Accenture launches supplier development platform to empower mining SMMEs

This ESD platform is set to change the way mines interact with and develop suppliers in their communities. It extends spending with SMMEs (small, medium and micro enterprises) across multiple procurement areas. It enhances support and success rates by making a broader range of SMME support initiatives visible and available on a larger scale.

The Mining ESD Platform is designed to evolve mining companies’ engagement with local suppliers from publishing opportunities to end-to-end development of local suppliers and enterprises.

How the platform works

By putting the local supplier first, SMMEs gain visibility into opportunities that could lead to their participation in the supply chains of multiple mining companies with local operations. Beyond making opportunities visible, the platform helps local enterprises better understand and work towards meeting the requirements of mining companies.

The platform serves three fundamentals - to transform by driving empowerment within the supplier base, to include by embracing smaller enterprises and to support by developing smaller enterprises.

Ultimately, the platform allows us to go from transparent and scaled publication of opportunities to an extensive local supplier and opportunity management, administration of interactions with ESD beneficiaries (from gap analysis to dashboards and reports), and digital management of funding, loans and other development initiatives.

The Mining ESD Platform supports the entire ESD cycle, enabling it to scale and deliver higher impact. It enables supplier registration, business registration verification as well as technical and development support. It publishes procurement and development (including funding) opportunities, allows suppliers to indicate interest and apply for these opportunities and provides feedback on application outcomes for shortlisted organisations.

The ESD platform provides avenues through which suppliers can get support to become better equipped to engage with mines and provides mines with visibility of the supplier’s readiness to contract on multiple dimensions. The platform will also enable reporting, supporting mines to demonstrate their performance against the Department of Mineral Resources (DMRE) and Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) targets for ESD.

Driving shared value

The benefits for the SA mining industry are many. Local businesses can engage seamlessly with the mining company and gain the right skills and competencies through non-financial support programmes.

With potential demand, local companies can scale products and service offerings and access financial and development support. By extension, the local communities will thrive by promoting localisation and increased industry participation and economic growth.

For the mines, the platform offers an alternative, efficient avenue to engage with communities. It also improves supplier diversity through the procurement of goods and services from previously disadvantaged groups. It reduces duplication of effort across mining companies, such as accreditation of suppliers and training content.

Overall, mines can improve their service delivery and benefit from potential cost savings. On the broader spectrum, the mining ESD platform helps promote B-BBEE awareness within mining companies and maintain B-BBEE ratings, adhere to standardised DMRE-compliant reporting on ESD, and enhance ESD points on the B-BBEE scorecard and supplier development spend.