Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) has moved its 6th Annual Excellence Awards ceremony from 28 May to 23 July.

The postponement of the ceremony has also resulted in SEIFSA extending the deadline for the submission of entries to 10 July.

“We realise that our sector has been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and that companies are currently trying to navigate their way through the tough economic conditions. It is because of this reason that we have decided to give them more time to prepare and submit their entries,” CEO Kaizer Nyatsumba said this morning.

Manufacturers operating in the metals and engineering sector now have two more months to submit their entries for the seven SEIFSA Awards for Excellence categories.

Now in their 6th year of existence, the SEIFSA Awards for Excellence were born out of the need to celebrate excellence in the metals and engineering sector at a time when tough economic conditions make it difficult to compete, let alone excel.

Mr Nyatsumba said SEIFSA will present the:

• The Most Innovative Company of the Year Award to an organisation that has shown the best level of innovation in research and development or production;
• The Most Transformed Company of the Year Award will be received by a company that recorded the highest transformation level in ownership as well as the composition of its Board of Directors, Executive Management and Managerial Team. This category pits companies employing fewer than 100 people against those of similar size, and companies employing more than 100 people 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 between July 2018 and December 2019;
• The Artisan Development Award will go to the company that trained the highest number of artisans between July 2018 and December 2019;
• The Environmental Stewardship Award will go to a company that has successfully implemented greening initiatives in its day-to-day business operations during the period under review.
• The Customer Service Award of the Year will be presented to a company rated the highest in customer service performance during the period July 2018 – December 2019.
• Entries are also invited from companies whose Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programme/s between July 2018 and December 2019 had a major impact on the lives of their beneficiaries.

Awards entrants will be assessed on their performance in the period 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2019. He said entries are open to members of Associations federated to SEIFSA as well non-members.