Nissan SA strives towards responsible corporate citizenship, in the belief that communities should benefit from the company’s presence. As a result, focus is placed on the social upliftment of communities from where the company draws its employees as well as society at large.
Nissan Managing Director Julio Panama says that corporate social responsibility is part of Nissan’s group policy.
“Nissan’s vision is to enrich people’s lives. Each of its operations around the world aims to tailor its corporate social activities to the specific needs of employees, immediate neighbourhoods and the greater community, aligning both sustained profitable growth and the sustainable development of society.”
A number of Nissan SA initiatives have contributed to the betterment of employees and communities, either though skills development, improving quality of life or providing an enrichening experience.
Corporate social responsibility initiatives
- Nissan SA donated a mobile eye care clinic to the Transnet Foundation, which sponsors the Phelophepa health care train. The mobile clinic will add value to the train’s current health care facilities by providing a mobile eye care service to rural schools in the area where the train stops. Apart from being equipped with the necessary screening equipment, the mobile eye care clinic also has a workshop to produce prescription spectacles, thus providing immediate treatment to learners with eyesight problems. Nissan SA anticipates donating additional mobile eye clinics in the future.
- Following funding of R700 000 by Nissan SA’s counterpart Nissan North America – as part of a R7 million donation to WWF to establish a new environmental leadership programme for US students and to support WWF’s conservation efforts in the United States and Southern Africa – scholarships have been made available for five students to attend the Hoedspruit-based Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC). In addition, an endowment fund is to be donated to the Southern African Conservation Education Trust (SACET), an independent capital trust to ensure a permanent income for scholarships to allow eligible students, with insufficient funds, to attend the SAWC. Nissan SA, in collaboration with WWF, will play an advisory role in the SAWC regarding recommendations on how the partnership can customise its activities to meet the critical skills gap in the South African environmental sector.
- The Nissan Adbag campaign provides primary school learners, especially in rural areas, with their own school bags made from recycled printed vinyl that was used in Nissan’s outdoor billboard advertising campaigns. The project also provides employment to mentally and physically challenged children and adults at the Gateway Village. Nissan SA has rolled out the project in Limpopo and has earmarked the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and North West provinces for the next phase of delivery.
- As a result of radio appeals, Nissan SA has made available brand new 1400 Nissan bakkies to schools in need. Beneficiaries to date are the Ennerdale SOS Children’s Village and St Ursula’s Primary School in Krugersdorp.
- Nissan SA sponsors the Golf Development Programme, which aims to uplift the lives of township children through their participation in the sport. The programme not only teaches the rudiments of golf but also instills life skills including self-belief, self-determination, self-discipline and the value of perseverance.
Education, training and development
Education, training and development are at the forefront of Nissan’s SA’s youth development programme in the workplace.
- Nissan SA offers employees the opportunities to study at various educational institutions through its bursary scheme. It has also entered into a Barter Deal Agreement with the University of South Africa (Unisa), whereby Nissan SA makes available vehicles to Unisa in return for bursaries for employees.
- Internships are provided to final year students who require practical experience in their chosen disciplines.
- Technikon engineering students are assisted with practical experience under the Student Scheme. The training comprises basic hand skills training at P1 level, advancing to calculations, problem-solving and quality control at P2 and P3 levels.
- The Learnership Programme is offered to unemployed youth, who are given the opportunity to learn an automotive trade. The programme, which is carried out in conjunction with the Department of Labour, admits around 300 students annually. Where possible, employment is offered at Nissan SA’s Rosslyn plant or at one of the other car manufacturers in the area.
- Nissan SA’s technical training department caters for dealer staff and apprentice training on competency-based modular training (CBMT) – an education and training approach that is based on a system of credits for “learning outcomes”. It also admits trainees from other motor manufacturers and their dealerships.
- A Cadet Programme is in place to accommodate students from schools and technikons. They are trained to Level 1 for six months, before undergoing practical training at dealerships, which then return them for further training.
- Allied to the technical training is the Nissan Technician Competition (NISTEC), a five phase regional and national competition to ascertain the company’s best technician. The winner is then eligible to take part in Nissan’s international competition in Japan.
- The technical training department identifies candidates who may have potential to work in Nissan SA’s niche Motorsport division, sponsored by the main Japan-based Nissan Motor Company Limited group. Technicians are involved in the preparation of racing vehicles from design, fabrication and electronics to engine development & build, workshop preparation & maintenance, through to the final product, which is then sold or raced under the Nissan banner.
Media contact
Sorita van der Walt
Tel: (012) 529 6905
Fax: 086 631 5274
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Corporate Affairs and Communications
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