SEIFSA CALLS ON ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY COMPANIES TO ENTER THE SEIFSA AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE
Johannesburg, 18 March 2018 – Economic development and ecological challenges, including climate change and the depletion of natural resources, go hand in hand. As economies develop through industrialization, the quality of natural resources such as water and air tend to deteriorate as companies pursue growth.
“The adverse relationship between economic growth and ecological deterioration is a cause for great concern and dictates that companies should do everything it takes to ensure that they not only use the earth’s natural resources in their pursuits of profit, but also that they continuously rehabilitate and restore the environment to its natural form in order to preserve it for the generations that will come after us,” Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) Chief Executive Officer Kaizer Nyatsumba said today.
He said it was important for business to take the initiative of employing necessary technological innovations geared towards ensuring that their operations do not cause damage to the natural environment.
“It is for this reason, among others, that SEIFSA in 2015, established the SEIFSA Awards for Excellence. The Awards celebrate companies which take seriously the ecological challenges that confront the world and take the necessary steps to ensure that the natural environment is preserved,” Mr Nyatsumba said.
To celebrate companies that have gone out of their way to invest in the environment, SEIFSA will present the Environment Stewardship Award to an organization that has successfully implemented greening initiatives in its day-to-day business operations in 2017.
Other awards that form the seven categories of the SEIFSA Awards for Excellence are:
- The Most Innovative Company of the Year, which will be awarded to a company that showed the best level of innovation in research and development or production in 2017.
- The Most Transformed Company of the Year Award will be received by a company that showed the highest transformation level in the composition of its Board of Directors, Executive Management and Managerial Team in 2017. This award category pits companies employing fewer than 100 people against those of similar size, and companies employing more than 100 companies against others of similar size.
- The Best CSI Award will be presented to a company whose corporate social investment programme/s in 2017 had a major impact on the lives of its beneficiaries.
- The company rated the highest in customer service performance in 2017 will receive the Customer Service Award of the Year;
- This is the Decade of the Artisan, and an award will be made to the company that trained the highest number of artisans in 2017;
- The Health and Safety Award of the Year will be awarded to a company with the best legal compliance record in Health and Safety or the lowest Lost-Time Injury Frequency rate in 2017.
Mr Nyatsumba encouraged manufacturers operating in the metals and engineering sector to submit their entries for the seven categories before the deadline date of 29 March 2019. SEIFSA awards entrants will be assessed on their performance in the period 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017. Participants can enter by visiting the SEIFSA Awards website (www.seifsaawards.co.za).
The Awards are open to all companies in the metals and engineering sector, and not only those that are members of Associations affiliated to SEIFSA.
Awards winners will be honoured at a ceremony that will take place at the IDC Conference Centre in Sandton on 24 May 2018.
Issued by:
Ollie Madlala
Communications Consultant
Tel: (011) 298 9411 / 082 602 1725
Email: ollie@seifsa.co.za
Web: www.seifsa.co.za
SEIFSA is a National Federation representing 23 independent employers. Associations in the metals and engineering industries, with a combined membership of 1600 companies employing around 200 000 employees. The Federation was formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to micro-enterprises employing few than 50 people.
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SEIFSA WELCOMES REBOUND IN METALS AND ENGINEERING SECTOR IN JANUARY 2018
Johannesburg, 13 March 2918 – The latest preliminary seasonally-adjusted production data published by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) today reflect an increase in output in the metals and engineering (M&E) sector, in line with the broader manufacturing sector which increased by 2.5% in January 2018 when compared with January 2017.
The data indicated that production in the M&E sub-components increased by 5.1 percentage points in January 2018 on a year-on-year basis when compared to January 2017, and by 2.1 percentage points in January 2018 on a month-to-month basis when compared to December 2017.
“The output performance of the M&E cluster is welcomed and the expectation is for the positive growth path to continue, as all stakeholders within the cluster and the broader manufacturing sector step up efforts to boost overall production. The performance of the M&E cluster generally augurs well for the broader domestic economy and hopefully will significantly boost the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for quarter 1 of 2018,” Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) Chief Economist Dr Michael Ade said today.
Dr Ade said although the past nine months to the end of quarter four 2017 have seen the real GDP recover from the contraction that marked the previous nine months, challenges to the supply side of the economy and especially in industrial production still prevailed. He said the benefits of a slight up-tick in production in the M&E cluster in 2017 was still not felt by local companies due to prevailing economic challenges, with the production trend still remaining variable and being largely pro-cyclical.
“It is clear that while the recent political forces of change have the potential to improve on perception, credit worthiness and the output stance of the domestic economy, there is still more work to be done in all industrial sectors in general and in the manufacturing sector in particular. The contribution of the manufacturing sector to the broader economy has declined over the years, from roughly a 24% contribution to GDP in the 1990s to a low 12.29% in 2017, with dire consequences on jobs levels,” Dr Ade said.
He said that, moreover, the variability in output in the manufacturing sector – including its M&E sub-components in the years after the 2014 crisis – was still evident, underscoring the need to continue exploring ways of reviving the fortunes of the sector.
“Clearly, there is still more work to be done and all stakeholders have to pool resources together to ensure a return to the glorious growth levels last recorded in the early 1990s. Accordingly, a continuous rebound in production is needed if the manufacturing sector is to regain its position as the main contributor to the broader economy.
“This objective is possible, given the improvement in business confidence and sentiments since the beginning of this year, against the backdrop of a domestic political shift,” Dr Ade concluded.
Issued by:
Ollie Madlala
Communications Consultant
Tel: (011) 298 9411 / 082 602 1725
Email: ollie@seifsa.co.za
Web: www.seifsa.co.za
SEIFSA is a National Federation representing 23 independent employers. Associations in the metals and engineering industries, with a combined membership of 1600 companies employing around 200 000 employees. The Federation was formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to micro-enterprises employing few than 50 people.
NATIONAL BUSINESS INITIATIVE SURVEY
SEIFSA has been approached by the National Business Initiative (NBI) following the first phase of the Youth Employment Initiative which requested members to submit any information readily available on youth employment initiatives, a follow-up survey has been developed by the National Business Initiative (NBI) to address some of the gaps and compliment the data received on the Youth Employment Initiatives.
The focus of the survey is on core programmes but can include CSI initiatives where relevant.
The results of the survey will go directly to Singizi Consulting Africa, who will analyse the results, and ensure that the most comprehensive picture of what business is doing to support youth employment is developed.
The results of the survey will be kept confidential and no company names will be cited beyond mentioning that they were respondents in the report.
Members are urged to participate in the survey and complete it by Friday,16 March 2018.
The survey can be accessed on https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PMSNCP8
AMCU’S INTENDED PROTEST ACTION ON 20 MARCH 2018
Introduction
As you may be aware from recent media reports, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) is preparing for a protest action in the form of a one-day national strike on Tuesday, 20 March 2018.
This Management Brief provides some basic background to the issue and guidance on dealing with the intended protest action
Background to the AMCU Stay-Away
On 29 August 2017 AMCU submitted a Section 77 (1)(b) notice confirming its intention to proceed with a socio-economic protest strike action “due to the failure of the Department of Mineral Resources to ensure the socio-economic welfare of workers through proper regulation and enforcement.”
AMCU has subsequently given notice to NEDLAC in terms of Section 77 (1)(d) of the Labour Relations Act, that they will embark on a nationwide protest action on 20 March 2018.
Protest Action and the Labour Relations Act
The Labour Relations Act (LRA) permits trade unions such as AMCU to undertake protected protest action to promote the social and economic interests of workers, provided that they observe the procedural requirements contained in Section 77 of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995.
It is important to note that protest action in terms of Section 77 of the LRA is only legal or protected if the issue in dispute has been considered or finalised by NEDLAC and the union or federation (in this case AMCU) has given 14 days’ notice to NEDLAC of its intention to proceed with such protest action. In the absence of these conditions, any protest action would not be protected.
The NEDLAC Section 77 Standing Committee has determined the notice to be compliant with the administrative requirements of the LRA.
Consequently, AMCU members participating in any action on 20 March 2018 will be protected by the normal rules regarding protected strikes, namely: no work, no pay and no disciplinary action.
Management Guidelines on Possible Absenteeism on Tuesday, 20 March 2018
SEIFSA recommends that management adopt the following course of action in dealing with any stay-away from work on 20 March 2018:
- Inform workers (i.e. members of AMCU) that any absences related to the protest action will be treated on the following basis:
- no work, no pay;
- a shift for leave pay and leave enhancement pay qualification purposes will be lost in respect of the day’s absence; and
- any overtime worked during the course of the week will be paid at ordinary rates to make up for the lost ordinary working hours from Tuesday, 20 March 2018.
The Staff of the SEIFSA Industrial Relations and Legal Services Division are available on (011) 298-9400 to provide any further advice and/ or assistance to management on the contents of this management brief.
SEIFSA CALLS ON COMPANIES WITH GREAT HEALTH AND SAFETY COMPLIANCE RECORD TO ENTER FOR THE SEIFSA AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE
Johannesburg, 11 March 2018 – With employees being the most valuable assets of any successful business, companies should value their lives and invest heavily in ensuring that the environment in which employees operate is safe, Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) Chief Executive Officer Kaizer Nyatsumba said today.
“Employers have an obligation towards their employees to ensure that not a single life is lost at the workplace, regardless of how hazardous one’s work environment is. In fact, the more hazardous the environment, the more caution employers need to exercise to ensure the safety of their workers. The injury or loss of even one life at a plant or at a site is one life too many,” Mr Nyatsumba said.
It is against this backdrop, among others, that SEIFSA established the SEIFSA Awards for Excellence to encourage and celebrate companies which invest in the health and safety of their workers.
To celebrate companies that go out of their way to invest in the health and safety of their employees, SEIFSA will present the Health and Safety Award of the Year to a company with the best legal compliance record in Health and Safety or the lowest Lost-Time Injury Frequency rate in 2017.
Other awards that form the seven categories of the SEIFSA Awards for Excellence are:
- The Most Innovative Company of the Year, which will be awarded to a company that showed the best level of innovation in research and development or production in 2017.
- The Most Transformed Company of the Year Award will be received by a company that showed the highest transformation level in the composition of its Board of Directors, Executive Management and Managerial Team in 2017. This award category pits companies employing fewer than 100 people against those of similar size, and companies employing more than 100 companies against others of similar size.
- The Best CSI Award will be presented to a company whose corporate social investment programme/s in 2017 had a major impact on the lives of its beneficiaries.
- The company rated the highest in customer service performance in 2017 will receive the Customer Service Award of the Year;
- This is the Decade of the Artisan, and an award will be made to the company that trained the highest number of artisans in 2017;
- The Environment Stewardship Award will go to a company that has successfully implemented greening initiatives in its day-to-day business operations in 2017.
Mr Nyatsumba encouraged manufacturers operating in the metals and engineering sector to submit their entries for the seven categories before the deadline date of 29 March 2019. SEIFSA awards entrants will be assessed on their performance in the period 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2017. Participants can enter by visiting the SEIFSA Awards website (www.seifsaawards.co.za).
The Awards are open to all companies in the metals and engineering sector, and not only those that are members of Associations affiliated to SEIFSA.
Awards winners will be honoured at a ceremony that will take place at the IDC Conference Centre in Sandton on 24 May 2018.
Issued by:
Ollie Madlala
Communications Consultant
Tel: (011) 298 9411 / 082 602 1725
Email: ollie@seifsa.co.za
Web: www.seifsa.co.za
SEIFSA is a National Federation representing 23 independent employers. Associations in the metals and engineering industries, with a combined membership of 1600 companies employing around 200 000 employees. The Federation was formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to micro-enterprises employing few than 50 people.
