Rhodes Business School and Anglo American are pleased to announce their partnership in the Global Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI). GRLI is a worldwide network of companies and learning institutions uniquely focused on developing the next generation of globally responsible leaders.
The partnership will create an opportunity for members to dialogue with many of the world's leading players in the field of sustainability to develop the next generation of responsible leaders. The GRLI engages in thought leadership, advocacy and projects to achieve measurable impact.
Rhodes Business School embraces the integration of sustainability considerations into the MBA programme, which is closely aligned with the sustainable development integration focus that Anglo American has adopted.
Rhodes Business School’s Director, Professor Owen Skae says, “Rhodes Business School is extremely excited about partnering with Anglo American in the GRLI. Our focus on the teaching and researching of responsible leadership, within the context of engaged business being a force for positive change in an integrated society is delivering a very strong message. Working with a global company of the stature of Anglo American is just marvellous for us.”
According to Leticia Greyling (senior lecturer and coordinating sustainability integration at the school), this is an exciting collaboration. “In approaching Anglo American for this partnership, we looked for an organization that truly believes in sustainability and responsible leadership, and adopts this across its strategy and operations. Anglo American is a leader in this field having embedded sustainability into the heart of its operations. We look forward to a strong partnership that advances ethical and responsible leadership in business and in other sectors,” said Greyling.
“Anglo American’s partnership with Rhodes Business School in the Global Responsible Leadership Initiative illustrates our commitment to embed sustainability throughout our business and foster future leaders equally committed to sustainability. Sustainable development extends beyond the management of safety, health and the environment, to human rights, community investment, socio-economic development and local procurement,” says Dorian Emmett, Global Head of Safety and Sustainable Development, Anglo American.
“Anglo American is at the forefront of sustainable development in South Africa with initiatives such as the Zimele enterprise development programme which currently employs 19, 500 people and has been globally recognised as an effective model for helping to produce SMMEs that are not only able to survive but become vibrant contributors to the local economy. Last year alone, our South African business units alone spent more than R509 million on various mine community development initiatives,” Emmett added.
The GRLI currently has 71 partner organisations and is expanding rapidly. It has set a limit of 120 partners for the years to come in order to remain a fully integrated and action oriented global network, and to fulfil its unique role as a leading global catalyst for key challenges and future demands regarding how to develop a next generation of globally responsible leaders.