Introduction to South Africa’s National

Environmental Awareness Campaign

by Onkgopotse JJ Tabane (Indalo Yethu Chairperson) & JP Louw,(Indalo Yethu CEO)

To The Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs and Tourism on 31/10/06

Areas of Discussion

•How the concept was conceived

•Understanding the essence of Indalo Yethu

•How far have we progressed

How InY was established

• Is a legacy project of WSSD which was held in 2002 (i.e. the Greening WSSD Campaign)

• Post WSSD research was conducted to assess impact of campaign and explore possibilities of taking it forward

• Research covered– Consumer Research (broad range in SA)– Stakeholder dialogues (Gov, private, NGO)– WSSD + 2

How InY was established…continued

• The research called for a strategy which should promote a generic environmental activist message carried through mass communication channels

• At the same time it must promote specific messages through channels that reach geographic communities and communities of interest

• All messages should have a common tone and must be premised on a CALL TO ACTION!

Our Areas of Interest• InY was therefore established as a trust with prominent South

Africans as board members and with initial funding (R 20m) from Government (DEAT)

• InY is expected to :-

1. Design and implement extensive mass communications, outreach and awareness campaigns;

2. Design and implement a brand endorsement programme; and

3. Design and implement capacity building and education programmes

What we are aboutInY IS A CAMPAIGN that essentially seeks to promote the

appreciation of responsible environmental action & ACTIVISM as a critical part and contributor in the accepted

daily lives of all South Africans

This means reaching policy makers (All spheres of Government), private sector, civil society formations,

communities, young people and women. Essentially all sectors of society within the context of their

“normal” daily lives

What we are about…continued

• Should primarily seek to reinforce the role of environment as an integral part of the three pillars of sustainable development (i.e. economic and social development)

• Should not be viewed as yet another environmental effort that is divorced from primary national concerns (bunny hugging-type)

• The brand must be a tool that redefines and realigns the status of environment irt economic growth, job creation and building of a better life for all

What we are about…continued

To encourage and promote environmental activism amongst SA communities,

business and government• Encourage consciousness that leads to change

in behaviour

• Target the individual who can make a difference by daily activities

• Rally point around need for actions – birth of an environmental social movement

What we are about…continuedProjects & programmes we might undertake include:-

• Define environmentally sound standards/templates (e.g. greening of events like 2010 & Tourism Indaba; structure & content of sustainability reports; etc.)

• Partnership to improve sale of environmentally sound products;

• PR, advertising & marketing interventions linked to current issues;

• Education & training partnerships;

• etc

Progress Made

• Primarily all staff have been appointed with offices established in Centurion. All staff to report for work by 01/12/2006

• Tender for a marketing, communications, advertising, outreach and brand development service provider(s) has been issued and allocated

• Started engaging various parties (eg tertiary institutions, airlines, business, etc.) about possible partnerships

• Meeting various interest groups to encourage collective programme design aimed at sustainable development interventions

• PROGRAMME ROLLOUT SET FOR NEXT YEAR!!!

Key Challenges Ahead

• Supplement current 2-year R 20 million budget;

• Sustainable roll out of the campaign in all sectors of society;

• Buy in and participation of all major role players.

• Design of the brand endorsement programme.

Thank You Very Much…

We appeal for your participation and

Leadership in this process

Pay us a visit at www.indaloyethu.co.zaPay us a visit at www.indaloyethu.co.za