Corporate South Africa’s gender representation challenge: BAT South Africa’s approach to a systemic issue

According to a report by Just Share, a non-profit shareholder activism organisation, women held just 36% of board positions in the JSE Top 40 in 2024 and 23% of executive positions. This is despite comprising 46% of South Africa’s economically active population. Against this backdrop, the recent International Women’s Day is a reminder that much remains to be done.

“If women don’t see other women in leadership roles, it is hard for them to picture themselves occupying the most senior positions, and this is an obstacle to progress. With this in mind, BAT has a strong gender mainstreaming agenda in place, intended to ensure women progress and rise in their careers at BAT,” said Sasha Govender, Area Head of Talent for BAT Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). 

One of the initiatives Govender is proud of is SHEmuka, which means “rise” in Shona. Through this initiative, women at management level can share experiences and learn from each other, receive inspiration and new insights, enhance skills and expand their networking opportunities, all aimed at propelling their development forward.

With supporting tools such as 360-degree leadership and emotional intelligence assessments, the programme consists of four modules: Goals, Intelligence, Relationships and Leadership, all supported by discussion panels and coaching circles. 

Launched last year with an initial cohort of 10 women across BAT Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the six- to nine-month mentorship programme has already resulted in one promotion in Kenya and three short-term or international assignment opportunities, including a move by one of the participants to Malaysia, she explained.

Meanwhile, BAT’s Women in Leadership programme is designed to equip senior women employees with the essential skills and knowledge to excel in leadership roles. This is a quarterly initiative held by the BAT Group in different locations around the world.

“The three-day leadership training programme covers various topics such as emotional intelligence, situational self-awareness, and managing difficult stakeholders, among others,” said Govender, while noting that “it is also a networking opportunity for women in leadership to engage with their counterparts from other countries, as they share experiences, challenges and learnings.”

Employee Resource Groups are also an important mechanism for supporting women employees in their career development and overall wellness at BAT. 

In South Africa, this programme includes an initiative to provide free emergency sanitary products, a recently launched reproductive health support policy to support employees undergoing IVF or other related procedures, and private spaces (called Hers Rooms) for women with various needs. This might include those who need to express milk (as part of the Parents@BAT programme) or even just require a breather. The room includes a fridge and a lounge area, making it inclusive for all.

Additionally, Parents@BAT is a support programme for new parents, including a minimum guaranteed paid leave period and a return-to-work guarantee for the parent taking maternity or adoption leave.

“The programme also provides flexible work options for parents returning to work after their maternity or adoption leave. A bespoke Parents@BAT career transition and parenting toolkit is available to all BAT parents, to ease the anxiety of leaving their little ones back home as they return to work,” said Govender.

Govender is also proud of the work the Women in Sub-Saharan Africa (WiSSA) stream has done. WiSSA targets women in operations and focuses on their specific needs, including career development initiatives and a health empowerment series.

“WiSSA is dedicated to supporting talent development among women across the continent, with a focus on building an equitable workplace. At BAT, diversity and inclusion is not just about achieving a target, it is about putting sustainable measures in place to ensure a truly inclusive workplace,” said Govender.

Outside of BAT, the company’s Mind the Gap programme in SSA is a mentorship initiative for final-year university students, focusing on talented women in STEM and students with disabilities. The programme offers various modules and mentorship from employees, preparing these adult students for the world of work.

“These platforms all support BAT’s goal of achieving 45% representation of women in senior leadership roles and 50% representation across our management population in the SSA business. Inclusivity-linked performance objectives have been rolled out to the whole organisation to ensure collective ownership and action, and that progress is tracked and the necessary interventions taken in a timely and objective manner,” noted Govender.

“Ultimately, ensuring that women take their rightful place in the corporate world’s senior ranks has been shown by various studies and business best practice to be good for business, leading to better decision making informed by diverse perspectives,” she concludes. 

With an inclusive and equitable environment, holistic programmes and solid goals, BAT South Africa is well on its way to reaping the benefits of a truly diverse workforce. https://careers.bat.com