Entries now open for the third annual Absa Business Day Supplier Development Awards

Large corporates have until February 17 2020 to submit entries for the third annual Absa Business Day Supplier Development Awards. Eleven awards will be decided this year, with two new categories included.

The awards showcase supplier development best practice and are essential for celebrating the efforts of large SA companies who have committed themselves to building inclusive, transformed and thriving supply chains.

In 2019, Distell was recognised as the overall winner, with SA Breweries, Property Point (a Growth Point initiative), Accenture, Exxaro Resources and Macsteel also claiming top category honours.

The 2020 Absa Business Day Supplier Development Awards stand out as they position supplier development as a strategic imperative for the country and set a benchmark for good practice.

Industry collaboration — with sector-wide advancement through skills transfer — results in enhanced supplier sustainability. The awards are therefore an opportunity to showcase those executive leaders using supplier development for long-term competitive advantage.

Categories that will be awarded in 2020 are: 

• The Newcomer Award — companies that have recently initiated a new strategic supplier development programme or project and show merit in design thinking, innovation and commitment to growth.
  
  
• Youth Nation-Builder — initiatives that are achieving exceptional results in supporting youth suppliers.
  
  
• Black Women Nation-Builder — initiatives that are achieving exceptional results in supporting black women suppliers.
  
  
• Rural and Township Nation-Builder — initiatives that are achieving exceptional results in supporting rural and township-based suppliers. 
  
  
• Skills of the Future (4IR) (New) — initiatives that are achieving exceptional results in supporting suppliers with cutting-edge, scarce 4IR skills.
  
  
• Local Manufacturing Award — companies that have developed local manufacturers or value-add services and products with import-substitution and/or export potential.
  
  
• Collaboration Award — companies that have taken strategic action to develop industry relationships and foster cross-sector collaboration for the benefit of the wider ecosystem.
  
  
• Small Supplier Award — small suppliers, nominated by their corporate supplier development partner that have excelled in accelerating their own, and their clients’, success.
  
  
• Intermediary Award (New) — intermediary or enterprise supplier development implementation partners, nominated by their corporate partner, that deliver excellent supplier development programmes or project outcomes for their corporate client.
  
  
• Impact Award — companies with supplier development initiatives that have been shown to substantially affect the value chain, provide evidence of return on investment and scale of impact. (Judges’ award).
  
  
• Overall Winner — the company that stands out as overall leaders in the supplier development space in SA. (Judges’ award).

Entries do not carry any costs for applicants, and can be made by completing the application form at www.sdawards.co.za. 

Entries close on February 17 2020. Winners of the 2020 Absa Business Day Supplier Development Awards will be awarded at an interactive breakfast event hosted by Arena Holdings on May 20 2020 in Parktown, Johannesburg.

The Absa Business Day Supplier Development Awards are presented in partnership with Fetola, Cold Press Media and Arena Holdings.

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About the Arena Holdings Events Division

The Arena Holdings Events Division draws on the editorial expertise and media-powerhouse advantage of Arena Holdings to deliver stimulating and engaging encounters that encourage excellence across SA’s various industries. Aligned to the thought-leadership of Arena’s prominent platforms such as the Sunday Times, Financial Mail, Business Day, Sowetan, Business Day TV, The Home Channel and Ignition TV, we are committed to facilitating events that nurture the socioeconomic success of our country.

Our leading industry events include the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies, Sunday Times The Directors Event, Business Day TV SME Summit, Absa Business Day Supplier Development Awards, The Radio Awards, Sunday Times Generation Next, Sunday Times Top Brands, the Future of Media Conference, and a host of bespoke events for our clients. Arena Holdings prides itself as a level 1 B-BBEE contributor.

Visit www.arena.africa for more information.