The difference between crisis management and reputation management

As the listeriosis outbreak hit front pages with 180 fatalities* and news spread of contaminated food being pulled from supermarket shelves, communications specialists have been keeping a close watch over how Tiger brands handles the crisis. Regine le Roux, MD of Reputation Matters, takes a closer look at crisis management and how it differs from reputation management.

“Over the years crisis communication has been used interchangeably with reputation management, however one should note that there is a big difference between the two and they are not the same thing,” says le Roux.

“Crisis communication is reactive, think panic-mode, it’s how a company responds to bad news and the main focus is on salvaging that external image. In contrast, reputation management is proactive and you have the benefit of time on your hands,” explains le Roux. “Most importantly good reputation management can prevent a crisis,” she says.

Reputation Matters conducts reputation research, quantifying an organisation’s reputation, highlighting areas of risk and advising on solutions to prevent these concerns spiraling into a full-blown crisis. “Our reputation research has helped clients identify areas that are breaking down their reputation. If left unattended they would certainly have caused major damage,” says le Roux, explaining the value of long term, consistent reputation management compared to “fireman” crisis management.

With any crisis, but particularly with a health crisis, no time can be wasted in making a recall announcement, says le Roux. “Customers will criticise any delays in announcing a food recall linked to an outbreak of any kind. Lives are quite literally at stake. On the other hand, with reputation management you have time on your side, giving you the opportunity to strategise about what you want to communicate to stakeholders and how, using data-driven research to inform those decisions.”

Le Roux’s advice is avoid a crisis while you can: “I am convinced that conducting a reputation research study can be a valuable exercise in actively protecting one’s business from a crisis. The key is to take action and proactively manage your reputation before concerns spiral out of control. After all, wouldn’t you like to be quoted in the news for the right reasons, instead of forever appearing on a Google search linked to a widely publicized crisis?”


Championing stakeholder relationships with data-driven solutions

Corporate South Africa has over the past year learned many lessons in reputation management and the real value of stakeholder relationships. “Last year we saw a number of well-known corporates lose reputational ground. We saw how ethical business conduct plays an important role in determining stakeholder perceptions of an organisation and now, more than ever before, data-driven reputation solutions need to be top of the mind when formulating stakeholder communication strategies for large and small firms alike,” says Regine le Roux, Managing Director of leading reputation research organisation Reputation Matters.

Reputation Matters’ proprietary reputation measurement tool, the Repudometer®, quantifies an organisations’ reputation. The model measures ten key elements which make up a reputation. Since 2005, the company has worked with various organisations, using reputation research results in managing and advising on how to effectively take a business reputation to the next level.

Le Roux shares insight on the noteworthy trends from reputation research conducted with nine organisations in 2017. “When looking at the average reputation scores from last year’s research, it becomes very clear that Corporate Social Investment (CSI) projects are increasingly important to stakeholders.

“People want to know they are doing business with socially responsible organisations. 

“This element received an improved overall score of 80% in 2017 (rising from 73% in 2016) and we believe it will follow an upward trajectory again this year, becoming ever more important in impacting overall reputation scores.

“The rise of conscious consumerism led organisations to invest in sustainable social projects.

“The crux here is that stakeholders must be informed about these initiatives as this has a direct impact on their reputation score,” adds Le Roux, and she cautions stakeholders will very quickly decide if a CSI project is just a marketing ploy or if it reflects genuine care and effort to make a sustainable difference.

The biggest average score change was for ‘corporate governance’; the score dropped from 85% in 2016 to 80.1% in 2017. “This is not surprising as respective boards and leaders are being held more accountable by all stakeholder groups for their actions.

“Last year we saw reputations being ruined overnight as big firms were found with egg on their faces, and splashed across the headlines.

Various business scandals took centre stage, explaining the growing trend we have picked up in our reputation research results showing the increasing importance for transparency from top executives and ethical leadership.”

Interestingly, there was a dip in operational capital from 83% in 2016 to 78.5% in 2017, which could be a result of the challenging economic environment; budgets are clearly being invested a lot more conservatively when it comes to training and investing in equipment and technology. Linked to this we also saw a drop in internal communication from 85% in 2016 to 80.5% in 2017. This means organisations will need to make internal stakeholders a priority to help build their organisation’s reputation.  

A stakeholder inclusive approach is important for true business growth and lends itself to becoming a trusted, reputable brand,” says le Roux, adding that it’s a requirement of the King IV report.

“Strong leadership at the helm of any organisation is vital, no matter how big or small the entity is, and good corporate governance and effective internal communication should be non-negotiable in all organisations.

“Being a responsible corporate citizen is not only crucial for profits, it is a must for creating a sustainable business landscape,” concludes Le Roux.

For more information about Reputation Matters and finding out how your reputation measures up, visit www.reputationmatters.co.za or call +27 (0)11 317 3861 (Jhb) | 021 790 0208 (Cpt). Reputation Matters is also on Facebook www.facebook.com/yourreputationmatters and Twitter @ReputationIsKey.


Steinhoff’s reputation is in tatters

Even though Christo Wiese has taken the helm as the interim CEO and is trying to stabilise the ship through the storm, Steinhoff faces the threat of becoming the biggest bankruptcy in South African corporate history (Business Times, 10 December 2017).

How does this happen? “It all boils down to lack of internal governance,” says Regine le Roux, Managing Director of Reputation Matters. “Reputations are ruined when values are negotiated, ethics are compromised and leadership actions are questionable. Having authorities investigating irregularities, and by associating the words ‘senior executive’ with tax evasion, documentary forgery and fraud, is never a good combination.

“If you keep your nose clean, follow policies and procedures and adhere to governance structures your integrity as a company will not be compromised.

“This should sound obvious; unfortunately with the increase in questionable business deals across the board and industries which has come to the light in this year alone, it clearly isn’t that basic.

“The only way businesses can grow and thrive is by having a solid reputation; people and other companies want to do business with companies that have a solid reputation. Reputations have a direct correlation with a company’s bottom line; with a solid reputation you are able to attract top talent, produce products or services that people want to spend money on which ultimately improve your financial standing. The contrary, of a negative reputation, is of course also true.

“Steinhoff have their work cut out for themselves to rebuild their reputation and trust in the brand. One of the key factors is to keep all their stakeholders in the loop,” says le Roux.

Communication is key. Besides the investment community that needs reassurance that their investments are safe, a very important stakeholder group that must not be neglected are their employees. An internal communication drive is imperative. Employees will want the reassurance of whether their jobs are safe, how the situation impacts them in the short, medium and long-term. When there is no communication people will draw their own conclusions and you can be sure that those messages and insecurities will be communicated to the outside world.

How can a situation like this be avoided? Le Roux advises that regular reputation checks are highly recommended. Understanding your reputation and how your organisation is perceived by different stakeholders provides very valuable insights which help to identify and rectify gaps.

“I do think that if they had invested in understanding their reputation, questionable behaviour would have been highlighted and identified much sooner, and action taken to prevent the mess they are in now. Understanding a stakeholder group’s perception, isn’t necessarily the truth, it is, however, someone’s reality. I believe that where there is smoke there is fire, so if one of the stakeholder groups knew that the dealings of the management team were questionable it would have been picked up in the research; warning flags would have been raised, and the board could have taken remedial action much sooner.

“Instead of waiting to see which paw paw is next to hit the fan, consider stabilising your reputation. In the end, reputations do matter,” concludes le Roux.

For more information about Reputation Matters, visit http://reputationmatters.co.za/. Join the Reputation Matters Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/yourreputationmatters.


Share the joy this festive season

Help the Mustadafin Foundation put smiles on the faces of vulnerable children and orphans this festive season.

“Every child deserves a happy, healthy childhood and the opportunity to build a brighter future. Let’s share the blessings by giving special educational gifts to children in need,” says Ghairunisa Johnstone-Cassiem, Director of Mustadafin Foundation.

Child poverty is one of the hardest things to observe. When considering the Western Cape alone, orphans and vulnerable children are faced with numerous challenges such as high levels of poverty, living in child-headed households and suffering from trauma associated with drug and alcohol abuse, gangsterism and crime. According to statistics*, South Africa has over three million orphans. Mustadafin Foundation has taken up the battle to protect these children by establishing programmes that help reduce the rate of poverty in communities and improve their lives in practical ways.

For the past 31 years, the Mustadafin Foundation has distributed and hosted Christmas lunches for sick children at Red Cross Hospital and for disadvantaged communities in Mitchell’s Plain, Brooklyn, Khayelitsha and many other parts of the Western Cape. This year the organisation will also be helping children from Grabouw, a farming community notorious for its extreme poverty and high unemployment rate.

The Mustadafin ‘Toy and Stationery Drive’ aims to assist 1 000 orphans and vulnerable children this year. By giving toys and stationery gifts to children, it will ease the financial pressure put on poor households to purchase essential school items at the start of the new school year.

“We hope to distribute toys and stationery gifts to 500 children in Tafelsig, 200 in Grabouw, 100 in Khayelitsha, 50 in Hanover Park, 50 in Manenberg and 100 in Delft,” says Johnstone-Cassiem.

Support the Toy and Stationery Drive by donating new, wrapped or unwrapped gifts for children who might not otherwise receive a gift. “Unwrapped gifts will be wrapped and distributed to children between the ages of three and 16 years old. Gifts can be dropped at 30 Turfhall Road in Lansdowne. Arrangements can be made for large quantities of gifts to be collected,” mentions Johnstone-Cassiem.

Gift ideas

  • 0 – 5 years: dolls, teddy bears, baby clothes, bath toys, nursery rhymes, puzzles, action figures, books, colouring sets, pencils, crayons
  • 6 – 9 years: educational toys, stationery (colouring sets, books, pencils, crayons, school sets), puzzles, word searches
  • 9 – 12 years: games and toys, stationery, books, clothing, gloves, scarves, hats
  • 13 – 16 years: books, gloves, scarves, hats, school shirts, toiletries

To partner with this initiative and find out how you can donate or for more information about Mustadafin Foundation, contact 021 633 0010 or WhatsApp on 0795673645 or visit www.mustadafin.org.za

*https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/protection_6631.html


If you treasure it, measure it

You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” ~ W. Edwards Deming, scholar and teacher in American academia.

Many organisations are daunted by the idea of exposing themselves to reputation research that will give them the cold hard facts. Little do they realise that by validating their ‘gut’ feeling with numbers helps them to put SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely) action plans in place to ultimately have a stronger, solid and more balanced reputation. An organisation’s reputation should be nurtured and maintained, and every 12 months may be a good idea to take stock to ensure that the organisation’s reputation is steered in the right direction.

The benefits of conducting research are endless. “Reputation management is like exercising for the Comrades. Unfortunately, you will not finish the race if you haven’t worked on a training programme, geared yourself with the right running shoes or adjusted your diet to make sure that it matches your training and individual needs,” says Regine le Roux, Managing Director at Reputation Matters. “It all starts with becoming research fit and assessing what the organisation’s strengths and weaknesses are,” she explains.

A holistic look should be taken at all aspects of the business to determine what is building or breaking down its reputation. Reputation Matters developed a model called the Repudometer® that scientifically measures organisation’s reputations, based on an assessment of ten elements of the business that impacts reputation. These elements include leadership, employees, strategic partnerships, value offering and communication aspects.

“Reputation is all about perceptions. Regardless if the perceptions are based on the truth, they form the realities of your key stakeholders. It is important for organisations to realise that different stakeholders can make different assessments and that not all role players will share the same view of your business’ reputation,” says Le Roux. “When businesses measure their reputations, it shows that they are interested in fostering a relationship with their stakeholders and deem their inputs as important in looking for ways to build even closer, mutually beneficial relationships.”

Le Roux shares three tips for organisational research engagements:

  • Don’t think that reputation research will require you to send yet another survey. Depending on the needs, organisations could consider conducting focus groups or telephonic interviews.
  • If you decide to go the questionnaire route, be smart about it and combine some of the questions from your satisfaction surveys distributed throughout the year as to avoid that stakeholders get too many emails and get survey fatigued.
  • Research does not have to be an expensive or tedious process. Research organisations have different research packages for your needs and to accommodate different budgets. It could also be a painless exercise when working with a company that has a sleek process in place that includes a proper brief to confirm the who, what, where, when, why and how questions.

“With a quantifiable reputation score, you would be able to present figures to your management team that will have a much greater impact than the softer issues that communication management is usually associated with. If you truly treasure your organisation’s reputation, you should measure it and put strategic action plans in place to help take it to the next level,” says Le Roux.

With the Festive Season drawing near, Reputation Matters is offering organisations the opportunity to invest in a Reputation Check, a short check list to determine the health of their reputations, while at the same time giving back to a charity of their choice. “Organisations that invest in the Reputation Check over the November and December period this year will be gifted an additional Reputation Check to give to their registered charity of choice. The results will enable the businesses to help take their reputation to the next level and improve their relationships with their key stakeholders,” concludes Le Roux.


A responsible growth strategy

It is not only consumers; it is all of your stakeholders who want to know what your business is doing to be socially and environmentally responsible. This influencing factor has the potential to build or break down your reputation; therefore, having authentic ‘Corporate Social Investment’ (CSI) initiatives is key to sustainable growth in any organisation.

The latest King IV report, launched by the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa (IoDSA) at the end of last year aims to reinforce principles of good corporate governance, ethical leadership, and sustainable development. The report starts off by speaking about a ‘changed world’1. An influencing drive for the change in corporate governance is climate change, as well as the environmental impacts which also affect people. This points to the fact that social and environmental issues are intertwined can never be treated separately. The quality of the environment and the resources it has to offer has a direct influence on the quality of life of the people living there. Businesses are also a part of society and therefore are in the advantageous position to have a positive influence towards change that addresses social and environmental issues.

“CSI, purely as a marketing attempt is not a good strategy. It is imperative to have an ongoing investment towards positive change,” says Chris Bischoff, research and sustainability specialist at Reputation Matters.

In this day and age, your average consumer is much more tuned in on specific environmental and social issues. Mentioned in King IV, social media, specifically Facebook and Twitter, is creating a world of radical transparency, especially when it comes to being transparent about environmental performance. More and more institutions and businesses are getting caught out, especially on social media, for not ‘walking their environmental talk’. This is known as ‘greenwashing’, saying that you have a responsibility towards reducing your environmental impact or footprint, however certain business decisions and actions suggest otherwise. This is why it is so important to have an authentic approach to your CSI initiatives.

“Not only does it pay dividends for the environment and the well-being of people, having an authentic commitment to environmental and social responsibility makes business sense. You open up the opportunity of becoming a strategic alliance. People and businesses want to be involved with other organisations that are socially and environmentally responsible, our research has shown this,” adds Bischoff.

CSI is a two way investment; in one sense it means investing in uplifting the quality of living of a society, and in another sense investing in that area of business that contributes to your corporate reputation. Having well-thought CSI initiatives aligned to your organisation’s vision and values will encourage employees to embody this responsibility, reflecting in their actions and decisions, and most likely taking this culture home from work.

If you would like to what people think about your corporate social and environmental responsibility, read more about Reputation Matters ‘Sustainability check’, a research tool which provides insight into stakeholders’ perceptions on your social and environmental responsibility.

1Institute of Directors Southern Africa (2016). King IV, Report of corporate governance South Africa.


Extraordinary leadership required: African mayors rise to the occasion

CAPTION: Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane, Councillor Solly Msimanga, explains how important local government leadership is in the sustainability of cities.

Is civilisation under siege from the weather? In South Africa, you could be forgiven for thinking that’s the case. Climate change is wreaking havoc, causing drought, storms, and wildfires. Who is there to lead us out of danger? Curiously enough, the answer is to be found in your local municipality.

Mayors are the unlikely solution to our collective problem, if they can get their act together in time and lead responsibly. This message rang loud and clear during the plenary session of the African Capital Cities Sustainability Forum (ACCSF), held at the CSIR International Convention Centre, in the city of Tshwane.

Pressing home the point to an audience that included 28 mayoral delegations from countries throughout Africa, Parks Tau, President of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), said, “In the past several months SA has been affected by protracted drought, storms, and fires. These phenomena provide mind-boggling confirmation that climate change is not a myth. On the contrary – as the people of Knysna know to their cost – climate change threatens not only the lives and livelihoods of ordinary citizens, but also the very infrastructure assets on which basic service delivery depends. As local leaders we are at the coalface of managing these extremes and the dire consequences for the communities we serve.”

It’s a formidable challenge, admitted the City of Tshwane’s executive mayor, Councillor Solly Msimanga. Seventy percent of the African population is going to be living in cities in the not-too-distant future. “They’re going to need jobs, but they’re also going to need to live in cities that are resilient to climate change. The urban sprawl we are seeing at the moment, where people build first and plan later, is simply unsustainable. We have to plan the future better, so that our cities are future-proof.”

Msimanga reminded delegates that the purpose of the ACCSF – now in its third year – is to forge a network and fellowship among African capital city mayors to advance city sustainability in Africa.

“Adopting sustainability as a primary objective of service delivery and urban development will result in greater prosperity and safety for city residents,” he said.

“It means providing for the pressing service delivery needs of our citizens while safeguarding the environment on which our cities depend. This includes creating the conditions for business to flourish, especially by leveraging the green economy. It is within the power of mayors and civic leaders to make this happen.”

Sound visionary? So it should, for vision is an integral element of responsible leadership. Without responsible leadership, service delivery and investment are flatly unthinkable –  or so says former Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament Pravin Gordhan.

In a trademark delivery combining brevity, precision and dry-to-caustic wit, Gordhan left delegates in no doubt as to what it takes to be considered a responsible leader.

“There’s a crisis brewing in the world and Africa,” he said. “Growing alienation between business and political leaders on the one hand, and citizens on the other, is being caused by growing inequality, and a growing perception that the elite enjoy what others don’t.”

Gordhan continued by saying that responsible leadership demands that leaders take cognisance of this unfolding reality and recognize that this alienation is harmful. Already it has resulted in political upheaval in the Western world, with alienated citizens making political choices of great concern (Trump, Brexit, the “coalition of chaos” in the UK).

And the role of local government?

“From our point of view, governance in a local government context is extremely important,” Gordhan emphasized. “Cities, towns and villages are becoming magnets for people to assemble around. Cities are seen as points where economic opportunity and enterprise are concentrated: people are hopeful of a better future in a city. In some instances, however, where we are not offering the right kind of vision and planning, cities have become centres of disappointment and despair.”

A better organized city offers more economic opportunities, particularly to the young, and hope for a better quality of life. South Africa’s badly planned cities, with their apartheid spatial planning legacy, have to be turned around – and it is local government’s responsibility to make this happen. Gordhan also touched on the scourge of corruption.

“Corruption is a societal disease,” said Gordhan. “The public is very alive to the fact that corruption exists. To turn it around, we want good governance with ethics and integrity, so we need to set our own standards.”

From an investment point of view, said Gordhan, investors want to see leaders with clear vision, planning capability, competent basic service delivery, and service continuity.

“If we can guarantee those things, we will attract investors from across Africa and the world. We don’t have enough capital to invest so we need to attract them,” he said.

For more information about Sustainability Week, visit http://sustainabilityweek.co.za/; for more about the African Capital Cities Sustainability Forum, visit http://www.africancapitalcities.org/. Join Sustainability Week on Facebook at Sustainability Week SA or tweet them: @SustainWeekSA.


Don’t risk losing valuable business data

“Many businesses do not have the resources or inclination to track the latest computer news, security threats, or even common IT tips. As a result, they frequently make mistakes; the key is knowing when to call in the experts to help,” says Mark Veck, Owner and Director at Unit IT.

According to Mark, many organisations go without technical support. “They choose to rely on an employee or a staff member’s friend who is ‘interested in computers’ to provide technology advice or assistance when critical systems fail or slow down unacceptably. Some turn to their hardware manufacturer's telephone support line for help, only to be disappointed when the solution to many problems is to reinstall software. “This means all previous data is lost, which can be disastrous for a business,” says Mark. “These troubleshooting support methods are not cost-efficient, nor are they effective administration options.”

Mark and his business partner, Richard Kanathigoda started Unit IT in 2012, with 14 years of combined previous experience in providing Managed IT services. The business provides IT solutions for companies in various industries across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. Their clients around the world are serviced from their offices in Cape Town, at The Bureaux’s flexible workspace in the Woodstock Exchange, and in London, UK.

According to Mark, there are two other common mistakes businesses fall victim to: poor back up strategies and security failures. “Despite numerous choices and methods, many organisations fail to adequately back up data,” says Mark. “This is a mistake that can be unrecoverable. Since data backups are so critical to an organisation's livelihood, businesses must make sure the right data is being backed up and that it is done as frequently as required.”

Regarding IT security, Mark explains that businesses everywhere are victims of compromised systems, robotic attacks and identity and data theft. “Organisations that fail to properly secure client and customer data often find themselves in the middle of security crises that result in bad press, lost sales, and forfeited customer trust – all things which one should wisely avoid.”

Mark’s top tip is to outsource appropriately. “As a growing small business, leverage the expertise and economies of scale that vendors can provide, rather than trying to build out ancillary departments, like an IT support team. Outsourcing means you can orient your workforce around your business expertise and have more time to focus on your strengths.”

Wise advice, from Mark whose business is a success story itself. “Our company has grown vastly over the last two years, and thanks to the flexibility of The Bureaux’s shared office space we were able to expand because they could accommodate our growing need for more office space,” says Mark.

Greg Beadle, Founder of The Bureaux says, “Unit IT have been based at our Woodstock Exchange shared office space since 2012. As their Cape Town team has grown from two to 44 staff, we have provided more desk space to the business, allowing them the flexibility to expand seamlessly without the hassle of relocating or paying for unused space in a larger office.”

For more information about Unit IT, visit www.unit-it.co or contact: +27 87 828 0270 or email: info@unit-it.co

For more information about The Bureaux, visit thebureaux.co.za or contact: +27 87 470 0369 or email: info@thebureaux.co.za. For more information about Bureaux Black, visit bureauxblack.com or contact +27 87 470 0369. Find them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/thebureaux/.


Entertaining evening with enthusiastic entrepreneurs

Roll up wallets, farming with no land, coloured tyres and athleisure clothing were some of the exciting ideas young entrepreneurial minds pitched at last night’s “Pitch Off” hosted by Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages (CCPB) in Parow Industria. Eighteen teams from the University of Cape Town (UCT), a visiting student group from Belgium and fledgling entrepreneurs from the Raymond Ackerman Academy (RAA) of Entrepreneurial Development (at UCT) embraced the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges. 

UCT team, Instinct, walked away with the R5000 winning pitch for their ‘Eco Band’. Their safety armband has a built-in panic button and allows loved ones to be tracked when they can’t be found. The judges indicated that the group presented well and got to the point quickly. The group also outlined the profitability of their solution; something which is always important to remember when pitching to potential investors.

“There is no doubt about the great value of developing an entrepreneurial spirit amongst young people,” says Priscilla Urquhart, Public Affairs and Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages. “They possess great energy and potential to contribute to economic prosperity, job creation and ultimately to improve the community in which they operate. We are thrilled to partner with the Raymond Ackerman Academy and the Development Unit for New Enterprise on this exciting journey. The talent, potential and opportunities shared this evening have been incredible and we thank all the participants for their interesting pitches, and we wish them well on their entrepreneurial journey,” concludes Urquhart.

The Belgian student pitches included: Let's Sport, E-Exam, Uber Police, Invisible Winner, Bottle Up and an Anti-Rape Detection Kit, while the young entrepreneurs from the RAA pitched business concepts and ideas across health, travel and food. Let’s Sport (Higher Institute of Learning Kempen, Belgium) and #WhyTravel (RAA) were the runner-up winners.


Eco-Logical leaders, innovators and achievers to be celebrated at the Eco-Logic Awards 2017

South Africa’s leading individuals, organisations and communities will once again gather to celebrate the foremost innovations and achievements of the green industry at the annual Eco-Logic Awards ceremony, hosted by Enviropaedia on Wednesday, 14 June 2017 at the CSIR in Tshwane. The key focus of the Awards is to honour and promote the country’s pioneers in sustainability who strive to solve our most pressing and urgent environmental challenges.

The Eco-Logic Awards 2017 gala ceremony will be a bonanza of glamorously green ideas and innovation. Guests can look forward to hearing about the positive strides made in a diverse range of environmental challenges including biodiversity, climate change, energy efficiencies, transport and water to name a few. Radio personality, Africa Melane will be the master of ceremonies. Finalists and winners will be recognised and honoured by environmental thought leaders, celebrities, sponsors, top business executives, government, municipal and community representatives.

David Parry-Davies, editor of The Enviropaedia and driving force behind the Awards says, “We are amazed and delighted by the calibre of entries that we have received for this year’s Awards, and seeing the great strides individuals and corporate South Africa have made in creating a more sustainable future for us all! Yet again, we have received high-quality entries from corporates, municipalities, environment and development organisations, communities, SMMEs, and committed individuals.”

The award ceremony takes place as a highlight of Sustainability Week, which runs from 13 to 15 June 2017. Sustainability Week is one of the key events to look forward to during National Environment Month this June. “We are proud to be a part of such a fantastic event and are excited to use the opportunity to showcase sustainable innovations and practices in South Africa,” says Parry-Davies.

To add to the buzz and show that ‘Going Green’ is a cool, fun, fashionable and financially rewarding thing to do, guests and finalists are invited to dress in ‘Glamorously Green’ outfits, or more boldly as their ‘Alter-Eco-Ego’, displaying how they connect with nature as an Eco-Warrior or Eco-Angel. “The best dressed will receive exciting, glitteringly green prizes including eco-watches, luxury safari holidays and chic eco-fashion garments,” says Parry-Davies.

An independent panel of ecologically knowledgeable judges will evaluate the entries, including: Christy Borman, Editor of Earthworks Magazine; Rob Collins, Group Chief Strategy and Operations Officer of Sun International; Yolan Friedmann, CEO of the Endangered Wildlife Trust; Sanusha Govender, Sustainability Group Manager at Santam; Kevin James, Founder and Head of Strategy at Global Carbon Exchange; Africa Melane, host of the Weekend Breakfast Show on CapeTalk; Charles Moore, an award-winning environmental filmmaker; Zaitoon Rabaney, Executive Director of the Botanical Society of South Africa; Tlou Ramaru, Chief Policy Advisor: Sustainable Development at the Department of Environmental Affairs; Ndivhuho Raphulu, Director at the National Cleaner Production Centre of South Africa; Catherine Ritchie, Marketing and Communication Manager at WESSA; and Anthony Stroebel, Group Marketing Director at Pam Golding Properties.

“The level of innovation in the green space continues to delight and inspire us all and we are looking forward to an evening packed with examples of amazing people and organisations doing wonderful things to drive us forward to a flourishing future eco-logical world,” concludes Parry-Davies.

The Eco-Logic Awards 2017 is proudly sponsored and supported by: CHEP, the City of Tshwane, Coca-Cola South Africa, David Green Eyewear, the Department of Environmental Affairs, Mico IT Recycling, National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC), Eskom, Pam Golding Properties, SANRAL, Santam, Sodastream and Sun International.

For more information on the Eco-Logic Awards 2017, please visit: http://www.eco-logicawards.com. They are also on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Enviropaedia) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/EcoLogicAwards).