FAQs
The DO MORE FOUNDATION (“the Foundation”) was established as an independent non-profit organisation by RCL FOODS (RCL) in 2017, with the aim of enabling a broader group of stakeholders to get involved in the company’s key corporate social investment (CSI) initiatives. RCL FOODS is a leading South African food manufacturer employing over 21 000 people. The company produces a wide range of branded and private label food products. Establishing the Foundation as a separate entity not only supported our thinking around “doing CSI unusual” but also supported a massive conscious shift in the way we saw and approached sustainable community development in our country.
We believe that complex problems need dynamic collaborative solutions. The Foundation acts as a backbone organisation, to support and enable community development from the ground up. We work alongside government, supporting ECD policy implementation. Our model involves big business both for its multiplier contribution to funding and enabling sustainability, post the funding period. By collaborating with the public, private and non-profit sectors we are able to identify and find solutions that lead to sustainable and impactful change, leveraging the “power of business” to benefit young children in communities across that country. We have found purposeful networking, clear coordination and willing cooperation to be key in shifting to long term social investment:
Purposeful Networking – this involves the exchange of information for mutual benefit. Our stance is that keeping our material and programme document open source is a powerful way to approach development and partnership.
A Clear Coordinator – allocating responsibilities and altering activities to achieve a common purpose and align to a similar long term vision of what we want to create and leave behind in the community (with community stakeholders being key to these discussions). Allowing leadership roles to be clear does assist team and collative work to be effective and efficient.
Willing Cooperation – this involves sharing of information for mutual benefit, altering activities for a common purpose as well as sharing resources for attainment of a mutual benefit and common purpose.
Whilst many people assume that we are a large team, we are in fact a very tightly knit small group of people ranging from various backgrounds. Our wild mix in professional experience, education and personalities makes for a highly motivated and dynamic team – all united around our passion to see young children thrive. To us, culture is just as important as end results. We are currently working to build PLAY into the way that we work and engage with partners and stakeholders. When we are allowed to PLAY, we see dynamic solutions bubble to the surface and we can find joy in the work we do. We believe that with a shared passion and the right people, you can create energy behind an organisation that allows for creative solutions that are based on inclusion and a culture that is rewarding for all involved.
To us, this is what PLAY means:
- inclusion
- rewarding
- energy
- passion
- people