The investment-accompanying Corporate Social Responsibility Program has become an essential cornerstone of the work of the managers without borders foundation. The program follows the objectives of the German government’s Africa policy guidelines and helps companies that want to invest in Africa do business successfully and profitably.

How does the investment support work?

Companies that want to invest in Africa can enter into a partnership with us at managers without borders. The procedure is as follows: First, the target country, the industry, the schedule, and other premises are coordinated with managers without borders. In addition, a catalog for required supplier companies in Africa is created. The duration of the engagement (usually one year) and the needed scope of the project work are also to be agreed upon ahead of time. Subsequently, managerswithoutborders evaluate the requirements and possible supplier companies, prepare a project plan, and issue an offer. These results are presented to the investing company.

After the conclusion of the contract between managers without borders and the investing company, the implementation phase takes place, partly online or/and on-site. managerswithoutborders send managers to the qualified African suppliers and partner companies for assignments of at least 4 to a maximum of 12 weeks, if necessary, several times. In addition, the managers without borders support by active cooperation the development of the selected African enterprises, which are needed in the surrounding field of the investing enterprise.

The effectiveness of the work is evaluated and certified in stringent measurements. The results can be included in the company’s sustainability report and the Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainability chapters of the annual report. In addition, the evidence often allows for tax relief in the country of investment if appropriate agreements were made during the project approval process.

The costs for investment support depend on the requirements, duration, and scope of the respective project. However, in most cases, about 1% of the total investment volume of the investing company is spent for this purpose, which is why the program is also nicknamed the “1% Deal”.

1% = A model for success

Marc Benioff, the successful owner of the company Salesforce in San Francisco, implemented this from the very beginning of his company: 1% of the equity, 1% of the employees’ labor, and 1% of the products and services were reserved and invested for social purposes. Benioff is considered the most successful entrepreneur in California!

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1 % Deal means: BIG – STRONG – CONCRETE

BIG is the will to defeat poverty, to succeed on one’s own by one’s own strength.
STRONG is the pressure to deal with poverty and not to simply run away.
CONCRETE is the help via robust and sustainable support.

With the 1% deal, we end poverty by building the economic competence of companies in Africa, Asia, and South America.