So you know you need to get a BEE EME certificate, you just don’t know exactly what that is…. Here are the details.

Having a BEE EME certificate for your new company is invaluable – not only does it certify you to work with influential organisations, it also shows you’ve done all the necessary legwork to legitimately trade in South Africa.

What is BEE?

Before we get to BEE EME, let’s discuss BEE (or B-BBEE, as it is now known) for a moment. B-BBEE, as all South African entrepreneurs know, stands for Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment. According to SouthAfrica.info, who are South Africa’s brand portal, “South Africa's policy of black economic empowerment (BEE) is not simply a moral initiative to redress the wrongs of the past. It is a pragmatic growth strategy that aims to realise the country's full economic potential while helping to bring the black majority into the economic mainstream.” This is a touchy subject, and a topical one, but the fact remains that all companies need to have a BEE score if they want to do business with any government enterprise or state organization. Companies are also encouraged to use the BEE codes in their interactions with each other. Luckily, it’s possible to get a BEE EME certificate if your company is an Exempted Micro Enterprise (EME).

What is BEE EME?

A BEE EME certificate (Black Economic Empowerment Exempted Micro Enterprise – what a mouthful!) applies to any enterprise who meet one of the following conditions:

An annual total revenue of less than R5 million.
A start-up enterprise that has been in operation for less than a year.

These Exempted Micro Enterprises (EMEs) are given a B-BBEE status of ‘Level 4 Contributor’ with a B-BBEE procurement recognition of 100%. If the EME is more than 50% black-owned, it has a status of ‘Level 3 Contributor and a B-BBEE procurement recognition of 110%. Remember that black incorporates African, Coloured and Indian South African citizens.

The BEE EME certificate is issued for a year, and requires company registration documents, signed affidavits, proof of income and certified ID documents. The certificates can only be issued by accounting officers, auditors or accredited verification agencies. Unsurprisingly, this can be a lengthy process.

A BEE EME certificate is an invaluable tool for a new company, especially if you hope to form any kind of public-private partnership with state organisations – but it can be a hassle to track down yourself. As part of the Company Worx Start-Up Package, BEE EME status for your company has already been obtained. Find out more here .