Tru-Cape shareholder Two-a-Day has recently become the first agribusiness in South Africa to be certified as a top employer nationally by the Top Employers Institute, based in the Netherlands.
Group human resources director at Two-a-Day, Dimitri Jacobs, said companies must be at the forefront of people practices to achieve this status.
“We employ approximately 2 000 people, each playing an integral role in our business. We are considered a big employer in our small community, therefore, it is important that our employees are happy at work and that our standards are world-class,” he said.
Award-winning agribusiness
Two-a-Day in Grabouw is one of Africa’s leading fruit-growing, packing, and marketing companies. The group currently exports seven million cartons of apples and pears annually, with another two million sold locally. All fruit is marketed by Tru-Cape, in which they hold a 50% interest.
“To be accredited, one should score at least 60% overall on the 255 areas that are evaluated. We achieved 66.76%, which is outstanding.
“We always try our best, but the certification confirmed that we are on the right track. As a business, we do a lot for the people in our community, and it is good to be recognised for it,” he said.
Jacobs has set an ambitious goal for Two-a-Day to earn a place on the list of the top 20 employers in South Africa and join the ranks of companies such as Vodacom, Unilever, Absa, Chep, and Coca-Cola.
“In 2025, our focus will be to improve in all categories to achieve a score of 70%. It will require commitment, but it is important to us.
“We hope this, and other projects, will contribute to Two-a-Day being a pleasant and preferred workplace for many,” he said.
Meanwhile, the managing director of Two-a-Day, Attie van Zyl, said while technology is of utmost importance for the company to remain globally competitive, people are still at the heart of their business.
“The accreditation highlights that agribusinesses in South Africa can compete equally well with other industries regarding employment opportunities and ethical standards. We have many initiatives in place, of which our factory workers’ shareholding in our solar and other projects is of great importance,” Van Zyl said.
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Employee well-being a priority
According to Van Zyl, Two-a-Day scored particularly well in the categories of leadership and strategy, unity, and engagement. These domains considered values, ethics, diversity and equity, sustainability, employee well-being, and rewards and recognition, amongst others.
“We aim to create a fulfilling environment at Two-a-Day by supplying the appropriate tools and opportunities for training and growth. We offer bursaries to all our workers and benchmark salaries against the national average via Deloitte.
“At Two-a-Day, we have a big focus on employee wellness and sport. We also have a full-time doctor, social worker, and psychologist to assist employees in their needs,” Van Zyl said.
Through Ratelberg Solar, an initiative owned 100% by Two-a-Day’s workers, the company boasts one of the country’s largest solar installations on rooftops. Employees are also part of the Tru-Cape Trust, where they have the opportunity to earn an annual dividend.
Roelf Pienaar, the managing director of Tru-Cape, congratulated them for achieving their new status.
“It is important to demonstrate to our 105 global markets that our premium apples and pears are produced ethically and packaged under fair labour conditions in a safe, inclusive environment that values ongoing learning.
“We are also excited about Two-a-Day’s potential to be seen as an employer of choice, which will help us attract talented individuals to achieve outstanding results together,” he said.
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