The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) once again calls on companies in the Metals and Engineering (M&E) sector to submit their entries for the 2021 SEIFSA Awards for Excellence in the Environment Stewardship Award category.

Now in their seventh year, the SEIFSA Awards for Excellence seek to promote and reward innovation and excellence in the M&E sector, with this year’s entrants to be assessed on their performance during the period 1 July 2019 to 31 December 2020. The Environment Stewardship Award celebrates a company which has taken seriously the environmental challenges that confront the world and has successfully implemented the necessary steps to ensure that the natural environment is preserved.

The company will have demonstrated in its entry that it has gone out of its way to invest in the environment and has successfully implemented initiatives in its day-today business operations.

In 2019, the Award was won by Babcock for its water conservation initiatives. The company had taken it upon itself to protect, control and conserve water usage in the

business through several initiatives, including using water meters at its different sites and reusing water. “South Africa faces significant environmental challenges such as water scarcity and air pollution. Together as the business community, we need to find lasting solutions to these challenges. By showcasing companies mitigating their negative effect on the environment through sustainable initiatives, we not only create a platform to engage on how to further protect our environment, but we also offer examples that other companies can emulate,” said SEIFSA Chief Executive Kaizer Nyatsumba.

The Award ceremony will take place on 20 May 2021 at a venue yet to be confirmed. In addition to the Environmental Award, the other categories include:

• Most Innovative Company of Year;

• Health and Safety Award of the Year;

• Best Corporate Social Responsibility Programme of the Year;

• Customer Service Award of the Year;

• Most Transformed Company of the Year; and

• The Artisan Award of the Year.