Since the dawn of our democracy, South Africa has carefully cultivated its rainbow nation. Businesses across the country have worked hard to develop inclusive environments that support diversity in all its glory. It’s Ubuntu at its finest, and it requires a dedication to best practices that support a divergent workforce, customer base, supplier network, and membership structure.

According to Norman Jackson, Director of the Essential Group, this requires a true human connection. “Embracing inclusivity means building bridges and learning how to better support one another. We need to leverage our individualities to create a stronger whole. Our family-grown, proudly South African business has thrived by looking past the chaos of the world and looking inward to ensure we help our members grow – no matter their creed, colour, or religious affiliations.”

Maintaining inclusive momentum requires the recognition of bias, and then overcoming this with a focus on forging strong connections. “At Essential we operate as a pack. We fend off threats and hunt for new business as a unit. Together, we are stronger, we are more powerful, and we can make a greater impact on our world,” adds Norman. “We’re building a stronger network, stronger business, stronger nation, one member at a time – and it’s the relationships at the core of our model that hold true power.”

Along with sound relationships, Norman confirms that training, upskilling, and empowering communities ensures we can all thrive. Investing in people while building a solid, more united society develops a world where every person has a sense of a belonging… and there’s no better position from which to create success than this.

“There is unity in humanity, in recognising the strengths of our differences and banding together to create a better working world for all. It takes gratitude, respect, honesty, integrity, and empathetic leadership. This is what every business should strive for, daily,”.