CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Business success and social responsibility go hand in hand. Guided by our core values of integrity, compassion, and community impact, our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives focus on creating lasting, positive change in the lives of those who need it most.
OUR COMMUNITY
The Collies Group remains committed to being a responsible corporate company. Through meaningful partnerships, we aim to empower communities, nurture future generations, and contribute to a more equitable and compassionate South Africa.
Focus on iThemba
Located on the Ithemba Campus in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, Focus on iThemba is a local non-profit dedicated to empowering children through quality education. Since 2011, The Collies Group has supported the organisation in line with its vision to “Grow Hearts and Minds.” Collies sponsors two learners in the iThemba Scholars Programme at Waterfall Schools, which supports 12 scholars from Grade 000 to Grade 6 and aims to grow to 30 learners through to Grade 12. The group also backs the Ithemba Educare Programme, delivering early childhood education, nutrition, and holistic development to over 650 children aged 0–5 across 10 Valley of 1000 Hills pre-schools. In 2024, staff marked Nelson Mandela Day with a hands-on Project Delight initiative, painting and decorating the new Grade R classroom block to help create a more inspiring space for learning.
Hillcrest AIDS Centre
The Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust (HACT) supports disadvantaged communities in the Valley of 1000 Hills, KwaZulu-Natal—an area deeply affected by HIV/AIDS. Guided by a mission to offer unconditional love and hope, HACT reaches over 10,000 people each year, primarily women, orphans, and vulnerable youth, working towards an AIDS-free South Africa.
The Collies Group supports HACT’s Woza Moya Haberdashery through fabric donations that enable skills training and income-generating craft initiatives, and has contributed 8,000 reusable face masks to assist staff and beneficiaries. In addition, 200 “RED DREAM TEAM” shirts were donated to support HACT’s education, empowerment, and community programmes, symbolising unity and hope.
Pass the Panties
In partnership with Pass the Panties, we supported young girls in the Valley of 1000 Hills by promoting dignity, confidence, and menstrual health. Over 6,000 metres of fabric were donated to Embo Craft to produce thousands of pairs of underwear for local distribution—uplifting girls, supporting women-led enterprise, and removing barriers to education, one practical step at a time.
C.R.O.W. Wildlife
Rehabilitation Centre
We proudly support Centre for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (C.R.O.W.), a leading wildlife rehabilitation centre focused on rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing injured and orphaned wildlife. Staff participate annually in the “Walk in the Wild” event, with Collies Group sponsoring branded T-shirts in support of this important cause.
Beachwood
Beach Clean-up
The Collies team joined a community clean-up at the Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve in partnership with Adopt a River, helping protect one of Durban’s most important coastal ecosystems. In under two hours, volunteers collected 453.9kg of litter—91 bags in total—removing waste from the mangrove shoreline and supporting the reserve’s vital role in filtering pollutants, preventing erosion, and safeguarding biodiversity for future generations.
Ethelbert Child & Youth Care Centre
Collies staff visited Ethelbert Children’s Home during the Easter and Christmas festive seasons, bringing party packs, treats, toys, and clothing. The visit was filled with smiles and laughter, reflecting the spirit of generosity and care at the heart of the Collies community.
KZN Cerebral Palsy Association
We donated uniforms to the skilled and caring staff of this NPO. The Association was established in 1969 and provides education, training, day-care, and residential care facilities. Their Children With A Challenge program provides specialised care for profoundly disabled children, with a range of stimulating activities and individual care. The Association is completely self-reliant and dependent on donations from the public.
Little Lambs
Kloof NGO
Little Lambs is a registered non-profit providing a safe haven for abandoned, abused, and neglected babies and young children, offering crisis care and transitional support. The Collies Group contributes through donations of garments and baby essentials, as well as volunteer visits, helping create a nurturing and protective environment for vulnerable children.
The Sahara
Women's Shelter
In commemoration of Women’s Month, the female employees of The Collies Group came together to assemble heartfelt gift parcels for the Sahara Women’s Shelter. Each package included a warm blanket for comfort, a Rolando-branded blouse as a symbol of empowerment, and sweets for the children generously sponsored by Rolando staff—reflecting a shared commitment to care, dignity, and support.
COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT
We believe in making an impact on the community in which we live. One of the primary ways in which we can have an impact on the lives of our community is through education, training and employment. We have managed to achieve this through the following initiatives:
LEARNERSHIP PROGRAMMES
Over the years we have run a number of learnership programmes. Unemployed people have had the opportunity to work within our group as part of our learnership programme. Many have progressed from NQF level 1 through to 3 and many have been permanently employed by us at the conclusion of the program.
SEWING MACHINE MECHANIC LEARNERSHIP
We have sponsored the tuition and training of a local female sewing machine mechanic. She is completing a one-year NQF Level 3 course at Thandeka Vocational Education.
DESIGN INTERNSHIP
Through a recruitment process for a new designer we identified that many newly qualified designers are unable to find work as they have no work experience. We started a new initiative where we have recruited a newly qualified designer to work with us for a 6 month period as an intern in order to provide her with work experience.
MOREWOOD MANUFACTURING FACILITY
As part of our group CSI initiative we started our Morewood Manufacturing facility in order to increase employment within the clothing sector. From an initial staff complement of 150 people Morewood has grown over the last few years and currently employs 300 people in the Tongaat area.
TRAINING SCHOOL
We are in the process of re-establishing our training school with the objective of recruiting unemployed people with no sewing experience and training them over a period of two years to become multi skilled machinists.