with Matthew Edwards' dancing skirts design and just so grateful to be part of the Waterfront's #joyfromafrica decorations #gratitude #christmasdecorations @platformsa @mattebinary