FUNEKA MADIKIZELA
Corporate Sustainability Manager
Durban,KZN
Summary
Sustainability professional with strong focus on team collaboration and achieving results. Experienced in developing and implementing sustainability programs, managing projects, and engaging stakeholders. Valued for reliability, adaptability, and strategic thinking. Skilled in environmental impact assessments, resource management, and sustainability reporting.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
12
12
years of post-secondary education
3
3
Languages
Work History
Corporate Sustainability Manager
Tongaat Hulett Limited
10.2020 - Current
- Conducted assessments of corporate environmental impacts, identifying areas for improvement and recommending solutions.
- Led interdisciplinary teams to achieve sustainability goals, fostering collaboration across business units and departments.
- Coordinated the completion of ESG information for suppliers and customers, to align to stakeholder requirements e.g customer questionnaires, SEDEX platform forms etc
- Coordinated the gap assessment for carbon footprint reduction and compiled the EXCO presentation for suitable strategy for carbon footprint reduction e.g SBTIs
- Enhanced stakeholder communication regarding company sustainability efforts through Climate Change Report and awareness presentations.
- Compiled Legal Environmental Awareness specific to each operations, using site specific environmental authourisations.
- Provides Environmental Legal Compliance support to operations and business projects, especially areas of regulatory stakeholder interface.
- Educated employees on best practices for reducing their personal environmental footprint, promoting a culture of sustainability within the organization.
- Application for funding for Environmental Projects that would benefit community from a Green Project Funder.
- Developed strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to enhance the company''s reputation as a leader in sustainability practices.
- Increased brand recognition as a sustainability leader by participating in industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities.
- Managed waste reduction initiatives through the implementation of recycling programs, waste audits, and responsible disposal practices.
- Implemented green building principles in facility design projects, resulting in reduced energy costs and improved occupant comfort levels.
- Ensured compliance with local, state, and federal environmental regulations by monitoring operations and reporting findings to relevant agencies.
- Increased employee engagement in sustainability initiatives by organizing training programs and workshops on environmental responsibility.
- Improved company sustainability performance by developing and implementing comprehensive environmental management systems.
- Championed corporate social responsibility efforts by integrating ethical sourcing policies into procurement procedures.
- Saved resources by streamlining production processes, reducing waste generation while maintaining quality standards.
- Assessed or proposed sustainability initiatives by considering cost-effectiveness, technical feasibility, and acceptance.
- Monitored or tracked sustainability indicators such as energy usage, waste generation and recycling.
- Conducted research into different sustainability plans to identify useful solutions and develop deployment plans.
- Developed sustainability project goals, objectives or strategies in collaboration with other professionals.
- Collected data, evaluated trends, and authored in-depth reports detailing findings and proposing recommendations for each issue.
- Devised strategies for modifying existing policies to better integrate sustainability initiatives.
- Built frameworks for zero-waste operations and assisted employees with maintaining compliance with goals.
- Audited energy usage and recommended changes to save resources, reducing waste by [Number]%.
- Orchestrated cutting-edge recycling programs, important environmental improvement projects and other sustainability strategies.
- Taught employees, customers, and members of public foundational principles and practices of [Type] programs to enhance engagement and program success.
Non-Executive Director
Mhlonishwa Educational Development Trust
Bizana, Eastern Cape
03.2024 - Current
- Ensuring the organization complies with its governing documents, legal obligations, and relevant regulations.
- Contributing to long-term planning and strategies to ensure sustainable programs are adopted.
- Providing independent judgment and constructive challenge to decision making.
- Reviewing and approving budgets, financial statements, and ensuring proper use of charitable funds.
- Help in identifying key strategic, operational, and reputational risks.
- Reviewing key metrics like student performance, and community impact.
- Ensuring transparency and accountability to funders, regulators, and the public.
- Ethical and Legal Compliance
- Maintain high ethical standards and avoid conflicts of interest.
- Ensure that safeguarding policies, inclusion practices, and diversity goals are upheld.
Non-Executive Director (Member Representative)
National Business Initiative
Johanessburg, Gauteng
01.2020 - 01.2023
- Assessed long-term viability of proposed business ventures by examining potential risks and rewards through a rigorous due diligence process.
- Facilitated collaboration among board members, promoting diverse perspectives and informed decision-making processes.
- Provided guidance on executive compensation strategies, aligning incentives with company performance and shareholder expectations.
- Contributed to financial oversight by reviewing budgets, financial reports, and ensuring fiscal responsibility.
- Contributed to talent acquisition strategies by participating in hiring processes for executive-level positions.
Regional SHEQ Manager
Tongaat Hulett Limited
Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal
07.2011 - 09.2020
- Occupied various SHEQ Management positions in 5 operations and an additional Corporate Environmental Compliance position
- Ensured management of business SHEQ systems such as NOSA CMB253 and ISO 14001
- Established and kept up to date the SHE legal compliance register
- Ensured the senior site leaders drove SHE through their teams by offering knowledge and support.
- Monitored compliance with local, state, and federal safety regulations, ensuring company met all legal requirements.Applied for air, water and waste management authourisations for various sites
- Promoted worksite safety by implementing the top risks
- Conducted risk assessments and ensured employees were trained in conducting own section and day to day risk assessments
- Inspected job sites and facilities to detect potential health hazards and drove the implementation of corrective measures
- Reduced accident rates through proactive hazard identification, analysis, and mitigation strategies.
- Conducted thorough accident investigations to identify root causes and prevent future occurrences.
- Championed a positive safety culture by promoting employee involvement in health and safety initiatives such as implementing consequence management systems and reward strategies
- Collaborated with management to develop company-wide safety policies, procedures, and guidelines.
- Spearheaded initiatives aimed at reducing worker exposure to hazardous materials through proper handling techniques and personal protective equipment usage.
- Facilitated occupational safety meetings and handled inquiries, questions and concerns in terms of training and compliance.
- Developed and executed training programs for employees, improving overall safety awareness and compliance.
- Monitored legislative updates relating to workplace health and safety, ensuring ongoing compliance with regulations.
- Oversaw contractor selection process from a safety perspective, evaluating prospective vendors'' capabilities in maintaining a safe working environment during projects execution phase.
- Managed relationships with regulatory agencies while maintaining open lines of communication for inspections and compliance reviews.
- Consistently achieved high levels of employee engagement in safety meetings, fostering an environment focused on participation and continuous improvement.
- Developed and implemented safety programs.
- Facilitated awareness programs for the entire facility employees and contractors
- Drove waste segregation at source and reduction of waste to landfill
- Collaborated with the local Traffic Department and Waste Recycler and went to local school promoting SHE
- Collaborated with a local farmer and garnered employee volunteers to conduct awareness and plant a vegetable garden at a local school
SHEQ Manager
Tongaat Hulett Starch
Cape Town, Western Cape
09.2007 - 06.2011
- Facilitated open communication channels between employees and management regarding health, safety, or environmental concerns; promoting transparent dialogue to encourage proactive issue resolution.
- Reduced the number of workplace accidents by establishing a strong safety culture and fostering employee engagement in safety initiatives.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to integrate health, safety, and environmental considerations into project planning stages for optimal outcomes.
- Improved workplace safety by conducting thorough risk assessments and implementing effective control measures.
- Ensured company-wide adherence to SHEQ regulations by developing policies, procedures, and guidelines for safe work practices.
- Championed the adoption of best practices in accident prevention through continuous improvement efforts in systems, processes, and training materials.
- Fostered a culture of continuous improvement by regularly reviewing and updating the organization''s HSE policies, procedures, and training materials; adapting as needed to evolving industry best practices.
- Managed hazardous waste disposal processes, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and minimizing environmental impact.
- Conducted regular site inspections to identify potential hazards and implemented corrective actions promptly for safer work environments.
- Led investigations into workplace accidents or near-misses, identifying root causes and implementing necessary corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
- Streamlined record-keeping processes for incident reporting, facilitating faster analysis of trends and implementation of preventive measures.
- Developed a robust HSE audit framework, enabling efficient identification of compliance gaps and facilitating prompt remediation efforts.
- Managed and archived quality documentation and participated in internal and external quality audits.
- Increased customer satisfaction through adherence to quality standards and customer requirements.
Education
MBA - Business Administration
University of South Africa
Pretoria 01.2022 - 01.2024
Post Graduate Diploma Business Administration - Business Administration
University of South Africa
Pretoria 01.2021 - 12.2022
Management Development Programme (MDP) - Business Leadership
University of Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch 01.2015 - 12.2015
B Tech Quality - SHEQ Systems
Durban University of Technology
Durban 01.2012 - 12.2013
National Diploma Food Technology - Food Science
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
01.1996 - 12.2000
Skills
Strategic planning and implementation
Risk management
Report writing
SHE Legal compliance
Documentation skills
Attention to detail
Team leadership & collaboration
Effective communication
System management (ISO 45001, 14001, NOSA CMB 253)
Audits management- internal auditing and management representative for external audits
Project management
Risk assessments
Timeline
Non-Executive Director
Mhlonishwa Educational Development Trust
03.2024 - Current
MBA - Business Administration
University of South Africa
01.2022 - 01.2024
Post Graduate Diploma Business Administration - Business Administration
University of South Africa
01.2021 - 12.2022
Corporate Sustainability Manager
Tongaat Hulett Limited
10.2020 - Current
Non-Executive Director (Member Representative)
National Business Initiative
01.2020 - 01.2023
Management Development Programme (MDP) - Business Leadership
University of Stellenbosch
01.2015 - 12.2015
B Tech Quality - SHEQ Systems
Durban University of Technology
01.2012 - 12.2013
Regional SHEQ Manager
Tongaat Hulett Limited
07.2011 - 09.2020
SHEQ Manager
Tongaat Hulett Starch
09.2007 - 06.2011
National Diploma Food Technology - Food Science
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
01.1996 - 12.2000
Affiliations
- Black Management Forum
- IODSA
Languages
English
Xhosa
Zulu
Other Training Skills
- SAP, Microsoft package, Outlook email, Internal Audit ISO 14001: 2015 (IQS), Gap/Awareness Training: ISO 14001: 2015 (IQS), Implementation of ISO 14001: 2004 (SABS), NOSA 5
- Navigator Course (NOSA), Hazard Identification Risk Assessments (NOSA), Advanced Environmental Management (Advantage A.C.T.), Accident and Investigation (Technilaw), Focus on Dust Explosion (Explolabs), Coaching and Mentorship course (Maccauvlei Institute), Legal Liability (LCS)