Sappi InTouch 19_23

Sappi Head Office Internal Newsletter
Secrets from a serial entrepreneur
05 December 2019
Uri Levine, founder of Waze (and other value-adding apps)
Love the problem. Fail often but fail fast. Celebrate difficulties. View perfection as the enemy. Ask the right questions.
These were some of the gems shared by entrepreneur and disruptor Uri Levine when he visited Sappi Head Office during the Q4 staff results presentation on 26 November 2019.
Uri congratulated Sappi on what he called an “amazing” feat. “Very few companies
are able to embrace change and reinvent themselves. Most companies fail. Sappi has made the shift, and that is truly impressive.” He spoke to staff about the lessons learnt through multiple failures and successes in order to disrupt inefficient markets/services and start-up new applications to improve the way we live.
Some of the poignant lessons learnt:
#1 Love the problem
“You need to fall in love with a problem if you want to solve it,” says Uri.
Strong emotional engagement is the first requirement to finding a solution. Uri’s disdain of being stuck in traffic sparked a desire to solve it.
“Love or hate leads to dreams and passion,” said Uri. The road to success firstly requires passion.
#2 Failure is good
Successful journeys take long and they are often marked by failure upon failure.
“Most importantly, the faster you fail,
the quicker you can learn and grow and increase your likelihood of becoming successful. If you are afraid to fail, you have already failed,” says Uri.
Rather view failures as experiments and use them to improve a product or service until it matches the market need.
#3 ‘Good enough’ is better than ‘perfect’
The aim is to get to a level of ‘good enough’. Use the feedback from customers to make the necessary improvements.
In a fast-changing world where one needs to outsmart the competition, perfection is the enemy.
“When you wait for something to be perfect before carrying it out, you have waited too long,” says Uri.
#4 Ask the right questions
“What will make me/this company irrelevant in five years? What do I need to do to still be relevant in five years?”
“What are my customers’ needs and wants. How can I add more value to them?”
“Which of our assets can be applied to grow a market even bigger than our core market?”
These are some of the questions that companies, and individuals should ask themselves now and again.
#5 Disruption is necessary
The buzz term ‘disruption’ does not only apply to technology. It means changing the way we do things. To ‘disrupt’ is to start
with the assumption: “Everything I’m doing now, is wrong.”
“When you see change coming, but don’t act and make the shift to adapt, you are likely to go under,” says Uri. Disruption and change spark opportunity. Embrace it.
Uri has since been involved in the start-up several value-adding apps. These include Feez, Moovit, Engie, SeeTree, Refundit, LiveCare, Fibo, Dynmo, Kahun, FairFly and Order.Chat.
Darryl Potgieter, Uri Levine and Itumeleng Mochabe
To learn more about this remarkable entrepreneur, go to urilevine.com/.
01.


05 December 2019
Safety tips for the festive season
The festive season is around the corner – a period to gather with family and friends and enjoy all the season has to offer. But it’s also a time to be extra cautious and alert.
Go easy on the drinking
‘Don’t drink and drive’ has become such a cliché, yet thousands of people pay with their lives every day because they didn’t take this warning seriously.
Alcohol is a depressant drug that can slow down the messages to and from the brain and body. It can affect your problem-solving skills, judgment, concentration, reaction times and coordination.
Ways to avoid excessive drinking:
• When drinking in the company of others, pour your own drinks. In this way you can be sure how much you’re consuming.
• Alternate your drinks with a glass of water – and sip slowly.
• Drinking is expensive. Consider beforehand how much money you’re prepared to spend on alcohol and stick to that budget.
• Don’t drink and drive, or drink before you drive. It might sound like clichés, yet hundreds of people ignore this warning and either end up in hospital, dead or in trouble because of an accident caused by their drunk driving. If you feel tipsy, rather call a taxi, an Uber or ask a sober friend to take you home.
• If you are working over the festive season, remember that Sappi has a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards alcohol use. Make sure you come to work sober.
Be Uber smart
Check your ride, every time
Before you get into your Uber ride, take a second to double- check the app for the vehicle and your driver’s information. Uber trips can only be requested through the app, so never get in a car where the vehicle or drivers identity doesn’t match what’s displayed in your app. Follow these three steps to make sure you get into the right car:
Step 1: Step 2: Step 3:
Match the license plate number. Match the car make and model. Check the driver’s photo.
Also have the driver confirm your name. To safely exchange names, you can ask, “Who are you here to pick up?” The driver may also ask you to confirm their name for their own peace of mind.
Wait inside
Minimise the time that you’re standing outside by yourself with the phone in your hand. Instead, wait inside until the app shows that your driver has arrived.
Share your trip details with loved ones
While en route, tap ‘Share trip status’ in the app to share your driver’s name, photo, license plate and location with a friend or family member. They will receive a text or push notification that tracks your trip.
Be a back-seat rider
Whenever possible, sit in the back seat, especially if you’re riding alone. This helps to ensure that you can safely exit on either side of the vehicle to avoid moving traffic, and it gives you and your driver some personal space.
Follow your intuition; use the panic button
Trust your instincts and use your best judgment when riding with Uber. If you ever feel that you’re in an urgent situation, use the in-app panic button. The mobile panic button can be found in the Uber Safety Toolkit (under Emergency Assistance) in the app. Call directly for assistance by tapping the shield icon on the map.
02.


05 December 2019
Safety tips for the festive season
continued...
Stay water safe
It’s summer, making water safety an important factor to consider when keeping our children and loved ones safe. Share these tips with them:
 Whether it’s in the sea, a dam, river or a swimming pool, never swim alone.
 Don’t push or jump on others.
 Never dive into an area you’re unfamiliar with.
 Avoid alcohol use when swimming.
 Install barriers and use safety covers on your home pool
or hot tub.
Be proactive about water safety
 Learn CPR so that you can be prepared in an emergency situation.
 Make sure you’re comfortable with the body of water you’re swimming in. More strength is needed to swim where there are currents.
 If you get caught in a current, don’t panic or try to fight it. Float with it on your back, or swim parallel to the shore.
 It’s preferable to swim in public areas where a lifeguard is present.
 Teach your kids to keep a watchful eye on you while swimming. Of course, you’ll be doing the same.
www.fmh.org
Make sure your trip is safe
If you’re traveling this festive season:
 Have your vehicle serviced beforehand.
 Make sure you know how to change a tyre (and check
beforehand that the spare tyre is in a good working order).
 Have an emergency kit available in the car.
 Keep a safe following distance.
 Take a break every two hours or 200km.
 Drive defensively; making allowances for fellow motorists who
don’t obey the rules of the road.
 Switch on the headlights in foggy/rainy weather.
www.arrivealive.co.za
Who to call in case of an emergency:
1. Report incidents to either the South African Police Services (10111) or the National Traffic Call Centre (NTCC) on
012 665 6075.
2. Arrive Alive can be contacted on 0861 400 800 to report cases of bad driving, as well as poor road conditions.
3. The Automobile Association Rescue can be reached on 080 001 0101.
03.


05 December 2019
The worst dates to hit the road this December holiday
Whether you’re taking a long road trip to your holiday destination or just opting for a short drive to a little remote town for the weekend, festive season roads are notorious for being frenetically busy.
Road rage, extended driving time and possible accidents are all very real threats. So, do some careful planning:
The busiest days of the festive season
 Friday, 13 December 2019
16 December is a public holiday. It
is also a Monday. That makes for a double whammy. And some lucky employees might even be able to take holiday from this Friday and into the new year, which could mean a Friday of bumper-to-bumper.
Alternative travel dates: Spend the weekend at home and rather head out on the Sunday taking the 17th off, DIYing your own weekend this way.
 20 – 24 December 2019
Basically, every day leading up to Christmas Day on the 25th. However, Friday the 20th should see the most traffic on South Africa's busiest roads. Roads like the N4 to Maputo and the N3 to Durban are already jam-packed most of the year, especially with large trucks. Be sure be avoid these roads and particular dates.
Alternative travel dates: Try to leave earlier, midweek when everyone else is still stuck at work, or alternatively try to head out as early as you can on the 22nd, Sundays tend to be quieter traffic days, even in peak season.
The 24th can also see a spike in traffic on SA roads as last-minute commuters
desperately try to get to their destination on time.
On the flip side, Christmas Day and Boxing Day experience some of the lightest traffic, as people tend to relax with family and friends at home.
For more details visit Traveller24 or News24.
The Employee Wellbeing committee will
be gifting each employee with
a key ring/license card holder. Please it to write down your emergency numbers carry it with you.
Loyalty and excellence rewarded
Employees receiving long service and recognition awards at the recent financial results presentation function are (from left): Carmine Costantini (35 years long service), Larissa Bohmer (Diploma Award: Leadership and Management), Rudi Lambrechts (Diploma Award), Zelna Harman (Diploma Award), David Wood (20 years), Heather Carruthers (10 years) and Dieter Ahrens (20 years). Not pictured: Avril Williams (30 years long service)
use and
04.


05 December 2019
Up close with...
Tiaan Naude, IT System Administrator
On a desert safari day trip in Dubai.
1. I’m happiest when...I can start a fire and enjoy a beer with my wife, after a long working week. Travelling the world and seeing new places is not far off, but you don’t get much better than a South African braai.
2. When I feel stressed out I... take a moment for myself, but normally I don’t talk about it.
3. My most treasured possession is... my phone and watches. These days, without your phone you are lost, and without your watch, you will be late for everything.
4. I laughed out loud the day...When South Africa won the 2019 Rugby World Cup. I laugh when something unexpected happens and South Africa winning the World Cup was one of those things.
5. I’m inspired by...my dad and brothers. I’m the youngest of three, so I look up to them to what they have achieved in life already. These days they also look up to me ... as I am taller.
6. I can’t live without... a rugby braai, pap and wors.
7. My favourite reads are... autobiographies about sports legends. Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira’s new book is on my wish list for December.
8. I love watching... war movies and the courage and bravery it shows.
9. My favourite holiday spot is... Thailand (or any beach) where I can enjoy a cocktail or beer.
10. In my spare time...I try to catch up on all the sports that were on TV over the weekend.
11. My first job was... working at the airport on the conveyer belts, transporting people’s bag to the aeroplane.
12. What people at Sappi don’t know about me is... that I stayed in Botswana for a while, in a little town called Orapa.
13. I love working at Sappi because... this company has developed me into the person I am today and it continues to provide me with opportunities to grow.
Tiaan with his wife Janine at the Eifel Tower in Paris.
05.


For any questions on
05 December 2019
contact your local IT h
WE HAVE EMAIL TAGS TO IMPROVE CYBER SAFETY
Cybercrime is increasing at an alarming rate, posing huge threats to the security of global computer networks, company information and the personal safety of online users.
As a result, Sappi is stepping up its cyber safety security measures and added the additional protection service on our email network.
To help you visually identify the nature of emails arriving in your inboxes, the security filter will be configured to add specific tags to the subject lines of certain types of email messages.
The tag [EXT], is flagging emails sent to you from a non-Sappi user.
How is this useful?
Many emails arrive from external sources that are ‘spoofing’ our executives.
It appears to be an email from e.g. [email protected]; in reality it is from someone pretending to be Steve Binnie.
The [EXT] flag will give you a quick visual to know if it is not from an internal Sappi email sender.
emails are categorised as [EXT] by our servers if the sender is not a Sappi.com domain email sender.
If the eMail appears to be from an internal Sappi person and has [EXT] in the subject line, you are being tricked. Delete the
emails with no further action required or send them to [email protected] for further analysis.
For any questions on how this will impact you or if you require assistance, please contact your local IT helpdesk.
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