The Institute of Business Advisors Southern Africa (IBASA) is a Non-Profit Company which was formed in 2001. It is a self-regulatory professional body which prides itself on the calibre of members in its membership base who subscribe to its code of ethics and the high standards that have been set. It was previously known as IBA until recently when the name was changed to include our geographical local. We are recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) as the professional body for Business Advisors. The Institute is responsible for the grading, accreditation and continuous professional development of business advisors, business coaches, and mentors serving the micro, small and medium enterprises SMME’s in South and the Southern Africa sub continent/ region.
Background
IBASA is in strategic partnerships with the South African Institute of Taxation (SAIT), the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA), Small Enterprise Development Agency, Gauteng Enterprise Propeller, and various Businesses, Chambers of Commerce and Industry. There are various financial institutions, development finance institutions (DFI’s) and municipal Local Economic Development (LED) departments as well as tertiary institutions like the University of Johannesburg in the mix too. We enter into these agreements with a view to creating platforms for SMME’s to access information, funding, and markets for their sustainability.
The IBASA currently has a membership in excess of over 2000 members across South Africa, who are accredited as Business Advisors, Business Coaches, and Mentors.
Members are graded in accordance with their level of skill, education, and more importantly their advisory experience. Once assessed and graded, they qualify to use designations ranging from Business Advisor (BA), Principal Business Advisor (PBA) and Certified Business Advisor (CBA), which is the most skilled and experienced.
It is the objective of IBASA to provide our members with opportunities to continuously develop and improve their skills and capacity.
In terms of cooperation with the banking industry, our members have taken part in various Intermediary initiatives where our members would assist clients and direct Business Plans and requests for funding to financial institutions as well as act as post-investment mentors.
We would also like to encourage our members to take a moment and update their information by clicking on the link: Member Information Update From
The core function of the IBASA is the grading, accreditation, and maintaining of professional standards of conduct among Business Advisors, Mentors, Coaches and Counsellors.
Our goal is to become a statutory body for Business Advisors in South Africa, with the purpose to regulate the small business environment and to create a barrier to entry for unqualified and unscrupulous operators who are contaminating the reputation of the rest of the truly professional members of this group of small business service providers.
We believe that the quality and sustainability of small business in South Africa is directly linked to the quality and professionalism of properly qualified, accredited and certified Business Advisors in our country. The negative impact of bad business advice on SMME’s and the economy as a whole can only be guessed at.
The IBASA represents business advising professionals, within a framework, endorsed by the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA). Our professionals provide services to small, micro and medium-sized businesses in Southern Africa and hence, contribute to the social and economic development of the region.
The IBASA provides its members with a formal recognized professional status, education and Continuous Professional Development in order to improve the quality of their services. This is done under a strict Code of Conduct for the benefit of the entrepreneurs that utilize them. We empower our strategic partners with high impact, quality-assured, managed solutions for SMME’s, through the use of our graded members.
Over the past year, with difficult economic conditions and increasing financial hardship, amongst both business advisors and SMME’s, there has been concern and uncertainty about the level of fees our members may charge their clients.
On the one hand, we are the only professional business advising body in South Africa whose members are registered with SAQA (The South African Qualification Authority) and, as such, provide the highest standards of business advising assistance available to SMME’s.
This professional status would normally carry a premium cost to clients, versus less qualified competitors.
On the other hand, times are tough and we need to be both realistic and competitive in the rates we charge our clients. With the above considerations in mind, IBASA has been requested to provide a broad guideline on suggested fee structures, for our members, depending on their formal IBASA grading’s/designations.
We cannot and do not determine fee structures and IBASA Rates are only suggested guidelines, for comparison purposes.
Obviously, rates are also likely to vary from province to province as well fees will also vary between industries and between regions.
We value Moral and Ethical leadership of our members and as such we are continuously updating our policies. This will help the members of our organization, judge the moral legitimacy of their decisions, enabling them to apply moral, ethical principles and enact values of IBASA in conducting their business.
We promote responsible decision making through the Codes and Policies.
IBASA is confident that the updated Policies will continue to be valued by members as standards of excellence in the Conduct of members within our designation(s).
Kindly familiarise yourselves with IBASA’s:
Mission of the IBASA
To be the recognised professional body for those who specialise in assisting the start – ups and stimulating growth, prosperity of small, micro and medium-sized enterprises in South Africa.
Professional Activates
IBASA is a recognised professional body responsible for the assessment, accreditation, and continuing professional development of business advisors, business counsellors and mentors assisting small businesses.
Business Advice
Business Advice is the provision of independent, impartial and confidential information and guidance to potential and established businesses, based on substantial business experience and current knowledge of related factors.
Business Mentoring
Business Mentoring is an ongoing long-term business advising relationship between an experienced Business Advisor and client that covers a diverse range of topics as a business develops.
Advising and Mentoring
Advising and Mentoring are a means to an end – that end is a profitable business, more effectively managed. In all businesses, performance is fundamentally linked to management capability.
Business Consulting
Business Consulting is the provision of advisory services to help senior management improve the effectiveness of corporate strategy, process, or operations by assessing business needs and reviewing business functions, plans and directions.