Old Mutual held its inaugural Partnership Awards (OMPA) at the end of 2019, which was designed as a vehicle to recognise the partnerships and relationships that it established with its most supportive stakeholders. This platform is intended to better enable the business to showcase the value and impact of its most successful partnerships across the sectors of society.
EAPA-SA was nominated for an award in the Industry Body/Association of the Year category. The award recognises the stakeholder that has excelled in serving the personal or industry development of its members, while delivering on its mandate and consistently creating value for its stakeholders and members.
Adjudication included the following five criteria:
- Has the stakeholder delivered on its mandate?
- Has the stakeholder created value for its members and society?
- Has the stakeholder provided financial education/wellbeing/solutions to its members?
- Through its partnership with Old Mutual, has the stakeholder delivered social/personal and/or professional development to its members/community?
- Has the partnership promoted/benefited the Old Mutual brand?
EAPA-SA received their nomination as, in partnership with Old Mutual, the Association works to provide holistic professional development to its 7 000 members by delivering a SETA-accredited Financial Wellbeing Programme to workplaces and chapters across the country.
Darlington Ntuli, Old Mutual’s National Key Account Manager, Mass and Foundation Cluster, had this to:
“Financial literacy is an important factor in achieving employee financial wellness and EA and HR practitioners in South Africa have significant national reach in terms of taking education in financial literacy to employees in the South African workplace. We respect that EAPA-SA is the largest, oldest and most respected professional association for people in the EAP field in South Africa. Our objective in partnering with EAPA-SA is aimed at strengthening our relationship with the Association, whose constituents we seek to engage on an ongoing basis, as they offer us platforms and the opportunity to reach employees across South Africa with the impact of financial education.
This partnership is in alignment with Old Mutual’s objective of taking our SETA-accredited Financial Wellbeing Programme, offered as a no-strings-attached tool to help South Africans grow in financial literacy, into the South African workplace.
The value we have found in our association with EAPA-SA has been the exposure to a national footprint of EAP professionals and decision-makers which has helped us to achieve our objective.”
“The Association has enjoyed a long standing partnership with Old Mutual on national and local levels,”
We spoke to EAPA-SA President, Thiloshni Govender, to get her insight on EAPA-SA’s nomination.
Question: What does it mean for the Association to be recognised in this way?
Thiloshni: EAPA-SA is gratified to be an award nominee. The Association has enjoyed a long standing partnership with Old Mutual on national, local levels and in Uganda (West Africa), and this nomination recognises the mutually rewarding relationship we share. The nomination is recognition a declaration that OM values EAPA-SA and the goals we have achieved together.
Question: How are partner-stakeholders like Old Mutual assisting in the growth and sustainability of employee assistance practices in our country?
Thiloshni: Financial difficulties are one of the most prevalent workplace challenges, one that manifests in poor work performance as well as workplace interpersonal relations. Through partnerships with Financial Services Providers, EAPs have been able to deliver proactive and supportive programmes ranging from basic personal financial wellness to preparation for retirement programmes to employees at their workplaces. Financial Service Providers have also supported various workplace wellness initiatives outside of the financial sphere and professional development of EA practitioners, through support of EAPA-SA Eduweek and Chapter activities. Old Mutual has been a loyal and long-time supporter of EAP in South Africa. The organisation is committed to a nation building agenda and recognises EAP as a critical network to reach society through its economically active population at their places of work.
We thank Old Mutual for the honour of receiving this nomination and look forward to a long and mutually rewarding partnership in the future.