Group HR director Dimitri Jacobs says apple and pear supplier aims to become one of South Africa’s top 20 employers in the near future
Two-a-Day, which owns a 50 per cent share in apple and pear marketer Tru-Cape, has become South Africa’s first agribusiness to be certified by the Netherlands-based Top Employers Institute.
The company said it scored 66.76 per cent overall in the 255 areas evaluated, a result which group human resources director Dimitri Jacobs described as an “outstanding” result.
It rated particularly well in the categories of leadership and strategy, unity, and engagement, it added.
Two-a-Day employs approximately 2,000 people, and according to Jacobs each one plays an integral role in the business. “We are considered a big employer in our small community,” he explains. “Therefore, it is important that our employees are happy at work and that our standards are world class.”
He added: “We always try our best, but the certification confirmed that were 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.”
Two-a-Day is one of Africa’s leading fruit companies. It exports around 7mn cartons of apples and pears each year, with another 2mn sold on the local market. All of that fruit is marketed by Tru-Cape, in which it holds a 50 per cent share.
For Attie van Zyl, managing director of Two-a-Day, people remain at the heart of the business. “The accreditation highlights that agribusinesses in South Africa can compete equally well with other industries regarding employment opportunities and ethical standards,” he comments.
The group has now set an ambitious goal to reach 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 per cent,” Jacobs notes. “It will require commitment, but it is important to us.”
