HKA continues to lead by example in South Africa, integrating Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE), ESG principles, and community upliftment into its core business strategy, a powerful demonstration of corporate citizenship.

As part of HKA’s Community Impact Team (CIT) initiatives, the Johannesburg office recently marked Mandela Day 2025 with a heartfelt outreach of garden planting at the New Life Centre for Girls, a Johannesburg-based non-profit that provides shelter, education, and rehabilitation for girls aged 3 to 18 from vulnerable backgrounds. In 2024, the firm visited New Jerusalem Children’s Home, a faith-based organisation offering holistic care and education to orphaned and abandoned children in Midrand. HKA has also donated funds to Reach for a Dream Foundation, which fulfils the dreams of children battling life-threatening illnesses, bringing hope and joy during their most difficult times, and CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation. These initiatives reflect HKA’s broader commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly focused on Goal 1: No Poverty, Goal 3: Good Health & Wellbeing, and Goal 4: Quality Education.

At HKA, we believe in the power of community and the importance of creating lasting impact beyond our professional work. Our Johannesburg team’s Mandela Day outreach at the New Life Centre for Girls is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to supporting vulnerable communities and advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This commitment is further demonstrated through our long-standing partnership with the Othandweni Family Care Centre in Soweto, where our team has consistently volunteered time and resources since 2019 to help create a safe and nurturing environment for children.”

John Hughes, Partner, Head of Africa, International

In a further step toward educational empowerment, HKA awarded bursaries to 69 students studying law and engineering from the second year up to completion between 2021 and 2025, enabling access to higher education for youth from the Previously Disadvantaged Individuals (PDIs) group. This initiative supports individual growth while also contributing to the broader goal of socio-economic upliftment in underserved groups. Complementing this, HKA has facilitated 65 B-BBEE-aligned learnerships since May 2017, targeting unemployed South African youth who have completed schooling but lack formal work experience. These 12-month programs, delivered through accredited providers such as Training Force, Edutel, and Edupower, cover Business Administration (NQF 4), Generic Management (NQF 5), and Project Management (NQF 5) and are fully accredited by CETA and SAQA, contributing meaningfully to national skills development.

In addition to HKA’s community outreach and bursary programs, the firm is investing in long-term capacity building through the HKA Training Academy. Operating as an extension of HKA’s global claims and dispute business, the academy offers comprehensive, industry-relevant courses in claims avoidance, contract administration, and project management. These programs are tailored to professionals in engineering, quantity surveying, and project management, and are designed to empower participants with practical skills and global insights. By cultivating local expertise and promoting professional development, the academy plays a vital role in advancing transformation and supporting South Africa’s broader B-BBEE and ESG goals.

“Beyond charitable giving, HKA is actively shaping the future of South Africa’s workforce through skills development and training. We are helping to build a more inclusive economy by aligning ESG goals with B-BBEE strategies.”

Claudia O’Brien, Partner, Head of Operations South Africa

As South Africa continues to navigate its socio-economic challenges, HKA’s holistic approach as a responsible corporate citizen, through its efforts to create opportunities, uplift communities, and drive meaningful change, is a powerful example of sustainable and inclusive development in the private sector.