SALI - South African Landscapers Institute

What SALI - South African Landscapers Institute does

SALI (South African Landscapers Institute) is a national non-profit professional institute founded in 1984 and headquartered in Midrand, Gauteng, that functions as the recognized standards body, representative body, and industry voice for South African landscapers. The institute operates through three regional offices (Gauteng, Cape, KwaZulu-Natal) and serves landscape contractors, selected suppliers, consultants and designers, and, indirectly, property owners seeking vetted professionals via its public-facing directories.

SALI's core products are scientifically derived specification documents for Landscape Maintenance, Landscape Construction, and Interior Plantscaping, which are routinely referenced in industry tenders and form the evaluation basis for the annual SALI Awards of Excellence program (running since 1987). The institute supplements these with member-only contract templates, downloadable legislation and labour resources, memorandum of agreement templates, and a portfolio of in-person and virtual training programs covering playground safety, health and safety, supervision, and communications. Distribution is through an online directory platform (Find a Landscaper, Find a Supplier, Find a Consultant), a Job Junction employment board, an annual rotating regional conference, and presence in industry publications (Scape, Landscape SA, The Gardener/Die Tuinier, Home/Tuis).

The business model is membership-driven, with recurring fees across Principal Members, Selected Suppliers, Associate Members, and Individual Members, gated by compliance requirements such as SARS clearance, COIDA registration, and public liability insurance. Revenue is supplemented by training fees and the annual conference. With only 9 employees, SALI runs as a lean industry association that scales its impact through partnerships (Rand Water, SAGIC, Playsafe SA, GIDA, AGRISETA) and university relationships (TUT, CPUT, DUT) rather than through direct labor expansion.

Name

SALI - South African Landscapers Institute

Legal name

South African Landscapers Institute

Website

https://sali.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Short description

SALI is a national non-profit standards body and industry representative for South African landscapers, founded in 1984, serving contractors, suppliers, and consultants through membership-based standards, training, directories, and an annual awards program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from Principal Members, Selected Suppliers, Associate Members, and Individual Members. Membership categories include requirements for company registration, SARS clearance, COIDA, public liability insurance, and project evaluations for quality standards.
2. Training Programs: In-person and virtual training sessions for members and their staff on topics including playground safety, worksmens compensation, health and safety, machine maintenance, supervision, and communication skills.
3. Annual Conference: Annual conference rotating by region with expert presentations and the SALI Awards of Excellence ceremony. A highlight of the landscape contracting calendar.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SALI is a non-profit professional institute that sells annual memberships to landscape contractors, suppliers, and consultants in South Africa. In return, members receive access to proprietary specification documents (Landscape Standards for Maintenance, Construction, and Interior Plantscaping), contract and tender templates, training programs, listing in the Find a Landscaper/Supplier/Consultant directories, eligibility for the annual SALI Awards of Excellence, and mediation support through regional offices.

Product overview

SALI (South African Landscapers Institute) is a national representative body for landscaping professionals in South Africa, formed in 1984. The organization offers a portfolio of services including standards specification documents (SALI Landscape Standards for Maintenance, SALI Landscape Standards for Construction, and SALI Interior Plantscaping Standards), the annual SALI Awards of Excellence program, training programs, contract templates, and member directories (Find a Landscaper, Find a Supplier, Find a Consultant). The core offering centers on promoting professionalism through standards, certification-like specifications, and industry recognition, with supplementary services including a Job Junction employment board and regional leadership structures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• SALI members must submit projects bi-annually for Awards of Excellence evaluation, confirming commitment to standards

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rand WatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Long-standing partnership with Rand Water. The Water Wise Trophy for the top water-wise landscaping project in South Africa has been presented annually since 2021, promoting water conservation in landscaping.
• South African Green Industry Council (SAGIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular joint SAGIC meetings provide opportunity for industry role-players to meet and review relationships. Landscape architects are important specifiers for the landscaping industry.
• Playsafe SAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on playground safety and compliance. Playsafe SA, specialist safety and compliance authorities, partnered with SALI to hold online discussions on playground safety for landscape designers and contractors.
• Technikon Pretoria (TUT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSALI works in close conjunction with TUT, CPUT, DUT and other institutions for promoting education and training in the landscape industry.
• Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for education and training promotion in the landscape industry.
• Durban University of Technology (DUT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for education and training promotion in the landscape industry.
• Green Industry Development Academy (GIDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA landscape Supervisor Qualification is offered by GIDA, managed by SAGIC. SALI has been proactive in developing Unit Standards for training of landscaping staff through AGRISETA.
• AGRISETAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSALI has been proactive in developing Unit Standards for training of landscaping staff through AGRISETA.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Association of Landscape Professionals: US national trade association for landscape professionals offering certification, education, advocacy, and an annual awards program. Directly comparable to SALI as a landscaping trade body with member benefits, standards, and events.

Regional players

• British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI): UK trade association for landscape contractors with membership categories, technical standards used in tenders, training, and an annual awards scheme. Mirrors SALI's structure but serves the British market.
• Landscape Ontario: Canadian horticultural trades association representing landscape contractors, offering member directories, education, certification, and an awards program. Comparable to SALI as a membership-based landscape industry body with regional chapters.
• European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA): European umbrella body for national landscape contractor associations, focused on advocacy, education, and exchange of best practice. Comparable to SALI as a higher-tier landscape industry body with member associations.
• Master Landscapers Association of South Australia: South Australian trade association for professional landscapers providing accreditation, awards, training, and supplier networking. Closely comparable to SALI in scope and operating model, but geographically separate.
• California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA): US state-level trade association for licensed landscape contractors offering certification, education, water-conservation programs, and awards. Comparable to SALI as a regional standards and membership body in landscaping.

Others

• South African Green Industry Council (SAGIC): South African umbrella body for the green industry that partners with SALI on supervisor qualifications and industry coordination. Adjacent rather than directly competing; relevant for understanding SALI's broader ecosystem.
• Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA): US trade association for commercial tree care that delivers accreditation, training, safety standards, and an annual awards program. Comparable business model to SALI as a green-industry standards body, though focused on arboriculture.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SALandscapers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/17978167/admin/feed/posts
• Instagraminstagram.com/salandscapers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SALI - South African Landscapers Institute