Paying it forward through supplier diversity
When Luzuko first launched it had only two members of staff. Now, a partnership with Standard Chartered has inspired the team to uplift other small businesses.
When Luzuko Hospitality launched in 2017 it had only two members of staff. Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, the company is a one-stop-shop for events, supporting their clients with everything from finding conference facilities to managing contracts.
A black-owned business with a majority-female team, Luzuko has become a valued partner for Standard Chartered. It has since grown to an organisation of six, using diverse suppliers themselves.
A growing partnership
Initially, Luzuko helped Standard Chartered project manage small, ad-hoc events. Within a year, they were onboarded as a supplier under a one-year services agreement.
“We’ve really built a strong partnership,” says Motheo Modisane, founder and director of Luzuko.
“Together, we have navigated the challenge of a corporate onboarding programme and helped us learn improved ways of working.”
“It’s helped us develop better systems and given us confidence to work with more large companies in the future.”
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Lindiwe Buthelezi is a leader in Standard Chartered’s Supply Chain Management team. She agrees the ongoing partnership has led to better ways of working.
“Luzoko’s meticulous attention to detail, outstanding turnaround time and competitive pricing led to a further three-year agreement.”
“Their work was so impressive that they were selected to organise a year-end event for the Johannesburg Standard Chartered branch. Feedback showed that it was a huge success.”
Uplifting other suppliers
Standard Chartered is now one of Luzuko’s biggest clients – in 2021, 40 per cent of the company’s overall turnover was attributable to the Bank.
Commissioned by the Bank to create 400 staff gifts for employees, the organisation sourced baskets from a small women-owned company and created hampers.
Working with Standard Chartered helped us consider our own supply chain and work on ways in which we can uplift them too. Instead of business as usual, we now source supplies from other small and diverse companies.
Motheo Modisane, Luzuko
Backing black-owned
The South African government first published its Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Strategy in 2003 to enhance the economic participation of Black people in the country’s economy.
Earlier this year, Standard Chartered’s Johannesburg branch announced supplier development as one of its key focus pillars in support of the initiative with Luzuko as a spotlight supplier.
Not only is the Black-owned business aligned with national requirements for the strategy, but Luzuko is also fully aligned with the Bank’s own diversity and inclusion agenda – and perfectly embodies one of our valued behaviours, ‘better together.’
Looking to the future
As part of its growth and expansion plans, Luzuko registered LZ Travel as a subsidiary in 2022.
Offering point-to-point chauffer drive services, in-bound tours and travel management services, the LZ Travel office operates from Cape Town with a staff of seven people. Plans are also underway to open a Johannesburg office.
In the words of Modesane: “Dare to imagine the impossible. Back it up with action and working with Standard Chartered has helped us do this.”