Categories and Criteria
Categories
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
African Business of the Year
Award for Best Agricultural Development*
Award for Best Corporate Social Responsibility
Award for Good Corporate Governance
Award for Innovation
Business Leader of the Year
Country Achievement for Sustained Improvement in Investment Climate*
Creative Industry Award*
Award for Environmental Sustainability in Africa
Investor of the Year
Lifetime Achievement Award*
Most Outstanding Woman of the Year
Telecoms Company of the Year
Best Hospitality, Travel, and Tourism in Africa
Suggested categories for 2013
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Young business leader of the Year
Award for the best SMEs
Entrepreneur of the Year
Start-up Award
Sports leader of the Year
Innovator of the Year
*The winners for these awards will be chosen from consultations with multilateral agencies, the
editorial board of African Business and experts from the Commonwealth Business Council.
African Business of the Year
The African Business of the Year will have shown outstanding returns and growth rates coupled with
innovative working techniques, and the development of staff and the community it operates in.
Criteria:





Financial performance (growth rate, profits and revenue, market capitalisation)
Developed new market segments, especially where these meet the needs of ordinary citizens
and poorer consumers
Economic empowerment through promoting local content and capacity building
High standards of good corporate citizenship
Contributed to changed perceptions of Africa in global markets
Award for Best Agricultural Development* (in association with AGRA)
The winner will be an individual, a project, an organisation or a country that has developed
outstanding agricultural solutions, thereby increasing agricultural output, creating rural employment
and developing rural opportunities.
Criteria:


The agricultural solutions will have contributed to sustainable and environmentally viable
production
The agricultural solutions will have benefitted farmers and rural communities by improving the
commercial viability of the small holder sector
1

The agricultural solutions will have contributed to food security
Award for Best Corporate Social Responsibility
This category recognises the use of the human resources and skills of the company to sustainably
improve the living conditions of vulnerable populations and target groups. The award is aimed at
companies that go beyond the philanthropic use of funds and use their overall knowledge, resources
and reputation to improve the lives of the poor and disadvantaged.
Criteria:




Implemented policies for Corporate Social Responsibility with proven successful results
Unique projects that separates them from the policies of other companies
Implemented Corporate Social Responsibility projects proven to be sustainable
Effectively utilise the skills and resources of company employees
Award for Good Corporate Governance
The Award will go to a company, business or government initiative and will recognise responsible
business ethics and practices, transparency as well as an active policy in tackling corruption.
Criteria:



Shown leadership and direction to tackle vested interests and corrupt practices
Demonstrates a broad culture and business ethics that safeguard integrity, good business
policies and processes
Policies will have impacted on peer behaviour in the business environment and influenced
other institutions’ policies and practices
Award for Innovation
This Award recognises the use of new technologies or innovative practices to drive business and
improve social and economic conditions. The winner will have created or made innovative use of a
proven product, service or project to challenge and revolutionise existing frameworks to create new
opportunities for entrepreneurs and communities or benefit the disadvantaged.
Criteria:


Challenged existing market models or worked to benefit and impact the wider community
Benefited disadvantaged people and communities, or created new opportunities for small
business and entrepreneurs and young people
Business Leader of the Year
This Award goes to a business leader, male or female, who has shown particular leadership skills in
taking their business forward. They may be from a large organisation that has required guidance and
leadership during a period of expansion or hardship or an entrepreneur who has managed to turn an
idea into a dream, overcoming tough hurdles on the way.
Criteria:


Developed new markets, especially where these meet the needs of ordinary citizens and
poorer consumers
Addressed new challenges and opportunities in market conditions
2


Through excellent personal leadership and example ensured high standards of good
corporate citizenship in the companies which he/she has led
Contributed to changed perceptions of Africa in global markets
Country Achievement for Sustained Improvement in Investment Climate*
This Award goes to the country that has made the greatest progress over the previous three years in
improving an environment conducive for business, investment and trade.
Countries will be judged according to their performances as reflected in the standard investment
climate indicators, including those of the World Bank and the Commonwealth Business Council.
Creative Industry Award*
The Award is given to a company or individual that has been successful in a business whose products
and services showcase African culture distinctively through the arts.
Award for Environmental Sustainability in Africa
Considered businesses will demonstrate initiatives that achieve sustainable impacts and
accountability through the development of eco-friendly products or environmental schemes that has
top-level direction, are innovative and is market leaders compared with similar products. Product
engagement initiatives will have driven real improvements in company waste, on-site renewable
energy systems, water use, recycling, and transportation emissions.


Green projects/policies will have changed consumer/employee habits or have had a
significant environmental impact
Implemented policies have proven to be sustainable
Investor of the Year
This Award will recognise an investment that will have had the most impact in terms of: attracting
other investments; impacting the community where the investment has taken place; assisted to
changing the perception of investing in Africa; innovative practices; diversifying the economic
landscape; and moving up the value chain. The investment will also have been socially responsible,
transparent and promoted good governance practices. The size of the investment is not as
important as its impact.
Criteria:


Investment had an impact in new business practices, opening up of markets, encouraging
others to invest, and diversifying the economy
Commitment to socially responsible, transparent and good governance practices with this
investment
Lifetime Achievement Award*
This Award honours the person who has made an outstanding and lasting impact on their industry in
the continent, and advanced the values of entrepreneurship in Africa.
Criteria:

Developed new markets, especially where these meet the needs of ordinary citizens and
poorer consumers
3



Achieved strong and sustained corporate performance in terms of sales, profits and capital
growth
Through excellent personal leadership and example ensured high standards of good
corporate citizenship in the companies which he/she has led
Contributed to changed perceptions of Africa in the global market
Most Outstanding Woman of the Year
This award goes to a female candidate that has shown initiative and excellence in the workplace and
made a significance contribution towards her company in terms of progress and growth and towards
the empowerment of other women. The winner will also have had a key input towards changed
perceptions of women in the workplace.
Criteria:



Making a key contribution towards company growth or returns
Empowered and inspired other women by example and leadership
Played a key role in changed perceptions of women in the workplace
Telecoms Company of the Year
This award goes to the best business operating in the Telecoms sector in Africa. The winner will have
shown solid financial results, developed innovative products and services for consumers, and
generated significant returns on investment for stakeholders. The winning company will have created
value-added services, better connectivity and faster communication. This award will not merely
reward market penetration, but also innovation and transformation at the grassroots level, measured
through the extent to which better communication services have improved citizens’ lives.
Criteria:



Financial performances (revenues and profits)
Innovative use of technology to meet customer and social needs
Numbers in terms of market penetration (customers, countries operated, coverage)
Best Hospitality, Travel, and Tourism in Africa
This award goes to the best business operating in the hospitality, travel and tourism sector in Africa.
Eligible services include lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise
lines, airlines and travel agents.
Through innovative, high-quality services, the winner of this category will have succeeded in branding
its country or region as an attractive tourism destination in Africa, ultimately benefitting the African
tourism industry and the continent as a whole. The winning business will have operated in respect the
local communities and of cultural, historical and environmental heritage.
Criteria:




Contributed to enhancing the brand of a given geographical area as a tourism destination
Numbers in terms of market penetration (customers, countries operated, coverage)
Created an innovative and winning business model
Contributed to a sustainable valorisation of Africa’s cultural, historical and environmental
heritage
4
5