Judging is well underway for the Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards 2021. We are delighted with the vast number of entries and the range of companies that have entered and our team is hard at work reading and scoring entries.
GENERAL CATEGORIES
The Awards recognise and celebrate some of the best businesses that operate in KZN across a range of different categories.
Nominations of the various participants are made through Chambers of Business, CEOs, employees and clients of companies and organisations around KwaZulu-Natal. Being recognised as a top business is an important achievement, because it means that the organisation is worthy of recognition.
To be eligible for a category award, entrants need to demonstrate how their companies have embraced the core values of business excellence, sustainability and responsibility, which are principles in line with the King IV Report on Corporate Governance in South Africa 2016.
The companies must then motivate their reasons for being selected as a winner in one or more of the following categories which are totally new and a departure from the industry sector categories used in previous years.
The first round of adjudication has been concluded and the following companies have been shortlisted in the various categories. Finalists will be drawn from these shortlists.
CATEGORIES
1. Business Innovation
This category is open to businesses that can demonstrate an innovative approach to products, or processes, which has contributed to the success of the business. We are interested in businesses who have pivoted their operations as a result of the pandemic. How has innovation contributed to success? The large number of businesses that entered this category well indicates the emphasis on the need for change to succeed in today’s business environment. The shortlist includes:
· Imperial Armour
· Adah Investments
· Innovate Durban
· Durban Technology Hub t/a SmartXchange
· Future Farmers
· Chemsol Adhesives
· The Sharks
· Ocean Driven Media
· Greenheart Organics
· Shelley Residential
· Icebolethu Group
· Mi7 National Group (Pty) Ltd
· Woodford Group
· Boxer Superstores
2. Entrepreneur Resilience
This award is aimed at young business leaders between the ages of 18 and 35 who have shown exceptional leadership and exhibited entrepreneurial flair. Entrepreneurs are a different breed. They take risks where others play it safe. They see problems and answers where others see the status quo. They fend off comfort zones in the name of progress, even when it means potential failure.
· Dr Fareed Amod (Crown Dental Studio)
· Sizwe C Khumalo (Adah Investments)
· Njabulo Maphumulo (Borderless Investment Group (Pty) Ltd)
· Sihle Ndlela and Simphiwe Majozi (Majozi Bros)
3. Digital/System Implementation
The winner of this award will be implementing in the digital sector to provide results that have real impact. This award is for those businesses that employ digital thinking and technologies. Shortlisted are:
· Blue Security
· Tag Your Delivery
· Durban ICC
· The Wend
· Plennegy Group
· Toyota South Africa Motors
· Woodford Group
· Beekman Group
4. Employee Wellbeing
This award is for businesses that go the extra mile to engage their staff members and what difference this makes to the business. This may be through in-house training, flexible working, personal development, workplace wellbeing activity and teambuilding. The shortlist comprises:
· Illovo Sugar S.A.
· Imperial Armour
· Capitol Caterers
· King Shaka International Airport
· Blue Security
· Beverly Hills Hotel
· Toyota South Africa Motors
· MCS Debt Recovery
· The Harvest Table
· Beekman Group
5. Small Business Start-up
This award recognises start-up businesses that have translated an idea into a successful business venture in response to Covid 19. The judges want to see to see evidence of achievements to date, where the opportunities lie and how the entrants in this category have managed their challenges, especially given the circumstances of 2020. Shortlisted are:
· 1787 Wine Cellar
· Sikephi App (Pty) Ltd
· Tag Your Delivery
· Borderless Investment Group (Pty) Ltd
6. Community and Social Responsibility
This award is open to businesses or social enterprises that have made a significant positive impact on the community and region they operate in. We have had great interest in this category which is going to make it very difficult for the judges and we are astounded by the amazing initiatives that are underway in the province.
· King Shaka International Airport
· Blue Security
· Imperial Armour
· Capitol Caterers
· Pro Talent
· Tafta
· Tronox
· SLG
· Toyota South Africa Motors
· Ithala SOC Limited
· Phindavele Creche
· Tag Your Delivery
· The Sharks
· Illovo Sugar S.A.
· Icebolethu Group
· KwaZulu-Natal Joint Municipal Pension Fund
· Mi7 National Group (Pty) Ltd
· Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A.
· The Harvest Table
· Beekman Group
· Boxer Superstores
7. Family Business
Open to businesses where the majority ownership remains within a family (or multi-family) structure, and where more than one generation contributes to the success of the business. Judges will be evaluating why these entrants are a stand-out family business and how being a family business has helped them to succeed.
· Hirsch’s
· Ramsi Group
· Elangeni Buildings
· Supertech Group
· LHL Engineering
· Beekman Group
· The Magnolia Farm Trust (Macbanana)
· The Harvest Table
8. Business Personality of the Year
The Standard Bank KZN Top Business Personality award is an honorary award given to a businessperson who has demonstrated exemplary business achievement, industry influence and is a true inspiration to others. Our shortlist is:
· Henk van Bemmelen
· Louisa Garland
· Ashok Sewnarain
· Melanie Veness
· Nomfundo Mcoyi
· Ebrahim Patel
· Giles King
· Anthony McCleary
9. Top Brand
The Top Brand award is judged solely by public vote. This award is much contested and much coveted by all businesses in KZN
HYBRID EVENT
The Standard Bank KZN Top Business awards ceremony, which will be hold on the 10 June, will be a hybrid event with the live component hosted at the ONOMO Hotel Durban‘s Topaz Restaurant & Skybar. The winners in each category will be chauffeur driven in luxury vehicles to and from the venue by Woodford Car Hire to receive their awards.
You are encouraged to extend the invitation to join us online to your employees, clients, families and friends.
For more information contact
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