TruContact Limited, organisers of the Social Enterprise Report and Awards, has unveiled the theme for the 2013 edition of the awards, which is in its seventh year.
According to the management of the company, the theme for this year’s edition of the awards, which recognises and promotes the contributions that organisations make in the communities where they do business, is ‘Shaping the future through innovative value creation: Making a world of difference.’
A statement by the organisers said, “The 2013 SERAs will continue where we stopped last year; identifying and showcasing how business is creating shared value in a manner that benefits the business enterprise as well as its various stakeholders.
“This year, we are increasing the stakes – promoting innovative thinking and strategies that explore the less trodden paths, businesses that are creating and adding value, while differentiating their brands because they are bold, deliberate and not afraid to stand apart in a bid to rewrite history; in an endeavour to create shared value”.
The Managing Partner, TruContact, Mr. Ken Egbas, expressed satisfaction at the impact the awards have had through the years, especially in encouraging corporate sustainability and responsibility.
He said, “When we began encouraging organisations to get involved in sustainability projects seven years ago, no one gave us a chance and not so many organisations in Nigeria were engaging communities sustainably. There were pockets of philanthropic giving by some organisations, but the impact was not measurable because it was largely haphazardly done.
“Today, Nigeria is ranked second only to South Africa among African countries whose corporations are actively involved in corporate sustainability and responsibility. From just over N1bn in 2007, CSR expenses by businesses in Nigeria now hovers over the N23bn mark.”
According to Egbas, over 60 organisations participated in the awards last year with the SERAs verification team visiting over 20 states to ascertain the projects cited by participating organisations.
“It gets bigger every year. The beauty is that sustainability is a concept that has continued to gain traction globally and Nigeria is very much in that mix,” he added.
At the awards ceremony, which the organisers said would be held on September 21 in Lagos, plaques would be presented in the following categories: labour/employment practices, human rights, gender (elimination of discriminatory practices), environmental sustainability, sustainable stakeholder engagement, supply chain sustainability, community involvement (incorporating interventions covering MDGs 1-8), Most improved CSR, Design for sustainability (innovation), sustainability reporting, not for profit (entrepreneurship and innovation).