Tyre and rubber manufacturer Goodyear South Africa has attained Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Level 6 Contributor Status under the Amended Codes of Good Practice.

This is an improvement on the Level 8 status it achieved in 2015.

The company attributes the improvement to having formed a project team that made a concerted effort to apply transformational strategies in its business operations.

This strategy included focused initiatives for management control, skills development, enterprise and supplier development, as well as socioeconomic development.

At the recent Absa Supplier Development Awards, Goodyear South Africa was recognised as runner-up in the Newcomer category, as well as Small Supplier category.

“Goodyear has been commended by the judges for the intentional strategy of developing a few suppliers but deeply integrating them into the supply chain and walking a journey with them that derives mutual benefit and impact,” said the Absa Supplier Development Awards judges.

Goodyear says it supports the underlying principles of BBBEE as being part of the broader economic growth strategy, which is an inclusive process associated with good governance.

Moreover, it notes that it believes that BBBEE must positively impact on the lives of those purposefully and systematically excluded from the economy in the past, which is why it adopted a people-centred BBBEE strategy.

“Goodyear has significant local content in its South African business revenues, supported by a developing Enterprise and Supplier Development Plan that is actioned through the Umthombo Development Programme.

"Goodyear South Africa prides itself on a focused continuing transformation approach that goes beyond compliance, one that contributes towards a viable and adaptive economy . . . characterised by growth, skills development and empowerment - we are on a journey to continually improve,” says Goodyear South Africa Group MD Darren Hayes-Powell.