Conference overview
The Trialogue Business in Society Conference is the premier annual conference in South Africa showcasing important developments across the corporate responsibility sector, with a focus on the ‘S’ in ESG. The target audience is companies and non-profit organisations and the aim is to enhance knowledge and collaborations to help businesses perform more sustainably in society.
The conference took place on Tuesday 14 May and Wednesday 15 May 2024, with masterclasses on Monday 13 May, at the Focus Rooms in Sandton, Johannesburg and online. The overall theme of the conference was Connect, Collaborate, Change and topics covered included the role of business in society, trends in CSI, education, entrepreneurship, skills development and agriculture. A high 92% of delegates rated the conference 8 or above out of 10, with 29% rating it 10 out of 10. Watch all the sessions here.
KEYNOTE ADDRESSES
A call for ethical leadership: Bonang Mohale’s vision for SA’s prosperity – Prof Bonang Mohale
The state of CSI – Dialogue with Trialogue
Democracy and social justice: realising our freedoms – Narnia Bohler-Muller
The role of companies in repairing the social fabric – Dr Imtiaz Sooliman
ABC TO CEO: SUPPORTING THE LEARNING JOURNEY
Presented in partnership with the Vodacom Foundation
Transforming the education ecosystem in South Africa – Prof Mary Metcalfe
Supporting learners through the learning journey – Panel discussion
ENABLING INTERGENERATIONAL INCLUSION THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Presented in partnership with ABSA
Data-driven decision making to advance entrepreneurship – Dr Phumlani Nkontwana
Building the ecosystem to support South African entrepreneurs – Panel discussion
DRIVING TRANSFORMATION IN AGRI ECOSYSTEMS
Presented in partnership with Firstrand
Supporting sustainable agriculture drives future food security – Dr Siviwe Odwa Malongweni
Agri-ecosystem collaboration demonstrates transformative value – Panel discussion
FUTURE-READY YOUTH: SKILLS FOR JOBS
Presented in partnership with the Telkom Foundation
Partnerships for jobs creation -Nicola Galombik
The key to unlocking youth employment – Panel discussion
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Nozipho Tshabalala, Conference MC and moderator
Nozipho Tshabalala is CEO of Conversation Strategies, where she moderates global conversations that are designed to ...
Bonang Mohale
Bonang Mohale is the Chancellor of the University of the Free State, former President of ...
Dr Imtiaz Sooliman
Dr Imtiaz Sooliman is the founder of international humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers Foundation, ...
SPEAKERS
Audrey Abakah
Audrey Abakah is head of SME, agency banking and partnership at Absa Bank. She has a more than 19 years’ working relationship with the bank, which was previously known as Barclays Bank. Her leadership has transformed and expanded Absa’s SME ...
Benard Ayitey-Adjin
Bernard began his career at the Ministry of Finance in 2007 as a key research analyst with the Budget Implementation Support Team (BIST). He joined HFC Bank in December 2007 as a strategic planning and research officer. He served as ...
Narnia Bohler-Muller
Professor Narnia Bohler-Muller (BJuris LLB LLM LLD) is divisional executive of the Developmental, Capable and Ethical State research programme at the HSRC, and a research fellow with the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, University of Free State. Formerly a ...
Andrew Boraine
Professor Andrew Boraine is an independent partnering and systems change practitioner. He has been involved in South Africa’s political, local government, urban, economic, and sustainability change processes for the past four decades. He initiated and managed three collaborative intermediary organisations ...
Luthando Brukwe
Luthando Brukwe is the Head of Strategy and Special Projects at the Mineworkers Development Agency, overseeing the implementation and coordination of the organisation’s strategy for the socioeconomic development of former mineworkers, their dependents, and communities. Brukwe received a Special Award ...
Khazamula Chauke
Khazamula Chauke is the principal of Dr W F Nkomo Secondary School in Atteridgeville ...
Zizipho Sarah Dipa
Zizipho Sarah Dipa is an alumnus of the System Development Programme Level 4 programme, part of Telkom’s digital skills initiative. She completed her training in December 2022. During her training, she was placed at Telkom for experiential learning as a ...
Cathy Duff
Cathy Duff is a director at Trialogue, one of only a few consultancies in South Africa that focuses exclusively on corporate responsibility issues. She joined Trialogue in 2008 and has subsequently worked with many large corporates on their sustainability and CSI ...
Nicola Galombik
Nicola is an executive director of Yellowwoods Holdings, a private investment group. Since 2010, she has led the group’s efforts to drive positive social and environmental impact through, and with, its portfolio of businesses that include financial services (e.g. Hollard ...
Kone Gugushe
Kone is a chartered accountant (SA) with more than 20 years’ experience spanning the financial services sector and development finance. She has worked at various banks and financial services companies, including Standard Corporate and Merchant Bank (now Standard Bank CIB), ...
Nazeem Hendricks
Nazeem Hendricks is senior finance specialist and team leader within the National Treasury’s R9-billion Jobs Fund, launched in 2011. The Jobs Fund champions a challenge fund model where public funds are strategically leveraged to co-finance a wide array of projects ...
Godwin Khosa
Godwin Khosa has been the Chief Executive Officer of the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT) since 2013. He was previously CEO and Programme Director respectively at JET Education Services. From 2001-2003, he honed his research skills as research manager of ...
Sibongile Khumalo
Sibongile Khumalo is the executive director of The Learning Trust, an intermediary donor and capacity development organisation that supports South Africa’s emerging after-school sector. She has 18 years’ experience in extended learning programmes, youth development, systems change, scholarship management, and ...
Nathi Kunene
Nathi is corporate social investment senior manager for Telkom Group, leading operations at the Telkom Foundation. He has more than 20 years’ experience in development, spanning the corporate and non-profit sectors. He has worked on programmes such as HIV/AIDS interventions ...
Lulu Letlape
Lulu Letlape is a social entrepreneur training women beekeepers and mentoring them to start their own business. A social scientist passionate about people, development, governance and transformation, Lulu holds a Master’s degree in development and public policy from the University ...
Dr Siviwe Malongweni
Dr Siviwe Malongweni is a distinguished soil scientist and environmental sustainability specialist with a profound commitment to advancing sustainable practices in agri-ecosystems. With a PhD in Soil Science, she has dedicated over eight years to pioneering research and impactful projects ...
Professor Anastacia Mamabolo
Professor Anastacia Mamabolo is an associate professor specialising in entrepreneurship and research design at the University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). Her research around the role of faith and human capital in management and entrepreneurial activities within ...
Johnson Mandlendoda
Johnson Mandlendoda was born in Lady Grey and studied at Port Elizabeth Technical College. After an illustrious career in correctional services, he ventured into farming with his brother Lizo, and is currently farm manager at Geluk Farm. The farm specialises ...
Ian Merrington
Ian Merrington is the Group CEO of UVU Africa (formerly The Cape Innovation and Technology Initiative and The Bandwidth Barn), as well as the Chairperson of UVU Bio and a Director of Injini, Africa's first EdTech Incubator. He focuses on ...
Mary Metcalfe
Mary Metcalfe worked in teacher education at the Johannesburg College of Education and at the University of the Witwatersrand from 1982 to 1994. In the 1980s, she was involved in the anti-apartheid work of the mass democratic movement in education ...
Tsundzukani Mhlongo
Tsundzukani Mhlongo completed his secondary education at Kwa-Dukathole Comprehensive School in Katlehong. He participated in the Telkom ICT Learnership programme (Technical Support Programme Level 4), from which he graduated in November 2022. During his training, he was placed at O ...
Beauty Mokgwamme
Beauty Mokgwamme farms angora goats and heads up the Mohair Empowerment Trust, which she joined in 2018. She has 15 years’ experience in agriculture, specialising in small stock production as well as practical training in mohair and wool. She is ...
Kgabo Morifi
Kgabo Morifi is director of talent management and innovation at the Gauteng Department of Educator’s Gauteng City Region Academy (GCRA). His assignments include running the GCRA Bursary, internships, work-integrated learning and skills development for youth in Gauteng. Kgabo holds a ...
Bhekinkosi Moyo
Bhekinkosi Moyo is currently the Director of the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) at Wits Business School. He also teaches philanthropic studies at Wits Business School at the University of the Witwatersrand. Prior to this, Bhekinkosi was ...
Takalani Netshitenzhe
Taki is director of external and regulatory affairs for Vodacom South Africa, and chairperson of the Vodacom Foundation. She is a public policy development expert with over 25 years’ experience in the public and private sector, writing laws on national ...
Dr Phumlani Nkontwana
Phumlani Nkontwana is a development economist, researcher and entrepreneur involved in the science and practice of entrepreneurship-led sustainable development in Africa. He is the founding academic director of the Allan Gray Centre for Africa Entrepreneurship at Stellenbosch University and founding ...
Mankoana Pheona Phalane
Mankoana Pheona Phalane is an entrepreneur and the founder of PhalMosh Poultry Farm. Having qualified with Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Psychology and an Honors in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Phalane graduated from the Gordon Institute of Business Science ...
Nick Rockey
Nick Rockey is the managing director at Trialogue. He has over 20 years of consulting and research experience across many market and industry sectors and plays a lead consulting role in the fields of sustainable business and CSI. As such, he ...
Bertha Sarpong
Bertha Sarpong is the founder and owner of Moda Bertha. After graduating in 2011 from Radford University College with a degree in fashion design, Bertha began working as a fashion assistant before leaving to set up her own fashion house: ...
Kasthuri Soni
Kasthuri Soni is the chief executive officer of Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator. Harambee is a not-for-profit social enterprise that works in partnership with government, the private sector, civil society, and young people to build innovative solutions for tackling youth unemployment ...
Beryl Traore
Beryl Traore is the social impact lead at Sappi Southern Africa, where she spearheads the implementation of the region’s social impact strategy. With more than 20 years’ experience in community development, Beryl has dedicated her career to serving local communities ...
Judy Vilazaki
Judy Xoliswa Vilakazi has been the executive of corporate social responsibility at Telkom since February 2024 – in her new role, she will operate as a trustee and head of the Telkom Foundation. A seasoned professional with a passion for ...
Mary Vilakazi
Mary is a chartered accountant (SA) with more than 20 years’ working experience. She was appointed as FirstRand executive director in 2018 and was the FirstRand Group COO. In this capacity, she was the group executive director responsible for FirstRand’s ...
Nozizwe Vundla
Nozizwe Vundla is the Head of the Sanlam Foundation. Before this, she was Executive Director of Student Sponsorship Programme, a non-profit trust. Nozizwe’s career started as a management consultant at KPMG and her experience in development spans international trade at ...
Dr Steven Zwane
Dr Steven Zwane stands as a distinguished professional with a remarkable 19-year journey across the banking value chain, complemented by 20 years of dedicated youth development. His tenure in banking has traversed the banking spectrum, granting him insights into the ...
FACILITATORS
Mark Burke
Mark Burke is an expert in digital transformation, with a focus on digital governance, customs, skills development, and organisational transformation ...
Kay Moodley
Kay Moodley is a seasoned professional in coaching, facilitation, and project management, with over 20 years of experience across Europe ...
Dr Sharon Munyaka
Dr. Sharon Munyaka, an Organisational Psychologist, specialises in facilitating sessions on conflict, leadership, diversity, and business transformation. With her strong ...
Dr Robyn Whittaker
Dr. Robyn Whitaker focuses on enabling deep collaboration and functional impact ecosystems in education and human development. Through her consultancy ...
