At J29 we believe that doing business well and doing good are the same thing. We give African small businesses world class brands, skills and digital presence, and we hold ourselves to the same standard when it comes to how we treat people, the economy and the planet.
This Sustainability Policy sets out J29's commitments across environmental responsibility, social responsibility, gender equality and ethical governance, and how those commitments align with recognised global and South African frameworks.
1 Policy Statement
J29 is committed to running a responsible, ethical and sustainable business. We build our operations, our services and our partnerships around a simple belief: real skills, real growth and real results should benefit people, the economy and the environment together, not one at the expense of another.
We apply the same care to sustainability that we apply to the work we deliver for clients and funders. This policy is a public statement of that commitment and of the standards we expect of ourselves, our team and everyone we work with.
2 Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to:
- State clearly what sustainability means to J29 and why it matters to our mission.
- Set out our commitments across the environmental, social and governance areas of our business.
- Show funders, corporate partners, clients and the entrepreneurs we serve how we embed responsible practice into everything we do.
- Give our team and our suppliers a shared standard to work to.
3 Scope
This policy applies to all of J29's operations across South Africa, and to everyone who acts on our behalf, including permanent team members, associates, mentors, facilitators, contractors and suppliers.
It also extends to the programmes and services we deliver on behalf of corporate enterprise and supplier development partners, foundations and development partners, where we work to uphold these commitments alongside the requirements of each partner.
4 Environmental Responsibility
J29 is a digital first business with a naturally light environmental footprint. We work to keep it that way and to reduce it further. We commit to:
- Delivering services digitally wherever practical, to reduce paper, printing and physical waste.
- Minimising energy use in our own operations and choosing efficient equipment.
- Favouring responsible cloud and technology providers that manage their own environmental impact.
- Reducing travel through remote collaboration and online delivery, and combining trips where travel is needed.
- Recycling and disposing of electronic equipment responsibly at end of life.
- Encouraging the MSMEs and youth we support to adopt simple, practical steps that lower their own environmental impact.
6 Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment
J29 is committed to gender equality within our own team, in the suppliers we choose and in the entrepreneurs we support. We recognise that supporting women builds stronger businesses, families and communities.
J29 supports the United Nations Women's Empowerment Principles (WEPs), and our signatory application to the WEPs has been submitted. In line with these principles we commit to:
- Promoting women into leadership and skilled roles within our team.
- Ensuring equal pay for equal work and equal access to opportunity.
- Prioritising women owned MSMEs in the intake of the programmes we run.
- Maintaining a safe and inclusive working environment that is free of discrimination and harassment.
7 Ethical Governance
J29 operates with honesty, transparency and accountability. Sound governance protects the people we serve and the partners who trust us. We commit to:
- Maintaining zero tolerance for bribery, corruption and fraud.
- Protecting personal information in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and honouring access rights under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).
- Keeping accurate records and dealing fairly with clients, funders, suppliers and staff.
- Identifying and managing conflicts of interest openly.
- Complying with all applicable South African laws and regulations that govern how we operate.
8 Alignment with Global and National Frameworks
J29's approach to sustainability is guided by recognised international and South African frameworks.
8.1 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Our work contributes directly to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG 4: Quality Education.
- SDG 5: Gender Equality.
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
- SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
8.2 United Nations Global Compact
We support the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact covering human rights, labour, the environment and anti corruption, and we work to reflect them in our operations and partnerships.
8.3 South African Compliance
- POPIA and PAIA: We comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act and the Promotion of Access to Information Act.
- B-BBEE: J29 is a Level 1 B-BBEE contributor, supporting broad based black economic empowerment and inclusive economic participation.
9 Roles and Responsibilities
- Leadership: J29's leadership owns this policy, sets the tone and provides the resources to uphold it.
- Team and associates: Everyone who works with J29 is expected to understand and uphold these commitments in their daily work.
- Designated officer: A designated member of the team monitors compliance, gathers evidence and coordinates reporting.
- Suppliers and partners: We expect our suppliers and partners to share these commitments and to support them in the work we do together.
10 Monitoring and Review
J29 monitors its sustainability performance through programme outcomes, internal compliance checks and reporting to our partners and funders.
This policy is reviewed at least once a year, and sooner where laws, standards or our operations change in a way that affects it. The effective date and last updated date are shown at the top of this page.
11 Contact
For questions about this policy or about J29's sustainability commitments, please contact us.
J29 is committed to building a business that is good for people, good for the economy and good for the planet. Real Skills. Real Growth. Real Results.
5 Social Responsibility
J29 exists to widen access to the digital economy for small businesses and young people who have been overlooked. Our social commitments are at the heart of the business, not an add on. We commit to: