In South Africa, Corporate Social Investment (CSI), Enterprise Development (ED) and Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) are far more than compliance mechanisms for companies.
When strategically aligned, they become powerful drivers of inclusive economic growth, youth empowerment, and future-ready skills development - particularly in rural and under-resourced communities.
At the centre of this alignment sits our New Venture Creation Programme, a practical, outcomes-driven intervention that converts policy intent into measurable economic impact.
Understanding CSI, ED and ESD in the South African Context
Acronym | Full Term | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
CSI | Corporate Social Investment | Voluntary corporate contributions focused on social upliftment, especially education, health and youth development |
ED | Enterprise Development | Support for emerging businesses through funding, mentorship and capacity building |
ESD | Enterprise and Supplier Development | A structured B-BBEE initiative that combines enterprise support with supplier integration into formal value chains |
While Corporate Social Investment traditionally focuses on social outcomes such as education and youth employability, Enterprise Development and Enterprise and Supplier Development are explicitly economic tools - designed to build sustainable enterprises and integrate them into the mainstream economy.
All three are underpinned by Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) legislation and share a common goal: addressing historical inequality by expanding access to skills, markets and opportunity.
Together, they form a continuum:
- CSI builds human capability and confidence
- ED strengthens early-stage businesses
- ESD prepares enterprises for supplier readiness and market participation
The Shift Toward 2030 Skills and Why It Matters
Global and local skills forecasts point to a clear transition toward technology-enabled, cognitively agile and self-directed work. The World Economic Forum’s “Core Skills for 2030” highlights capabilities such as:
- Technological literacy (digital tools, AI awareness, data thinking)
- Creative and analytical thinking
- Resilience, motivation and self-efficacy
- Financial literacy, leadership and customer engagement
These are not abstract future skills! They are enterprise-critical skills, especially for SMMEs operating in volatile and competitive environments.
This is where CSI, ED and ESD funding becomes most impactful: when it supports programmes that deliberately build these capabilities, rather than focusing solely on short-term employment outcomes.
The New Venture Creation Programme
Leverage Leadership’s New Venture Creation Programme directly addresses South Africa’s need for entrepreneurial capability, particularly in rural communities.
Its purpose is simple but powerful:
Equip individuals, organisations and communities to establish sustainable enterprises that contribute to long-term economic growth.
Our programme is designed to:
- Builds business capacity and entrepreneurial confidence
- Encourages innovation and market responsiveness
- Strengthens long-term competitiveness
- Align with QCTO requirements, while remaining flexible to client and funder priorities
Importantly, it recognises that starting a new venture without a structured roadmap - covering priorities, risk management and scaling - can undermine both organisational and community-level growth.
Programme Objectives
The New Venture Creation Programme equips learners to:
- Gather and analyse industry-specific information
- Identify and respond to market requirements
- Determine financial, human and infrastructure needs
- Manage business resources effectively
- Plan for business establishment and sustainability
- Organise and conduct day-to-day business activities
These outcomes align directly with ED and ESD mandates, while also supporting CSI’s focus on personal development and agency.
Programme Structure: Knowledge Meets Application
Knowledge Modules
The knowledge component builds entrepreneurial identity, insight and decision-making capability:
- Being an entrepreneur
- Know yourself
- Know your industry
- Identifying market opportunities
- Innovation
- Customer service
- Financial and cash flow management
- Basic business financial statements
- Pricing of goods and services
- Marketing
- SMART goals
- Business planning
These modules directly develop self-efficacy, analytical thinking, creativity and financial literacy - all core 2030 skills.
Application Component
The application component ensures skills are translated into real-world business readiness:
- Calculations and pricing
- Basic bookkeeping
- Marketing project
- Customer service practice
This practical focus supports supplier development readiness, enabling learners to move from concept to operational enterprise.
Alignment with CSI, ED, ESD and 2030 Skills
Programme Focus Area | CSI / ED / ESD Alignment | 2030 Skills Developed |
|---|---|---|
Personal insight and entrepreneurial identity | CSI social development | Self-awareness, motivation |
Market analysis and innovation | ED mentorship and market access | Creative and analytical thinking |
Financial management and pricing | ESD enterprise capability | Financial planning, risk awareness |
Marketing and customer engagement | Supplier readiness | Technological literacy, service orientation |
Business planning & execution | ESD pipeline development | Resilience, adaptability |
The programme prepares participants not only to start businesses, but to participate meaningfully in supply chains, directly advancing ESD objectives.
Imagine the value this adds within your business if all of your employees are align to think like entrepreneurs?
Strategic Value for Stakeholders
For corporates and funders
Investment in the New Venture Creation Programme can deliver impact across CSI, ED and ESD scorecard elements, while building a pipeline of capable, supplier-ready youth entrepreneurs.
For learners and communities
Participants gain more than technical business skills - they develop confidence, resilience and future-ready capabilities that enable long-term economic participation.
For YES and similar initiatives
This programme provides a scalable, policy-aligned model for youth empowerment, particularly in rural contexts where access to opportunity is limited.
From Compliance Spend to Economic Capability
When CSI, ED and ESD investments are aligned with structured entrepreneurial development and future skills demand, they move beyond compliance. They become strategic investments in South Africa’s economic resilience.
The key here is “structured”, thus taking the guess work out of the equation. The New Venture Creation Programme demonstrates this and how policy, skills development and enterprise growth can work together.
It is not just about creating jobs, but sustainable ventures and empowered economic participants.
