The COSTLY IMPACT OF GBV Private Sector Perceptions and Realities in South Africa
This research was led by Professor Corné Davis from the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in collaboration with Tiekie Barnard from the Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI) and was conducted in partnership with Mid Sweden University and supported by KPMG South Africa. The opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views of the SVAI, its Board of Directors or the countries they represent. The SVAI does not accept any responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this report, nor if this report is used for an alternative purpose from which it is intended. This report, as well as the research data included, may be copied, downloaded, or printed for your own use, and you may include excerpts from this publication in your own documents, presentations, blogs, websites, and teaching materials, as long as the SVAI, UJ and Mid Sweden University are acknowledged as sources and copyright owners.
Private Sector Perceptions & Realities in South Africa 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 Acronyms 3 Foreword 5 Introduction 7 What is GBV? 10 Key findings 12 Setting the scene 18 Research objectives 19 Research methodology 24 Research findings 30 Conclusion and recommendations 37 Annexures and references 39 Contributors and acknowledgements 40 Contact details Copyright 2022 © Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI) www.svai.africa • www.itsnotok.africa Research Report 2022
THE COSTLY IMPACT OF GBV Private Sector Perceptions & Realities in South Africa Acronyms 2030 Agenda AI ANOVA BEE BBBEE BRICS CSI CEO CHEPC DALYs ESG EFA GBV GDP HR ILO IPV LGBTQIAPK 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Artificial intelligence Analysis of variants Black Economic Empowerment Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa Corporate social investment Chief Executive Officer Current health expenditure per capita Disability adjusted life years Environmental, social and governance Exploratory factor analysis Gender-based violence Gross domestic product Human reources International Labour Organisation Intimate Partner Violence Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Pansexual/Polyamorous, and Kink MDGs Millennium Development Goals MGI McKinsey Global Institute MSA Multisectoral approach NSP National Strategic Plan OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OOP Out-of-pocket PCA Principal components analysis PPP Purchasing power parity SDGs Sustainable development goals SVAI Shared Value Africa Initiative UJ University of Johannesburg UN United Nations WEF World Economic Forum WHO World Health Organisation YLL Years of life lost YLD Years of life lost to disability 2022 Research Report www.itsnotok.africa • www.svai.africa Copyright 2022 © Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI)
Private Sector Perceptions & Realities in South Africa 3 FOREWORD B usiness analysts predict that the going up the ranks even harder. And adverse impact of the Covid-19 the ravages of Covid-19 didn’t make the pandemic on women in the formal scenario any better. workplace will have far-reaching after- PROF. MERVYN KING Chair Emeritus of the effects that will be difficult to reverse To properly deliver health services, International Integrated over time. It’s a fact that gender inequality promote wellbeing, restore dignity to all, is widespread, and that women in the and to rebuild from the pandemic, gender Reporting Council (IIRC), private sector generally struggle with equality in the workplace must be a core and the Global Reporting insufficient support from their male focus for all organisations. Initiative (GRI) counterparts in the workplace. Our women live in a male-dominated culture, often In recent research, US investment bank fueled with toxic negativity, harassment, Citigroup (Citi) found that achieving gender and abuse. Discriminatory norms and parity in business growth could boost global exclusionary policies on the job make GDP by as much as $2 trillion, or 2-3% of the Copyright 2022 © Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI) www.svai.africa • www.itsnotok.africa Research Report 2022
THE COSTLY IMPACT OF GBV Private Sector Perceptions & Realities in South Africa Understanding the human cost of GBV in the workplace is a critical data point that must lead to gender equality global GDP. Citi found that gender equality obstacle in the path of achieving equality could also generate between 288 million between women and men. and 433 million jobs. In the last two decades, significant gains For decades, governments and civil society have been made in moving gender equal- have tried, mainly outside of the private ity and rights up political and corporate sector, to address gender-based violence agendas, but policymakers and business (GBV) but to date have not been able to leaders have yet to play out their roles in reduce it significantly, let alone eradicate it. the achievement of gender equality. Constitutionally, everyone has the right to A big part of social sustainability is about live and work in an environment that is free identifying and managing business impacts from intimidation, prejudice, harassment on people. Investors are increasingly using and violence. Gender equality is a funda- gender success as a measure of sustaina- mental human rights issue. By denying bility, and insist on better representation of women equal rights, we deny half the women at executive levels. population a chance to live life to its fullest. In this regard I welcome the findings and The United Nations was decisive when they recommendations of this study, The Costly agreed on the Sustainable Development Impact of GBV. The Report highlights the Goal 5 (SDG) – to “Achieve gender equal- need for the private sector to address the ity and empower all women and girls”. The reality of GBV as they formulate policy goal seeks to drive an end to all forms of and structures of governance. This means discrimination, violence and any harmful implementing education, creating top-of practices against women and girls in the mind gender awareness, adopting behav- world of work and in domestic or private ioural change programmes for prevention spaces. SGD5 also calls for the full partici- and intervention. And feedback through pation of women for equal opportunities in Annual Integrated and ESG Reporting. leadership at all levels of political, social and economic decision-making. Understanding the human cost of GBV in the workplace is a critical data point that We cannot foresee gender equality being must lead to gender equality, improved realised in our lifetime unless we deal diversity, and meaningful participation and with the undisputed fact that at least one inclusion for all. in three women in the world has been compelled into illicit sex activity, physically There is power in working together. We beaten, or otherwise abused during her have the knowledge and the resources lifetime. According to UN Women, violence to succeed. But we need to build on the kills more women between the ages of 15 progress we have made thus far, and and 44 than the combined mortality of war, relentlessly mobilise our commitments into cancer, malaria and road traffic accidents. tangible action. In its June 2009 Resolution “concerning We must not fail our women and girls. We gender equality at the heart of decent must not fail our society. work”, The International Labour Organization described the challenge of genderbased violence as a critical and dangerous 2022 Research Report www.itsnotok.africa • www.svai.africa Copyright 2022 © Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI)
Private Sector Perceptions & Realities in South Africa INTRODUCTION T he purpose of this report, titled talented employees (regardless of gender) The Costly Impact of GBV, is to can rise to the top, with no one left drive accountability within the behind, the entire company benefits. private sector, and influence GBV-related 5 The purpose of this report is to drive accountability system change and policymaking, to In 2014, KPMG South Africa published contribute towards enabling equal research titled Too Costly to Ignore – opportunities and empowering women The Economic Impact of Gender-based sector and influence in the workplace. Violence in South Africa that described GBV-related system the full economic impact of violence within the private Globally, gender inequality in the against women as well as the impact change and workplace has widened due to Covid-19. on their children. policymaking. Now, more than ever, companies need a comprehensive plan to support and Our research builds on that and seeks to advance women in business, with a focus explore and track the awareness, know- on accountability and results. By achieving ledge, impact, and opinions about GBV gender equality in the workplace, the and its prevention in the private sector entire ecosystem benefits. When the most in South Africa. Copyright 2022 © Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI) www.svai.africa • www.itsnotok.africa Research Report 2022
THE COSTLY IMPACT OF GBV Private Sector Perceptions & Realities in South Africa 73 Interviews with 73 company CEOs, executive directors, and leadership + + Literature study accompanied by secondary research data obtained from the World Bank and the WHO 2 270 Written responses to online survey questionnaire completed by 2 270 employees Despite growing awareness around the Readers interested in a more compre- issue, reliable and harmonised data on the hensive discussion of this topic are understanding, prevalence, and real cost of encouraged to read the full report, which GBV in the private sector is still hard to find will be published when the next phase of and an under-researched subject. our research is completed towards the end of 2022. The intent of that report will For the leadership and employee findings be to present a realistic picture of the we used primary data comprising tran- economic costs of GBV in South Africa. scripts of interviews with 73 company CEOs, executive directors and leadership, The research was led by Prof. Corné Davis as well as written responses to an online from the University of Johannesburg survey questionnaire completed by 2 270 in collaboration with Tiekie Barnard, employees. CEO of the Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI) and founder of the #ITSNOTOK For the section on the impact of GBV movement. The research was conducted on healthcare costs in South Africa, our in partnership with Mid Sweden University estimation was based on a literature and supported by KPMG South Africa. study accompanied by secondary research data obtained from the World displayed by most were the reasons in this section of the research are not behind starting the #ITSNOTOK intended to be exhaustive but are instead movement in 2020. The main purpose of considered as important take-outs from #ITSNOTOK is to raise ongoing awareness this phase of the research. 2022 Research Report The silence about GBV and the apathy Bank and the WHO. The key findings that GBV in any form is not okay. www.itsnotok.africa • www.svai.africa Copyright 2022 © Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI)
Private Sector Perceptions & Realities in South Africa 7 WHAT IS GBV? Copyright 2022 © Shared Value Africa Initiative (SVAI) www.svai.africa • www.itsnotok.africa Research Report 2022
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