Professional advocacy group Gender-based Violence and Femicide Response Fund (GBVF Fund), together with the Presidency, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women, and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), announced the formation of the Private Sector Coalition Against Gender-based Violence and Harassment in the Workplace (the PSC), in a landmark move to combat gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) in the workplace.

The PSC was introduced at a Private Sector Symposium held in Johannesburg on August 27.

Several CEOs and senior leaders across various industries, and other key stakeholders such as government and organised labour, attended the event hosted by the convening partners of the PSC.

Commitment statements in support of the PSC were received from several corporate CEOs including telecommunications company Vodacom CEO Sitho Mdlalose, diversified miner Anglo American chairperson Nolitha Fakude, professional services firm PwC CEO Shirley Machaba, and food retail chain Spar Group sustainability executive Kevin O’Brien.

“GBVH in the workplace is not just a social ill, it has profoundly altered the life and course of South Africa’s growth. The economic cost is staggering, with lost productivity, increased absenteeism, and a toxic work environment being key characteristics of this social plague. “The human cost, on the other hand, has been immeasurable. As the JSE, it is important that we play our part to put measures in place, as business, to try stop this scourge in the workplace,” said JSE marketing and corporate affairs director Vuyo Lee.

GBVH at work remains a widespread global phenomenon, with ILO data indicating that more than one in five people in employment experienced at least one form of violence or harassment at work during their working life.

“Everyone has the right to live and work free from violence and harassment, and addressing gender-based violence in the workplace is a moral and business imperative. “The damaging impacts of GBVH extend far beyond the workplace, affecting individuals, families and communities. Given the complex origins of the problem and the far-reaching social consequences, many companies are keen to deal with GBVH. We want to want to work with the private sector to address the problem,” stated GBVF Fund CEO Sazini Mojapelo.

With its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 2030 roadmap, the UN explicitly committed all countries to secure the rights and well-being of everyone on a healthy, thriving planet. SDG 5 exclusively deals with achieving gender equality and eliminating all forms of harmful practices and violence against women and girls. Hence the strong support and collaboration from the UN Agencies, with the UN resident coordinator Nelson Muffuh delivering a message of support at the PSC’s launch.

The UN SDGs paved the way for a series of global agreements such as ILO Convention 190, generally referred to as C190, which specifically recognises the importance of addressing sexual harassment in the workplace.

South Africa ratified ILO C190 on November 29, 2021, becoming the tenth country to do so. Accordingly, the Department of Employment and Labour amended the Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination of Violence and Harassment in the Workplace to include C190 principles.

The code, which also applies to the informal sector, came into effect on March 18, 2022 and provides guidance on the policies and procedures to be implemented when harassment occurs in the workplace.

In as much as government needs to facilitate an enabling environment to curb GBVH, the private sector also has to play its part.

“A workforce that’s demotivated or demoralised, or worse, physically injured or emotionally abused, will suffer lower morale and higher absenteeism. “They will trigger legal, reputational and operational risks, increase healthcare costs, become distracted from seizing new business opportunities, and fail to reach their full productive potential. That economic reality should spur the private sector to take immediate, constructive and preventive action,” added Mojapelo.

The PSC will be pivotal in helping the private sector develop standards and best practice protocols and integrate preventive measures into everyday business practices, supply chains and communities. PSC members will adopt a three-step framework, supported by ILO C190 and UN Women, and aligned with the Code of Good Practice, to drive initiatives and policy updates aligned to the new legislation.

Employees are the greatest asset of every business. When viewing an organisation from this vantage point, it is the responsibility of the business to value and care for everyone in their ecosystem, particularly employees as key company stakeholders.

“The PSC provides a collaborative platform where companies can join forces to denounce all forms of violence and inequality at work and jointly address issues like toxic masculinity, patriarchy, and male supremacy still prevalent today. “Until women are safe at home and work, and their contribution to society and the economy is recognised equitably, we cannot and will not prosper as a nation,” said Mojapelo.

Representatives from PwC, Anglo American and the Presidency will attend the Joburg Indaba, which will be held at the Inanda Club, on October 2 and 3.