June 5, 2018
In a paper entitled “Corporate Reputation in the Information Technology Industry: A South African Case Study,” Johanna Le Roux, writes that “reputable organizations protect their corporate images by maintaining high standards of practice no matter what the circumstances. The most admired organizations use a combination of transparency, strong ethics and commitment to quality products and services to build and maintain their reputations.”
She continues that “a large body of research shows that organizations with good reputations achieve higher-than-average profitability compared with their peer groups and that their reputation ultimately has an influence on their sustainability.”
Considering this, UL Africa understands that for sub-Saharan Africa, safety is far more than an exercise of compliance towards corporate profitability and reputation. Amidst increasingly challenging global conditions, particularly for the vulnerable who bear the brunt of rising poverty and inequality, there is a greater need for products to meet the most stringent safety standards and for corporate entities to behave in a way that delivers safer products.
Take South Africa.
The country has recently experienced rising awareness of the importance of safety and consumers are increasingly demanding such standards from corporate entities. This follows public outcries over the outbreak of listeriosis and continued dismay with the poor building infrastructure including sanitation of their schools.
With a view to bringing our services closer to our clients – both in South Africa and in sub-Saharan Africa, UL Africa has entered into various partnerships with local laboratories and testing services. Our more than 120 years of experience in the safety science environment, coupled with the technical expertise of our partners in the testing environment, brings a powerful combination to our clients who can be assured of an excellent service that adds to their corporate brand.
One such partnership is that with ATS Laboratories based in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. ATS is renowned for its physical-mechanical testing, flammability testing and a range of chemical analysis on textiles, apparel and footwear.
With this partnership, consumers in South, and Sub-Saharan Africa can expect that products tested at ATS meet consumer expectations for quality, fit and durability. Or put differently, consumers can be confident that their money has been well spent.
Clients who use UL’s services, as well as its methodology for safety assurance, will also be putting forward a strong foot towards good corporate citizenship and reputation. UL Africa is now better able to bring these services to our clients in a more efficient way.