Ford South Africa has a multitier CSR programme that saw the organisation donate approximately R26-million towards various community projects and initiatives over the course of 2022.

With a growing wealth gap, income inequality and other structural barriers limiting educational and economic growth opportunities for many South Africans, Ford’s CSR projects focus strongly on education and economic upliftment.

“As an active corporate citizen, Ford is committed to proactively addressing the many social and economic challenges that confront many South Africans daily. Corporate social responsibility is an integral part of the way we do business at Ford, it endorses our steadfast commitment to the country,” says Neale Hill, President of Ford Motor Company Africa.

Some of the projects Ford contributed towards in 2022 include:

• Thembekile Mandela Foundation

The company partnered with the Thembekile Mandela Foundation, an NPO, and Veldskoen South Africa, a footwear manufacturing company to celebrate Mandela Day. Ford’s donation was used in the manufacturing of school shoes and purchasing of school bags for learners at the Clarkebury Agricultural School in the Eastern Cape.

• Rally to Read

Ford has a long-standing affiliation with Rally to Read that extends over 23 years. A donation by Ford SA was aimed at improving literacy and education in underprivileged communities. The Read Educational Trust partnership with Ford is an ongoing initiative that provides teacher training and school resources to improve literacy.

• Science2Go

The Science2Go initiative is run by the Centre for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Education Trust (CASME) in collaboration with founding project partner Mahle Behr South Africa. Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company, is supporting the project for a period of three years. Additionally, Ford SA donated a locally built Ford Ranger pick-up that is being used as the mobile science laboratory and resource centre.

• The Enactus World Cup

This event presents a platform for South African students to showcase their entrepreneurial projects that are making an impact on the Global Goals in their respective communities. Ford SA is one of the gold partners of Enactus South Africa and has supported the programme for many years. Every year, Ford Motor Company Fund and Ford South Africa support Enactus through the annual Ford College Community Challenge (C3), providing grants to each of the four local projects.

• Gift of the Givers

Towards the beginning of 2022, Ford South Africa and Ford Credit donated R350 000 to the Gift of the Givers Foundation to aid the construction of a new nursery classroom and early childhood development (ECD) centre at Weenen Primary School in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

Before the new construction, the nursery school children were taught in an environment with poor ventilation and lighting. This served as an unconducive space for the young minds to learn and grow. This newly constructed classroom can now accommodate 45 nursery learners, furnished with multiple windows that provide fresh air and sunlight.

• Donations of Engines and Mechanical components

Ford’s donation programme supports skills development and training at technical high schools and TVET colleges across South Africa. Last year, Ford donated a total of 101 engines, 700 turbochargers and 1778 fuel pumps to various institutions across South Africa that will be used for training purposes.

• Ford Wildlife Foundation

Conserving the nation’s ecological environment is a key area of Ford's CSR vision. Ford has loaned 27 Ford Ranger vehicles to multiple partner organisations of the Ford Wildlife Foundation (FWF).