Gugu has over 15 years of professional experience in sustainable development, Environment, Social and Governance (ESG), shared value, and social transformation with a focus on strategy, project implementation, organisational structure and culture, and reporting.

She has experience across corporate, consulting, and non-profit sectors with cross-cutting industry experience including, financial services, extractive and mining, health, and FMCG.

Gugu’s work has a strong emphasis on addressing societal challenges and the interlink with environmental issues, including inequity and inequality, human rights, gender equity, diversity & inclusion, and governance, ethics & anti-corruption.

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Be transformational.

We have the opportunity to enhance and transform our economy and society by meaningfully and deliberately addressing our mounting economic, social and environmental challenges

NOTABLE CONTRIBUTIONS

2024 |

Panelist, NBI Roundtable: Empowering Business Leaders Against GBV, GIBS University

Moderator, NBI JET Skilling for Employment Programme Launch, Johannesburg

2023 |

Panelist, Green Skills Panel, COP28 SA Pavillion

Moderator, COP28 Skilling for the Just Energy Transition panel discussion, South African Pavillion

2022 |

Panelist, Socio-Economic Impact, Science Diplomacy for Economic Development: Hydrogen Economy Workshop

Panelist, Enterprise Development and the Green Economy, Trialogue Conference

Panelist, Accelerating Women-Owned Business in Male-Dominated Sectors, ETTP

Moderator, “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as an Essential Element of ESG”, ESG Africa Conference 2022

Radio interviewee, Gender Equity and the pay gap, CapeTalk

Panelist, Human Rights and Business Webinar, Trialogue

2021 |

Contributor, Transformation Blueprint for South African Companies, National Business Initiative (NBI)

Contributor, The Gender Pay Gap Report, NBI

2020 |

Panelist, Global Equality Fund Convening

Radio interviewee, Diversity training in South Africa | CapeTalk

Contributor, Understanding the Experiences of LGBTQI+ Employees in the Workplace, NBI

Contributor, Understanding the Private Sector's Approach to Anti-Corruption, NBI

TV Interview, Looking into the impact of corruption in the private sector , Newzroom Africa

2019 |

Contributor, Gender Equity in the Workplace, NBI

Panelist, Kopano Conference, Expanding Space for LGBTI Activism

Panelist, Regional Conference, Prevention of Violence Against Women & Girls

Panelist, Growthpoint Entrepreneurship Impact Report Launch

2018 |

Publication, Creating a Just and Equal South Africa, NBI

2016 |    

Presenter, Webinar: Discovery’s Approach to Human Capital Reporting, IIRC

Contributor, Corporate Sustainability Through Shared Value and Innovation, Journal of Sustainable Finance & Banking

 WORK EXPERIENCE

Head of Economic Inclusion and Social Transformation→ National Business Initiative, Johannesburg, CURRENT
Senior Sustainability Specialist → Discovery, Johannesburg, 2010–2017
Senior Sustainability Advisor → KPMG, Johannesburg, 2008–2010

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

MSocSc, Gender Studies - University of Cape Town

BSocSc (Hons), Gender and Transformation - University of Cape Town

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Established and elevated the NBI's Social Transformation programme that includes four workstreams, a team of 10, a multi-million Rand budget with impactful delivery in both the public and private sectors.

  • Managed the development and publication of key thought leadership reports including NBI Transformation Blueprint, NBI Gender Pay Gap, AntiCorruption Benchmarking.

  • Participated in the Presidential Jobs Summit Business Constituency working committee on Inclusive Growth. Successful contribution of Gender Pay Gap proposal in Framework Agreement.

  • Developed group-wide sustainability strategy including the development of policies, systems and process, KPIs and reporting framework.

  • Delivery of annual Sustainable Development Report and Annual Integrated Reports in line with global best practice i.e. International Integrated Reporting Council framework, Global Reporting Initiative & UN Global Compact. Awarded Investment Analysts Society of SA ’Best Presentation to the Society in 2016’.

  • Coordination of partnership between Discovery and City of Johannesburg on key programmes aimed at promoting health and safety (250 public schools).

  • Facilitation of the inclusion of Discovery as a Shared Value Case Study at Harvard Business School.