Pretoria - As the closing date approaches, the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) has urged companies to submit their entries for the third annual South African Premier Business Awards.
The closing date to enter the awards is 6 March 2015.
The awards bring together all single sectored awards that include exporters, manufacturers and women in business, among others.
These awards, which are organised by the dti in partnership with Proudly South African and Brand South Africa, will be presented at a ceremony to be held on 9 April.
The awards recognise business excellence, honouring enterprises that promote the spirit of success and innovation.
South African enterprises that meet the various criteria per category and have achieved success in their various fields are eligible and encouraged to enter.
Judging will be based on crucial values and practices, including job creation, good business ethics and a dedication to quality.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, says celebrating the successes of established businesses, no matter their size, is an incredibly motivating exercise for aspiring business owners and enterprises.
“Showcasing the efforts of those that are succeeding can serve as a guideline for others in the management of their organisations. We were greatly impressed by the overwhelming response our call for entries received last year. We are anticipating that this, the third annual SA Premier Business Awards, will prove to be an even bigger occasion in celebrating the success those South African businesses has achieved both locally and internationally,” he said on Thursday.
He said through the celebration of innovation and business excellence, South Africa’s enterprises gain competitive edge, allowing them to trade globally, thus improving the country’s economic development.
Entries are open to all sectors. These include SMMEs, organisations that drive innovation, youth-led enterprises, manufacturers following best operating practices, exporters of South African products, woman-owned businesses and investors in job creation.
Some of the categories are Lifetime Achievement, Manufacturers, Exporters, Enterprise Development Support, Women-Owned Businesses, Young Entrepreneur, Investor of the Year, Proudly South African Enterprise, Play Your Part and SMME.
For more information about the awards, to view the competition rules or to download an entry form, please visit sapremierbusinessawards.co.za or contact the dti call centre on 0861 843 384.
Entries close at 4pm on 6 March. - SAnews.gov.za
