By Alec Hogg
It’s a week until South Africa’s annual CEO SleepOut at historic Liliesleaf in Rivonia. Everyone who has done it tells me I’m in for a transformative experience. The Highveld is cold enough right now to deliver a permanent reminder of what society’s most vulnerable face every winter’s night.
Watching the country’s most successful fund raising event close up has been fascinating. Since 2015, a total of 472 CEOs have participated, contributing a staggering R52.7m to beneficiaries – far beyond any other SA charity event. Better still, as quantified by the global SROI measure, it has delivered R200m in value.
You’d think CEOs would be falling over themselves to support the amazing initiative. If only to feature in the half hour DSTV documentary. Many aren’t. Lots of my emails to execs have gone unanswered. Their silence is code for: Bug off. I’ve done my bit for the homeless. Let someone else freeze this year.
That’s short-sighted. SA has massive income disparities and great need. A single night of discomfort is the start, not end, of a journey to empathy. The saddest part of all this is every management team has at least one member who’d gladly respond with “Thuma Mina” if given the chance to participate. Come on CEOs. You can do better.
