Edcon celebrates Casual Day

EDCON, South Africa’s largest non-food retailer, celebrated Casual Day with disability awareness activities at its Edgardale headquarters in Crown Mines on Friday, September 4.

The retailer uses its extensive retail network to sell Casual Day stickers. In 2014 Casual Day managed to raise R28 million, which was used by the National Council for Persons with Physical Disability SA (NCPPDSA) to provide support to organisations working with the disabled. NCPPDSA is involved in promoting the rights and enhancing the quality of life of people living with disabilities.

“Edcon is proud of its association with the NCPPDSA. We have been involved through our extensive retail network with providing support to Casual Day long before we became principal sponsors in 2013. So this to us, is a really special relationship forged by deep respect and an abiding quest to make a difference in the lives of disabled people,” said Elelwane Pahlana, executive for transformation at Edcon.

Pahlana added that Edcon employees have been exemplary in how they have supported Casual Day, both in helping sell stickers and purchasing them for themselves and their families. “Our Edcon Growing Hope programme which encourages employee volunteerism is the driving force behind having an engaged and caring workforce,” she said.

“On behalf of the beneficiaries of Casual Day, we would like to thank Edcon for being our primary Casual Day sponsors. Edcon has proved itself to be much more than a financial sponsor; it is a true partner, providing opportunities for its workforce to make a meaningful contribution to society,” explained Mac Mia, chairman of the NCCDPSA.

Pahlana said Edcon has committed over R12 million to Casual Day since becoming a principal sponsor in 2013, with over R4,3 million of the funds raised through the sale of Casual Day stickers in Edcon stores.