What is Black Economic empowerment (BEE)
Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) is a government initiative aimed at increasing equity and uplifting black business owners, stakeholders and employees. The government refers to BEE as ‘positive discrimination’.
BEE is the process by which previously disadvantaged South Africans have been empowered through the transfer of ownership. Compliance with BEE principles are regulated by Codes, which provide details on how BEE should be implemented.
Why is BEE referred to as BBBEE?
When Black Employment Equity (BEE) was first implemented in the nineties, there was no coherent strategy towards its implementation. When the South African Government gazetted updated Codes of Good Practice at the beginning of 2007, it made the implementation of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) a legal reality.
Even though most think of Black Employment Equity as BEE, as the process was refined, its name changed to Broad-Based Black Employment Equity (B-BBEE) in order to encompass not just Blacks, but Coloured, Indians and the Chinese populations of South Africa.