Trialogue Business in Society Conference 2026

The Trialogue Business in Society Conference is the premier industry event showcasing new and innovative thinking on the ‘S’ in ESG. Delegates are predominantly representatives of companies and nonprofit organisations, and the aim is to enhance knowledge and foster collaboration that helps business perform more sustainably in society.

This year’s conference took place on Tuesday 5 May and Wednesday 6 May 2026, with Masterclass Monday on 4 May, at The Wanderers Club in Illovo, Johannesburg and online.

The overall theme of the conference was ‘Voices. Values. Vision‘, and topics included the role of business in society, stakeholder and community engagement, amplifying community voices, trends in CSI, education and more.

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INSIGHTS

KEYNOTE ADDRESSES

Shameela Soobramoney: When values lead, business follows

Lorenzo Davids: The future we fund is the future we get

TRI TALKS

Hein Wagner: Inclusion and the business case for vision

Bontle Motatsa: What real inclusion looks like for youth

Moky Makura: Reframing Africa: Why narratives matter

Athol Williams: Power, ethics and accountability in business

PLENARY DISCUSSIONS

Funding for impact: A new playbook for partnerships

DBSA: Why early childhood development infrastructure matters

Vodacom: Partnerships that turn digital access into meaningful inclusion

Dialogue with Trialogue: Navigating the new era of CSI

MTN: Supporting the ecosystem, not just the programme

Wesgro: Education, investment and the case for catalytic capital

FirstRand: Mobilising leadership, employees and partners around a common purpose

GALLERY

SPEAKERS

KEYNOTE AND TRI TALK SPEAKERS

Nozipho Tshabalala, Conference MC and moderator

Nozipho Tshabalala is CEO of Conversation Strategies, where she moderates global conversations that are designed to have measurable outcomes. She has ...

Lorenzo Davids, The Development Impact Fund

Lorenzo Davids is CEO of The Development Impact Fund and The Justice Fund and is a Director at the AfriGo Capital ...

Bontle Motatsa, National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children

Bontle Motatsa is the South African National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC) representative for children and adolescents. Having ...

Moky Makura, Africa No Filter

Moky Makura is the executive director of Africa No Filter, an advocacy organisation dedicated to reshaping Africa perceptions. Moky has ...

Shameela Soobramoney, National Business Initiative

Shameela Soobramoney is CEO of the National Business Initiative. She previously held the chief sustainability officer role at the Johannesburg ...

Hein Wagner, Hein Wagner Academy

Hein Wagner is a motivational speaker and founder of the Hein Wagner Academy, a nonprofit dedicated to enabling the visually ...

Athol Williams, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Athol Williams is an academic and author. He is currently Senior Fellow of Management Practice in Strategy at the University ...

Cathy Duff, Trialogue

Cathy Duff is a director at Trialogue, one of only a few consultancies in South Africa that focuses exclusively on corporate ...

Kone Gugushe, FirstRand

Kone Gugushe is head of social investing at FirstRand. A chartered accountant with more than 20 years’ experience spanning the ...

Edwell Gumbo, Entrepreneurship, Universities South Africa

Edwell Gumbo is the Universities South Africa Higher Education (EDHE) programme entrepreneurship development director. Leading efforts to embed entrepreneurship across the country's higher education system, his previous roles ...

Marina Madale, MTN

Marina Madale is responsible for setting the strategic direction for sustainability and shared value across MTN Group, including the work of its foundations ...

Dr Godwin Khosa, National Education Collaboration Trust

Dr Godwin Khosa is the founding CEO of the National Education Collaboration Trust (NECT). With more than 30 years of ...

Senzo Hlophe, Ilifa Labantwana

Senzo Hlophe is acting CEO and Partnerships and Impact director at Ilifa Labantwana, an early childhood development (ECD) organisation. He ...

Nonhlanhla Magagula, Absa

Nonhlanhla Magagula is the head of corporate citizenship programmes at Absa. A development practitioner with more than 15 years of ...

Colleen Magner, Reos Partners

Colleen Magner is a co‑founder of Reos Partners and Director of Practice and Innovation for Reos Africa. She is a ...

Mandla Mbuyazi, FirstRand

Mandla Mbuyazi leads impact investment and ideation for the FirstRand Foundation and FirstRand Empowerment Foundation. A finance professional with 19 ...

Ipeleng Mohlahla, Early Care Foundation

Ipleleng Mohlahla is the CEO of Early Care Foundation. With experience in leading large-scale early childhood development (ECD) programmes focused ...

Clement Motale, GMCA Strategic Transformation and Partnerships

Clement Motale is the Absa GMCA Strategic Transformation and Partnerships managing executive. Clement joined Absa Group in 2013 and has ...

Bheki Moyo, Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment

Bhekinkosi Moyo is currently the Director of the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) at Wits Business School ...

Omashani Naidoo, SchoolNet

Omashani Naidoo is Executive Director of SchoolNet SA. Prior to SchoolNet, she taught mathematics and computer science before moving into broadcast education at Mindset Network, ...

Thandeka Nkambule, Sanlam

Thandeka Nkambule is the Chief Transformation Officer at Sanlam, where she leads the Group’s socio-economic transformation and inclusive growth agenda, with ...

Takalani Netshitenzhe, Vodacom

Takalani Netshitenzhe is director of external and regulatory affairs for Vodacom South Africa and chairperson of the Vodacom Foundation. She ...

Dr Manthiba Phalane, Public Private Partnerships, SAPS

Dr Manthiba Phalane is a director in the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service (CSPS), overseeing the Partnerships unit with a focus on ...

Dr Elmarie Pereira, Memeza Shout

Dr Elmarie Pereira is CEO of Memeza Shout NPO, a South African GBV activist and community safety leader driven by ...

Zimkitha Peter, Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies

Zimkhitha Peter is CEO of Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies, where she focuses on social change through youth entrepreneurship and ...

Chuene Ramphele, DBSA

Chuene Ramphele is Group Executive at the Development Bank of Southern Africa, where he provides strategic leadership to deliver on ...

Nick Rockey, Trialogue

Nick Rockey is the founder and managing director of Trialogue. He has over 30 years of consulting and research experience ...

Lunga Schoeman, DBSA

Lunga Schoeman currently serves as the Corporate Social Investment (CSI) Programmes Lead at the Development Bank of Southern Africa, working at the intersection of ...

Louis Taylor, Department of Basic Education

Louis Taylor is director of partnerships at the Department of Basic Education (DBE), bringing over 15 years of experience building collaborations ...

Lerato Tladi, Hunadi Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

Lerato Maria Ramatsimele Tladi is an entrepreneur, HVAC technician and the founder of Hunadi Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. She completed ...

Wendy Viljoen, Wesgro

Wendy Viljoen is a knowledge specialist on education at Wesgro. She is an education specialist with over 17 years of experience in learning theory and methodology, educational ...