Our CSI programme aligns with our brand stories and provides meaningful benefits for our long-term CSI partners.
Famous Brands’ CSI programme aims to meaningfully contribute to the lives of vulnerable communities. It is professionally managed according to a policy framework and is seen as a brand-building pillar across our Leading Brands portfolio in South Africa. Some of our CSI activities qualify for recognition under the socio-economic development pillar of the B-BBEE scorecard.
The Transformation Office coordinates CSI activities, with guidance from the Social and Ethics Working Committee and oversight from the Board’s Social and Ethics Committee. Leading Brands’ management and franchise partners are highly involved in CSI activities.
Franchise partners may also contribute to their own CSI activities with guidance from Famous Brands. These contributions are celebrated at annual brand conferences.
CSI initiatives
Each brand within the Leading Brands portfolio has its own CSI initiative, which is linked to the different brand stories. CSI activities elevate the profile of recipient non-profits organisations and funds raised allow them to sustain their activities. Across all brands, supporting CSI activities lifts employee morale at the restaurant level.
Over time, our CSI approach has evolved from being about ‘what we do’ to becoming ‘who we are’. We focus on driving increased franchise partner involvement in CSI activities and training their employees to promote campaigns and assist customers with participation. We also showcase CSI promotional material at restaurants, including posters and T-shirts.
Most of our fleet of trucks include CSI messaging in their branding.
Our CSI Objectives
Our CSI policy and activities focus on:
- Long-term partnerships with reputable and effective CSI partner organisations.
- Supporting initiatives that enjoy broad-based stakeholder appeal.
- Avoiding unsustainable relationships and handout tendencies.
- Programmes that actively consult the beneficiaries in the programme design, implementation and evaluation.
- Quantifying the costs and benefits of the selected programmes in terms of their ability to contribute to capacity building, improving quality of life and sustainable development.
- Defining the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and beneficiaries, with a specific emphasis on financial controls and corporate governance compliance.
- Gaining buy-in and commitment from franchise partners.
- Contributing to the socio-economic upliftment of historically disadvantaged communities.
- Improving relationships with our existing stakeholders and engaging new stakeholders.
IFA LETHU
In August 2022, Famous Brands launched IFA Lethu, which means ‘our legacy’, a CSI initiative that covers all the franchise partners registered home delivery drivers in the event of accidental death or disability while on duty. Famous Brands fully funds the premiums for both the death and disability products.
This unique offering gives us a competitive edge in retaining drivers while looking after their well-being.
STEERS
Sports sponsorships
Since 2019, Steers has sponsored the Varsity Cup and Varsity Shield contests that showcase the best young rugby players. Steers also connects players with various scholarship programmes to ensure players continue with their education.
In 2024, Steers contributed R9.2 million towards the sponsorship programme and has supported 876 beneficiaries.
Steers Rounda
Steers has supported the ROUNDA initiative since 2018. ROUNDA is an initiative by the Nikela Charity Funding and Development Trust. Nikela means ‘to give’ in Zulu. The trust aims to combat hunger and alleviate poverty in South Africa. ROUNDA, which runs both in-store and online, enables customers to donate an additional R2 when making a purchase.
In 2024, Steers raised R1.2 million (2023: R1.1 million) from its ‘Feed the Flame’ campaign to donate to ROUNDA to support the trust’s feeding schemes. Steers ROUNDA also raised funds to assist with running costs at Masibambane College in Orange Farm, Gauteng.
Together with Steers, the trust selected FoodForward South Africa, a non-profit partner with a national footprint, to distribute the funds to feeding schemes throughout the country. FoodForward South Africa served 88 million meals to 985 000 daily beneficiaries.
Debonairs Doughnation
Debonairs Pizza’s Doughnation was formed in 2012. It is an initiative by franchise partners to transform excess pizza dough into flatbreads delivered to community organisations that feed children, the elderly and families in need. The franchise partners and their employees select and partner with a community organisation from their community and are responsible for cooking the dough and making weekly deliveries. Doughnation runs throughout South Africa and Botswana, and more than 650 franchise partners participate in the initiative. In 2024, Debonairs donated R745 000 to the initiative.
The Debonairs Pizza supports Doughnation by incentivising quarterly franchise partner winners. The total prize money provided for Doughnation is R620 000. The four winning franchise partners donate the prize money to their community organisation and work with that organisation to determine the best way to spend the cash. The brand supports Doughnation through a dedicated newsletter where franchise partners’ CSI stories are shared with the network.
Wimpy and Reach
Reach for a Dream
Wimpy has supported the Reach for a Dream Foundation since 2013. For 35 years, Reach For A Dream has offered children a magical moment to regain their childhood lost to an illness.
Wimpy and other corporate sponsors support the foundation’s annual Slipper Day event in May. Wimpy customers can purchase a Slipper Day sticker for R20 or donate. For every sticker purchased or every donation over R20, Wimpy rewards customers with a free coffee to be enjoyed on Slipper Day. In 2024, Wimpy raised R1.3 million for Reach for A Dream through Slipper Day contributions.
Ethnikids
For the third year, Wimpy partnered with Ethnikids to celebrate National Literacy Month and Heritage Month by launching five children’s books celebrating diversity. In 2024, Wimpy allocated R659 000 to this initiative which was distributed to South African authors and illustrators. The books showcase the vibrant heritage of local folk tales in all 11 official languages.
South Africa faces a literacy crisis, with 80% of 10-year-old children unable to read in their native languages. Ethnikids, an online bookstore was founded by five mothers in 2016 to overcome this challenge. The bookstore sells books featuring characters in various South African languages. In South Africa, mother-tongue books are not easily available, and most children’s books lack our cultural context. There is a profound psychological and educational benefit to children reading books in their first language and being able to relate to the content of African stories.
Children receive a free book with every Wimpy Kids Combo meal. The translated versions are in 11 official languages, and in Khoe/Nama, the language of the Khoisan people, including audiobooks, are available for free download on Wimpy’s website.
Mugg & Bean and Cupcakes for Cancer
Mugg & Bean has partnered with Cupcakes of Hope for 11 years. The non-profit organisation helps between 100 and 130 families every month by either paying for their medical treatment or assisting with everyday expenses like transport money to and from the hospital, healthy food, clothing and nappies. The Mugg & Bean brand ethos of generosity perfectly fits the generous contributions that Cupcakes of Hope makes to families in need. As Cupcakes of Hope expanded, Mugg & Bean also increased its support each year.Mugg & Bean has a donation portal on its website for Cupcakes of Hope, and customers can donate any amount via a safe and secure donation form. The portal can even generate a customer tax receipt if required.
In 2023, Mugg & Bean expanded its support of Cupcakes of Hope from one month to the full year. Mugg & Bean donated R1 to Cupcakes of Hope for every giant muffin sold. For Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, the brand donated R2 for every giant muffin purchased.
This year, Mugg & Bean franchise partners raised a new record of R3.1 million (2023: R2.5 million) for Cupcakes of Hope. With support from Mugg & Bean, Cupcakes of Hope delivered 2 500 educational care packs to paediatric oncology patients and 600 care packs to oncology doctors and nurses.
Milky Lane and The Smile Foundation
Milky Lane has supported the Smile Foundation since 2018. Founded in 2007, the Smile Foundation has helped over 4 000 disadvantaged children with facial abnormalities, including cleft lip and palate, facial paralysis and burns, receive life-changing corrective plastic and reconstructive surgery. Each surgery can cost up to R87 000 at a public hospital.
Milky Lane franchise partners host fun events, including cycling challenges, to raise funds for the foundation. Franchise partners actively participate in these events and provide Milky Lane vouchers as prizes. The brand gives children who have just undergone the procedure a gift bag with a teddy bear and blanket. In 2024, the brand matched the franchise partners’ contributions to donate R253 000 (2023: R102 000) to the foundation.
Fishaways and Clean Up Mzansi
In June 2023, Fishaways launched Clean Up Mzansi, an initiative to address the pollution issue in South Africa. According to the UN Environmental Programme, between 95 000 and 250 000 tonnes of litter enters the oceans that surround South Africa. This has a dire impact on marine life and the fishing industry.
In June 2023, Fishaways held an official clean-up at Table Bay Beach in the Western Cape to kick off the Clean Up Mzansi programme. Fishaways franchise partners, staff, volunteers and customers worked together to pick up and dispose of rubbish and plastics on the beach and along the coast during the clean-up. In 2024, Famous Brands allocated R50 550 towards this initiative.
Tembisa Feeding Scheme
The Famous Brands Head Office has been a major supporter of Tembisa Child and Family Welfare since 2020. The canteen at the Group’s Midrand campus supplies the organisation with meals for a daily feeding scheme for 80 children and staff members.
Tembisa Child and Family Welfare was established in 1986 to provide a haven for abandoned, abused, neglected children and HIV/AIDS infected orphans. The organisation places children with foster or adoptive families. Children are placed in two children’s homes where this is not possible. The organisation also creates local employment through projects such as a sewing school, a bakery, food gardening, soap recycling and a beauty salon.
Famous Brands started the CAN Initiative in March 2022 to encourage employees to donate canned food to charity. This year, Famous Brands employees organised an Easter egg hunt, a book drive and a Christmas party for 103 children and 35 care workers.