Profits for a purpose: learn how Jacqui Carr's profit-driven leadership feeds into positive community development
Jacqui Carr is a CEO whose company Eqstra Fleet Management and Logistics has adopted schools and provided funding to high-potential individuals all over South Africa; the perfect fit for participating in The Sun International CEO SleepOut™.
Dedicated to development and youth empowerment, Eqstra Fleet Management and Logistics CEO, Jacqui Carr talks through her interest in The Sun International CEO SleepOut™: “If you don’t address the problem at root cause, then you will never resolve the problem of unemployment and job creation, so we decided to take a long-term view and started a program for the evolution of children through the education system.”
Eqstra Holdings is a diversified industrial group, listed on the JSE in 2008 after unbundling from Imperial Holdings.
Eqstra Eleet Management and Logistics, a division of Eqstra Holdings that has Jacqui as its CEO, is regarded as a market leader in the provision of leasing, rental and fleet management solutions to corporate customers. The business is 32 years old and has been instrumental in defining innovative fleet management solutions in the South African market.
Jacqui has been with the business for 28 years holding various positions throughout her career: “I was fortunate to join the business in its infancy and was given many opportunities to advance my career under the mentorship of some extremely high powered business people over the years. The late Bill Lynch and Carol Scott to name the two that played an enormous role in assisting to model my path.”
As a business, Eqstra decided to embark on an initiative that could address both a skills shortage and unemployment crisis in South Africa, with a sustainable outcome. In 2010, Eqstra started a program called Eqstralution – supporting the evolution of children through the education system. Eqstra 'adopted' 10 technical and 3 agricultural high schools around the country and they continue to play an active role in supporting the schools financially as well as providing study assistance and bursaries to children from impoverished backgrounds. Eqstra reports a direct and indirectly we positive impact on at least 10 000 children per annum through this initiative.
In 2015 - 33 'Eqstra' matriculants where taken into their business to further their progression either through continuing studies at Eqstra's Technical Academy and/or as learnerships in the main stream business. There are currently 67 Eqstra fully sponsored pupils that will matriculate at the end of this year.