Wilderness Botswana held a stakeholder engagement session in Maun recently with a renewed approach towards collective impact through strategic partnerships.
The stakeholder engagement was held at the company’s Maun Office by the iconic first Safari vehicle the company used in 1983 when it started operations. The vehicle has become a stark reminder of where the company comes from, the journey and it always seem to tell the Wilderness story louder.
It was at this very place that Wilderness Botswana’s Chairman Kabelo Binns informed those in attendance last week of the lessons the company has learnt over it’s more than 40 years of existence, among them the philosophy of partnerships.
“One of the greatest lessons we have learned at Wilderness that true impact does not come from going it alone, it comes from working alongside – not ahead of – our partners. It comes from listening, from building trust, and from seeing value not just in outcomes, but in relationships,” Binns highlighted.
To further elaborate on these partnerships and the demographic nature of stakeholders – Binns said they include government, communities, private sector peers, financial institutions, regulators, suppliers, and the public.
“At every level, we are part of an ecosystem. Our partnership with regulatory bodies ensures safety and compliance, with district leadership and Dikgosi -we uphold cultural respect and meaningful community engagement, with NGOs, educators, researchers and youth groups, we co create solutions that respond to real needs,” he emphasised.
In all their endeavour, Binns revealed that the company is driven by a vision for collective action towards shared growth.
With regard to industry peers, Binns made a clarion call that the industry can only grow better when they worked in unison to meaningfully contribute to the economy. To drive this message home, Binns also challenged that the economy has never needed the industry like it does now – owing to the slump in diamond revenue which has been its pillar.
He said this was a call to action for the industry to rise up and be the alternative and save the ailing economy.
Wilderness Caretaker General Manager Joe Matome’s message also centred on partnership and a for deeper collaborations in growing collective impact. In his opening remarks Matome revered that the company has transcended conservation within which it is rooted, to be powered by partnerships.
“These relationships are the foundation upon which we build our three Impact Pillars: o Education, Empowerment, Protection,” he said.
The evening of mingling and networking it turned out be – proving to be an opportunity for the deepening of collaborations among the various stakeholders in attendance.
