I have been inspired over the past few weeks by the judging of the annual Absa Business Day Supplier Development Awards, of which Fetola is founding partner and technical lead. Our job is to manage the awards process, ensure that the judging is fair and correct and encourage corporate leaders to work together to increase the success of their small suppliers.

We look for more than just a handout, more than a sprinkling of business advice and definitely more than a ticking of the BBBEE scorecard. We are looking for companies that really assist small suppliers to become independent, valued companies with access to a cross-cutting market and the genuine opportunity to grow.

I know lots of small suppliers that yearn to access the corporate supply chain, even though the journey to becoming ‘supply chain ready’ takes many years or even decades of hardship and struggle. In our global market every supplier has to be world class, even if they are supplying the company down the road. Becoming world class requires skills, resilience and, most of all, experience.

The way to increase this growing network of successful small companies is to provide them a place to gain experience as they climb the ladder to world class. This is a marketplace made of citizens buying local, from local suppliers. It is citizens who buy less from the mall and more from the local bakery. It means less buying of international brands and more embracing of local icons.

Isn’t it time we all committed to buying local?

If you have a local company or brand you would like to promote, please share with me so that I can spotlight them! Let’s love local.