With a staff compliment that is 70% women, led by the highly successful and entrepreneurial Carol Weaving, Reed Exhibitions Africa is committed to ensuring that it is inclusive and diverse in all aspects of its business, including the support it extends to various charities and non-profit organisations (NPOs) around the globe.

“When Reed Exhibitions supports a charity, we do so with their sustainability and growth in mind so that they can continue to impact the communities they serve positively. It’s vital to us that we pay it forward, supporting and uplifting each other in every way we can,” says Janine Smit, HR Portfolio Director at Reed Exhibitions Africa.

According to Reed Exhibitions, all charitable support brings an overriding feeling of connection. Being in an industry that is all about connecting people, places, events and opportunities, Smit says Reed Exhibitions’ chosen charities are about connections. Says Smit: “Our core business of running exhibitions and events brings people together to connect in different ways, so it is rewarding when we support organisations that do the same.”

Beneficiaries

Reed Exhibitions Africa supports 18twenty8, a non-profit organisation (NPO) that empowers women between the ages of 18 and 28 by developing strategies for educational and personal development; and Oliver’s Village, which began life as a soup kitchen and quickly grew to encompass a broad focus on early childhood education, as well as several community-centric initiatives that benefit some 600 beneficiaries per day.

Reed Exhibition’s donation to 18twenty8 in 2020 went towards funding the university costs of two young women who are pursuing studies in professions that are related to the business of Reed Exhibitions – that is Public Relations and Tourism.  “It is our hope that 18twenty8 continues to grow from strength to strength,” says Smit. “We believe that as our support of charities means they can continue to positively impact the communities in which they serve.”

Reed Exhibitions Africa has supported Oliver’s House in various ways over the last 15 years, starting with funding Easter Fun Days for the children of Nomthandazo Children’s Care Centre.

“We’ve seen how Oliver’s House has grown as an organisation and been very impressed at its evolution into Oliver’s Village, in which Reed Exhibitions been one of its financial supporters,” says Smit.

She concludes, “Supporting NPOs is not just something we do, it’s something we are.” It drives our corporate vision even further when we have opportunities to work with charities that are experts in developing and creating connections with and for people in a different way.”