The organizers of the Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility awards, otherwise known as the SERAS CSR Awards Africa, have announced the call for entry for the 2021 edition of the awards.
The awards, which have grown in popularity across Africa, have become the signature award ceremony that annually celebrates the roles organizations across Africa play in ensuring that the continent meets the sustainable development goals target of the United Nations.
The 2021 edition marks a milestone in history as the awards attain the 15th year. To mark the anniversary, the organizers have introduced five new award categories which include Circular Economy, Environmental Stewardship, Financial Inclusion, and Rural Population Integration.
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“This is a significant year for Africa and us as well when it comes to CSR and sustainability. When the SERAS began, it took us many toils to message why it was important for organizations to invest in CSR, sustainability, and communities across Africa,” Mary Ephraim-Egbas, vice-chairperson of the local organizing committee and executive director of TruCSR Nigeria said.
She also added that adoption may have been painstakingly slow, but today they are happy that this awards platform has helped accentuate the importance of excellence and provide the guardrails that have helped sustainability grow into a veritable industry in Africa.
The theme for the award event is ‘Driving Sustainability Through Circularity: Localizing the SDGs for Greater Impact’. Entries for the edition closes on June 30, while the award ceremony will be held on December 4, 2021. Participating organizations can register at www.theseras.com
Twenty-seven Awards categories would be up for grabs. They include best companies in – Poverty Reduction; Promotion of Good Health/Well-Being; Partnership of The Year; Education Intervention of The Year; Reporting and Transparency; Work-Place Practice; Stakeholder Engagement; Not-for-Profit of The Year; Deborah Leipziger Africa Prize for Innovation; Gender Equality/Women Empowerment; Social Enterprise of The Year; Food Security; Water Sanitation; Climate Action; and Infrastructure Development.
Others are Supply Chain Management; Sustainability Reporting; Sustainability Professional of The Year; Use of Storytelling/Communications; Outstanding New Entry; MDA/Government Sustainability Ministry of The Year; CEO of The Year; Most Responsible Business in Africa/Overall Best Company.
Ephraim-Egbas said they would also be inaugurating the Africa Sustainability Hall of Fame, beginning with the announcement of four Lifetime Achievement award winners from the four regions of the continent. “We are also putting together a show-piece ceremony that celebrates impact, excellence, and professionals who power the industry.”
Over the previous editions, the awards have attracted nearly 4,000 entries from 375 organizations from 19 countries. In the 2020 edition, Investec Bank (South Africa) won the overall best company prize, closely followed by Dangote (Nigeria) and Zenith Bank (Nigeria), respectively.
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