Johannesburg, 5 March 2018 – Businesses form an integral part of the communities in which they operate. Therefore, it follows logically that, like other responsible citizens, businesses should play a positive role and invest in the communities in which they operate, according to Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) Chief Executive Officer Kaizer Nyatsumba.

“Everything we do as the business community impacts directly, one way or the other, on the environment and communities in which we operate in. We should, therefore, commit and strive not only to counter the effects that our business operations may have on the environment and the surrounding communities, but also to give back to the members of those communities,” Mr Nyatsumba said.

He cautioned, however, that corporate social investment (CSI) projects should not be carried out as tick-box exercises. Instead, he said they should be meaningful and constructive and benefit community members in a sustainable manner.

To celebrate companies that go out of their way to invest in the environment and communities in which they operate, SEIFSA will present the CSI Award to a company whose corporate social investment programme/s in 2017 had a major impact on the lives of its beneficiaries.

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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 Health and Safety Award of the Year will be offered to a company with the best legal compliance record in Health and Safety or the lowest Lost-Time Injury Frequency rate in 2017;
  • 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 January 1, 2017 to December 31, 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 honored 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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