Starting

The best place to start is to read up on the BBBEE Codes, speak to experts and attend courses to get sufficient knowledge to start working on your BEE Scorecard. A well presented introduction course should take no longer than half a day and should leave you with enough information about BEE to help you answer most questions.

After you have been through the BEE codes you should understand how the calculations work, the important definitions and a general overview of how each one of the seven elements of empowerment works. You should also start thinking about projects that your business currently runs or is considering.

The BEE Scorecard

The next step is to look at the BEE Scorecard. This is the most valuable BEE document.

The BEE Scorecard gives your company targets to achieve and points to earn from participating in certain projects that contributes towards BEE. It allows your company to measure how compliant you are by taking into account various aspects of your business. This is why it is officially called the Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment scorecard. A copy of the QSE and Generic scorecard is available in our downloads section (registration required).

You now need to start calculating how compliant your company is. We designed EconoBEE Scorecard (easy to use BEE Scorecard Rating software) for this exact purpose. Our software will explain everything that is relevant to you about the BEE Scorecard, help you collect and store documentation and help you provide proof. Ultimately EconoBEE Scorecard will print a summary scorecard (in certificate format) or a detailed profile giving details of all aspects of the BEE Scorecard, you will also sign it off as being accurate.

The 7 Elements

Look at each element

Reports

After you have been through the elements on the BEE Scorecard you are almost complete. Make sure that you have claimed points in the correct elements. You need to check that each element has been calculated correctly. Collect proof for all aspects on the BEE Scorecard where you scored points. An important principle when producing a BEE scorecard is you must have proof relating to each element or else you can't earn any points.

Write a brief report on your BEE Scorecard. This is a summary of all the elements on the BEE Scorecard where you scored points or where you believe you can potentially score points. You should describe how you achieved the points. This is a very useful document as this is what helps your customers interpret your BEE Scorecard. You must also include your goals and achievable targets so your customers see that you are intending on improving on your BEE Scorecard.

The Final Rating

The rating: You need to compile all of this information into an auditable format, so that it can be checked and signed off with confidence. There is a very good chance that your accountant/auditor will help you with the authenticating of your BEE Rating.

The finalised BEE Scorecard can be rated by an accredited rating agency - not a single rating agency has been accredited and it is impossible to get an accredited rating until they are accredited.

If you have suitable proof for every element on your scorecard, then have a company fiduciary or auditor sign the scorecard. Note: if the scorecard is incorrect you will loose credibility with your customers.

The final Scorecard should be in the form of a certificate/summary scorecard which gives a customer your BEE contributor level and any other information that is important to them eg Ownership percentage.