Since its establishment in June 2012, Johannesburg-based consulting firm Economic Development Solutions (EDS), which focuses on broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE), economic development, legislative compliance and socioeconomic development and enterprise development (SED & ED) programme implementation, has seen its staff complement grow to nine and expects a further increase to 15 by the end of the year.
The company, which services mining and renewable-energy companies, as well as corporates, is wholly South African- and black-owned, with 80% of its equity held by black women.
The growth EDS has experienced has necessitated a move from its current offices in Rosebank to larger premises in Sandton, currently planned for the end of May.
Says a spokesperson for the firm: “Our service delivery is across all levels within the corporate hierarchy and achieves tangible results.”
Contracts secured during the past six months include two three-year contracts, each for SED & ED programme implementation. Further, another implementation contract has been extended, which will enable EDS to complete a community development initiative that includes a sports court being built in an impoverished Northern Cape community.
EDS is also responsible for the ED compliance implementation for a biomass project to be built in Mpumalanga and, with the new BBBEE codes coming into play at the end of April, EDS has a number of corporate clients keeping the teams busy.