Your 10-Step Guide to BEE Compliance

BEE compliance works best when it is built into a business’s strategy from the outset, not treated as a grudge purchase tackled once a client demands it. Here is the process for developing and acting on an internal scorecard.

Step 1: Understand the scorecard and your industry

Know exactly what earns points within your specific business and sector. BEE should form part of the company’s bigger-picture thinking, not sit apart from it. A BEE management tool can help you input and assess your scorecard efficiently rather than working through it manually.

Step 2: Identify where you are affected

Scorecard elements affect different businesses differently. Compare yourself against competitors and understand what your own customers actually require, since a compliant BEE status signals a responsible, forward-thinking business well beyond simply beating a rival on a tender.

Step 3: Identify how you can earn points

Skills development, training staff on the job or through formal SETA-accredited programmes, remains one of the most cost-effective ways to earn points. Preferential procurement points come from buying goods and services from businesses with a good BEE scorecard, enterprise development points from partnering with compliant businesses, and socio-economic development points from supporting black social causes.

Step 4: Collect your supporting documentation

Gathering evidence to substantiate your BEE status early saves significant time during a final audit and throughout the process of improving your score.

Step 5: Calculate an initial scorecard

Use a reliable BEE scorecard calculator to get a clear, current view of your compliance position before deciding what to prioritise.

Step 6: Build a strategy report

Weigh the availability of points, the cost of earning each one, and the tangible business benefit against your broader company strategy, covering both your current year-end target and your longer-term scorecard goals.

Step 7: Execute against your strategy

Implement the items you strategised, making sure every decision makes both business sense and BEE sense.

Step 8: Bring in a credible BEE consultant

Many businesses fail their compliance exercise because the supplier they chose lacks the infrastructure or expertise to actually guide the process. Choose a partner who can walk the full journey with you.

Step 9: Recheck for additional points

The easy points are often not enough on their own. Look for other legitimate avenues to improve your score, and recheck your status before moving to the next stage.

Step 10: Prepare for the scorecard audit

Verification can be stressful if the impact of earlier decisions is not fully understood. Good preparation at every prior step makes the audit itself far less difficult, and an appeal remains an option once the scorecard has been issued.

Frequently asked questions

Should BEE compliance be handled only once a client demands it?

No. Building it into the company’s broader strategy from the start reduces admin later and creates a genuinely responsible business position, not a reactive one.

What is the most cost-effective way for a small business to earn BEE points?

Skills development, training staff on the job or through formal SETA-accredited programmes, is generally considered one of the most cost-effective routes.

Is it worth hiring a BEE consultant rather than handling compliance internally?

For most SMEs, yes, provided the consultant has genuine infrastructure and expertise. Many compliance exercises fail specifically because the chosen supplier lacked the knowledge to guide the process properly.

Treat BEE as a strategic asset, not an obligation

Businesses that build BEE compliance into their strategy from the beginning tend to find the process far less burdensome than those that only engage with it under pressure.

Originally published in May 2019. Updated September 2026 to tighten this ten-step BEE compliance process from LFP Group’s Louis Pulzone. The underlying process remains sound.