Sage Foundation programs

People living with disabilities are at times excluded from career opportunities through barriers such as discrimination, bias, unequal access and even the physical workplace itself. This includes access to the equipment needed to perform their work, which either may not be provided or if it is, may not always be adequate to meet each person's individual needs. Our global Sage Pathways program breaks through these barriers to help people living with disabilities to prepare to return to work. 

Specific initiatives include virtual work readiness sessions meant to engage those living with disabilities and who come from a number of different communities. These sessions encompass interview preparedness as well as help individuals train for assessments used by companies during the screening process. They also teach people how to showcase what they bring to the table, making it easier to return to work with confidence. In these sessions, we identify potential talent that we ourselves would like to bring on, as well as offer other skill development programs. 

We collaborate with specialized recruitment organizations and our Sage Foundation charity partners to specifically identify those living with disabilities so that they may participate in Pathways events. In South Africa, we have recruited 13 interns living with disabilities who now work in our customer service and financial services departments. This program has enabled us to reach some amazing talent that had been previously overlooked. 

“I have enjoyed my experience at Sage. My colleagues are extremely welcoming and have shown interest in who I am and where I have come from. Sage’s commitment to supporting people living with disabilities, which means deliberately providing that visibility within our workplace. It has not only offered me a job, but also provided me with the tools and skills to excel in my career.” – Kerry Walsh, Communication Specialist, Customer Services intern 

We have also increased awareness for our own employees about the barriers people living with disabilities face in the workplace. We are creating an environment in which employees with disabilities know they are valued and supported. 

“Sage has offered deep, individual engagement and support throughout this journey. I’m really enjoying the opportunity to collaborate with wonderful colleagues in a business that is genuinely committed to inclusion. The Sage Pathways program is an industry-changer that has opened a world of possibilities for me.” – Trevor Sephiri, Financial Operations intern

Elricco Govindasamy, a finance business partner at Sage Africa and the Middle East, is competing in seven cycle races covering more than 411 miles to create awareness about retinitis pigmentosa, a group of eye-related disorders which cause vision loss. The funds will be donated to Retina South Africa, a patient-led non-profit organization whose mission is to find a cure for retinitis pigmentosa. 

Elricco is embarking on this epic journey as part of the Sage Foundation $5 Million Challenge. To train for these, Elricco is biking more than 75 miles a week to reach his goal of improving his average speed by 0.6 miles per hour after each new race. His target through this fundraising is to raise R50,000 (about $3,400) in 2022 for the cause. 

“Some individuals go to bed with poor eyesight and wake up partially or fully blind the next morning. I want to be one of the activists who give hope to children robbed of a sensory childhood and adults who have conceded defeat to the darkness around them.” – Elricco Govindasamy, Finance Business Partner

South Africa’s breathtaking flora and fauna are under threat from poaching, conflict with farmers and encroaching human development. The Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation, run by wildlife lovers Paul Oxton and Carina Crayton, is fighting to save this heritage for future generations. The two founders are the only full-time employees. 

They partner with ethical wildlife rehabilitation centers to rescue injured or threatened animals. They also provide veterinary care through a network of consultant veterinarians and equip wildlife clinics nationwide. They also supply consumables, including the food and formula needed by these rehabilitation centers.

Crayton and Oxton do most of their own administrative work and finances, taking pride in their low overheads and careful stewardship of public money. Sage Accounting allows them to automate finances and save time so that they are able to focus on fundraising and wildlife rehabilitation rather than handling administrative tasks. The software is provided through the Sage Foundation NPO Success product discount program, making it easy for Crayton to capture financial data from anywhere. 

She can spend her time in the field helping animals rather than in the office doing administrative tasks. She has also benefited from the free online training courses made available to non-profits through Sage Foundation NPO Success. The training has equipped her with better insight into the specific requirements that come with accounting in the South African NPO sector, as well as the tools and processes that help organizations stay on top of their administrative tasks. 

“We are equally at home doing our finances as we are in the field. We conduct snare and anti-poaching patrols, clean wounds, hydrate stricken animals, and strap broken wings. We also work in urban areas where human & wildlife conflict continues to escalate – always with the primary goal of returning the animals to safety and freedom. It helps that I can manage our finances on the fly.” – Carina Crayton, Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation founder 

Street Warriors UK is a community interest company working to provide much-needed services and support to homeless people in Newcastle. Managed by two unpaid directors, Christopher Smith and Caroline Wetherell and one senior manager, Darren Wetherell, the company provides meals, drinks, clothing and toiletries to those who are most vulnerable. 

Street Warriors UK also has a team that provides help and advice to address housing issues, prepare for medical appointments and to make use of available resources in their communities. Since they rely on volunteers and donations from the public, Street Warriors UK needs to ensure they run a tight financial ship. Through the discounted product program, the organization is able to use the Sage Business Cloud Accounting software provided through the Sage Foundation NPO Success in order to manage its finances. 

Street Warriors UK has also benefited from the Accounting and Financial Statements for NPOs, which offers free training and which is sponsored by Sage. Through our philanthropy, were are able to provide access to much-needed accounting software for UK non-profits in need. The program helps attendees to advance their understanding of accounting and financial statements so that they are able to better communicate their financial position to their stakeholders. 

“Sage Business Cloud Accounting makes it easy for us to keep up to date with daily and weekly accounting procedures and keep an eye on our funding. The training was a huge help to understand how Sage’s software works and it also showed best practices in how to compile accounts for a community interest company. It also highlighted ways in which we could make the finance function easier for ourselves.” – Darren Wetherell, Street Warriors UK Senior Manager